The 2019 Intercollegiate Saddle Seat Riders Association (ISSRA) National Championship Horse Show will be held the evening of April 13 at the Kentucky Horse Park’s Alltech Arena immediately following the afternoon session of the annual Spring Premier Horse Show.

Founded in 2008, by college students and faculty mentors, headed by the late Dr. Sally Hayden, the mission of ISSRA is to establish saddle seat riding teams at colleges and universities providing beginners through experienced and/or advanced riders with an opportunity to learn to ride or continue their riding and showing throughout college without the necessity of owning a horse. Today, the organization includes teams from Eastern Kentucky University, Morehead State University, Georgetown University, Bellarmine University, University of Kentucky, and University of Louisville, with independent riders competing from various universities.

ISSRA operates its shows similar to the World Cup. Each rider shows in an equitation rail class and a pattern class. Individual riders draw a horse for each class entered, and have minimal warm-up. Coaches select team point riders in each division prior to the first class and those riders accumulate both team and individual points. Awards consist of a High Point Team, a Reserve High Point Team, High Point Rider and Reserve High Point Rider - to both Senior and Junior riders - based on accumulated points.

Each ISSRA coach places his/her riders in specified divisions based on show experience and a formal riding evaluation. Senior riders compete in Open, Open Limit, Advanced, or Novice classes, while Junior riders compete in Intermediate, Beginner Walk-Trot-Canter or Beginner Walk-Trot classes. Any undergraduate or graduate student enrolled full-time in a college or university is eligible to join the ISSRA as an individual member. Alumni riders are also able to compete in their respective classes.

For more details on show events, competitors, silent auction, and program advertisements, please contact Terri Burch at (502) 852-4859 or by email at terri.burch@louisville.edu or Deveau Zubrod at (859) 421-6753 or by email at dzubrod@gmail.com.