Leone is generously providing copies of his instructional top seller, Peter Leone's Show Jumping Clinic: Success Strategies for Equestrian Athletes, co-authored with IHSA (Smith College) alum, Kimberly S. Jaussi, PhD, for the awards packages to be presented to hunter seat class finalists at the 2013 IHSA National Championships.
The book employs diagrams, exercises, anecdotes, and photos of successful riders such as McLain Ward, Richard Spooner and Georgina Bloomberg, to demonstrate its concepts, and IHSA coaches such as Eddie Federwisch (Virginia Intermont College), have lauded the book as a comprehensive, modern textbook on riding.
Leone's relationship with the IHSA began in 2012, while seeking input for his Ride the Body: Select Insights of Peter Leone DVD. He invited IHSA coaches -- from Mount Holyoke College, Johnson & Wales University, Smith College and St. Lawrence University -- and past USEF/Cacchione Cup winners, Lindsay Clark (Centenary) and Lindsay Sceats (Mount Holyoke) to his Lionshare Farm in Greenwich, CT for a clinic and brainstorming session.
He later participated in a scrimmage, hosted by 2011 IHSA National Champion hunter seat team, Centenary College, and "competed" as an Open rider. Coached by Michael Dowling (Centenary) and Mary Drueding (St. Lawrence), Leone drew mounts at random like any IHSA rider and experienced firsthand ‘catching’ a ride before entering a collegiate competitive arena. "I truly understand the challenge college competitors face,” Leone said after his Centenary experience. “To succeed in the college arena you have to have solid fundamentals, together with the skills to ride a horse you've never ridden. This is great equestrian competition.”
“The art of teaching riding is about the process of doing things in an excellent way,” said IHSA executive director, Robert E. Cacchione, while announcing Leone’s involvement with the 40th anniversary of the IHSA National Championships. “Peter’s book symbolizes all that is best about equestrianism.”
About the IHSA
The IHSA mission is to promote competition for riders of all skill levels, who compete individually and as teams at regional and national levels. IHSA is based on the principle that any college student should be able to participate in horse shows regardless of his or her financial status or riding level. IHSA was a finalist for the 2013 FEI Solidarity Award in the Equestrian Social Media Awards, and in 2011 its executive director was recognized with the Pfizer/American Horse Publication Equine Industry Vision Award, USEF Pegasus Award, and USHJA President’s Award. To learn more, visit
www.IHSAinc.com.