In late April, Piper Haley of Gwynedd Valley competed in the 2026 IEA (Interscholastic Equestrian Association) National Finals in St. Louis, where she became the Reserve Champion for the Novice Dressage Seat Equitation division, earning both the class reserve championship and a national title at the prestigious event. She competed against 11 of the best riders in the nation, who represent 1-2% of the approximately 12,000 IEA participants nationwide.

Piper reached the nationals after earning Reserve Champion at the regional event held at Delaware Valley University. Riders were judged on their precision, control, and overall connection with the horse. But what makes the IEA competition especially challenging is that riders are paired with unfamiliar horses just minutes before they compete.

Piper is the daughter of Mark and Stet Haley. She is currently a freshman at The Grier School, an all-girls boarding School in central Pennsylvania. She has been riding for eight years and began her training with Sandy Nolte at Pennlyn Farm. After Nolte sold her farm and moved out of state in 2022, Piper trained under Randa Schnarr at Blue Bell Equine. She currently trains with Chrystal Wood at the Grier School and will be back at Blue Bell Equine for the summer.

Photo: Submitted