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WEST COAST WELCOMES IHSA NATIONALS FOR THE SECOND TIME There was a time in the early-to-mid 1990's when IHSA supporters in the Northeast United States wondered when Nationals would come back their way. After St. Lawrence hosted 1990 IHSA Nationals the show traveled south to Hollins in 1991, to Morehead, Kentucky in 1992, Lake Erie College near Cleveland in 1993, College Station, Texas in 1994, Fort Collins, Colorado in 1995 and finally the Los Angeles Equestrian Center in 1996. It seemed like a thousand years passed before the the East Coast received another Nationals, with Mount Holyoke College doing the honors in 1997. Since that time the shoe has been, in general, on the other foot. Fans west of Nashville or Columbus, Ohio have waited ages for IHSA Nationals to take place west of the Mississippi again, and after 12 long years America's second largest media market will once again host the year-end National show.
The Los Angeles Equestrian Center in Burbank, California will house 2008 IHSA Nationals. All 36 classes will be held in the 3,500 seat Equidome, a spectacular covered arena which hosts equestrian events throughout the year. Those who attended 1996 Nationals will recall the classes were held outdoors, with two rings operating simultaniously. 1996 Nationals were held in what is now known as the "Show Terrace and Exhibition Rings," which are to the north of the Equidome by a few feet. These two oval rings will be used for schooling, mostly when something else of greater importance occurs in the Equidome. Though many outside vendors will bring their wares for display/sale, the LAEC has an on-site tack shop, LA Saddlery. Besides a snack bar which is convenient to both the Equidome and the oval rings there is also a gift shop on the grounds according to the official LAEC website, www.la-equestriancenter.com (among other items the LAEC website features a useful map of the entire facility, though this writer was not happy with their calendar of events, which makes no mention of IHSA Nationals). The LAEC property is unparalleled, filling up 75 acres while boarding on Griffith Park. With several trainers based there (and stabling for private horses), private lessons are a way of life at the LAEC, perhaps taking place even while IHSA Nationals are going on elsewhere on the premises. Though much goes on every day at the LAEC (including Banquets, Weddings and Wedding Receptions) most who read this will be focused on events inside the Equidome for four days. As is the case at all IHSA shows, schools may purchase ringside seating or ringside tables for guaranteed perfered seating close to the ring (the deadline to do this has already passed according to the official IHSA site, but with most of the hunter seat teams having only qualified for the event 48 hours before the posted deadline there may still be seating available). Though a list of classes held each day at IHSA Nationals can be found elsewhere on Campus Equestrian, we are looking forward to the parade of teams late Thursday morning (May 8th), the jumping phase of the Cacchione Cup competition leading off Friday morning, the NRHA-sponsored individual open reining on Friday afternoon/evening (where the top four finishers are invited to compete against eight others at the NRHA Collegiate Reining Championships), the Cacchione Cup work-off phase Saturday morning (May 10th), which involves some difficult testing, and the $10.00-a-plate buffet dinner on Saturday evening, when spectators will be able to watch the individual AQHA Trophy high point rider Reining Phase while being well-fed!
Not to take anything away from several sites of IHSA Nationals so far this decade, but it is doubtful an IHSA National show will take place again so close to a major entertainment city as Los Angeles until perhaps the next time Nationals are hosted by Zone 8! Normally Campus Equestrian prepares an "Exit Strategy" to discuss in great detail the hotels, restaurants and shopping near major interstate highway exits often found near the site of an IHSA National show. This time around we are trying something completely different. Rather than talk about what is located near Exit 145B/Alameda Avenue off Interstate 5 South for example (the exit for the LAEC for the record), Campus Equestrian asked several IHSA Riders who live in the Greater Los Angeles area but go to school in other parts of the country for their opinions. Our exact question was "What attractions, landmarks or entertainment/shopping hot spots do you recommend to visitors coming to the Los Angeles area for IHSA Nationals?" Jess Penn, Oak Park, CA; A junior and open rider at Johnson & Wales University: "Because the LA Equestrian Center is in such a great location, there are a lot of different areas in both directions that are fun and interesting to see. Attractions that are close and fun include the Hollywood and Highland complex in Hollywood (about five miles from show grounds) which includes a TON of shopping and restaurants, as well as the Kodak Theatre and a great view of the Hollywood sign. Just down the street from here is Grauman's Chinese Theatre and the Hollywood Walk of Fame. For shopping, The Grove (about 15-20 minutes from grounds) is also a really fun spot, and really popular with college age Californians and families. During the day and especially at night, Universal Studios and Citywalk are really fun places to go. Universal Studios is more like a theme park, but Citywalk has bowling, great food and has been re-done recently to be a really fun place. Griffith Park is a really beautiful area to explore and walk around, and the Griffith Park Observatory is spectacular on a clear night (also really close to show grounds). There are great restaurants all around the surrounding areas, and the closer you get to Hollywood or up toward my area (Oak Park) they only get better (and a little less expensive)." Emily Mallory, Camarillo, CA; A senior and open rider at Lafayette College: "Some cool places to visit while in SoCal are: Universal Studios and Universal City There is also a Starbucks right next to the show as well for coffee drinkers out there."
Hanna Gelfand, West Los Angeles; a senior and open rider at New York University: "I have two suggestions. They are equally wonderful spots: The Third Street Promenade in Santa Monica is a great place to hang out for a few hours. Walking around you will see a broad variety of street performers, restaurants and places to shop. It is also a stone's throw from the beach. Will Rogers State Park in the Pacific Palisades is a great place to hang out for an afternoon picnic or a hike in the Malibu Hills. If you hike the fifteen minutes up to inspiration point you will get a wonderful panoramic view of Los Angeles and the coast. Also, there are polo games on the grass field on the weekends." One thing Campus Equestrian did not ask of these riders was if they recommend any hotels in particular. No IHSA Nationals show will ever take place so close to such a large number of hotels as those held at the LAEC. The Holiday Inn Burbank - Media Center is the official host hotel of 2008 IHSA Nationals and as such may or may not have rooms available on short notice before the National show. If you are a Holiday Inn fan there is also a hotel near the Universal Studios and Citywalk and a Holiday Inn Express known as the Holiday Inn Express-Cahuenga Hotel also under ten miles from the show. If you need to stay in Burbank Marriott has several properties in the area. The Burbank Airport Marriott Hotel & Convention Center is less than a mile from Bob Hope Airport (known as the Burbank Airport until Hope passed away at 100 in 2003) while the Residence Inn Burbank Downtown was recently refurbished. Marriott also operates the Courtyard Los Angeles Burbank Airport in the same general area. Also close to the Burbank airport are the Ramada Burbank, the Quality Inn of Burbank and Extended Stay America. The official IHSA website (www.ihsainc.com) lists several of the hotels already mentioned as well as the Hotel Amarano Burbank, Best Western, the Coast Anabelle Hotel, the Safari Inn, the Portofino Inn, the Burbank Inn & Suites and the Victory Motel Inn, which is both the only hotel mentioned here with a Glendale mailing address and also the closest on the IHSA site to the LAEC. While Burbank/Bob Hope is the closest Southern California airport to Nationals, there are several other airports which fly into the area. Los Angeles International Airport (or LAX) entertains the most carriers and is up to an hour (depending on route and traffic) from the LAEC. Ontario International Airport in Ontario, California is an hour east of the show while John Wayne/Orange County Airport (located on the border of Irvine and Costa Mesa) is over an hour south of the complex but easily the closest airport to Disneyland. Several airlines fly into only one or two of these airports so perhaps checking sites such as priceline.com or expedia.com can answer any airport/airline questions IHSA friends and family may have. And since we have a fascination with 'Chain' restaurants we would be remiss if we did not mention that Burbank has very few of the well-known sit-downs (no Applebees, Chili's, T.G.I. Friday's, etc. though there is an Outback Steakhouse on North Victory Place and there may be an Olive Garden somewhere in town as well). However there is no shortage of fast food, as Burger King, McDonalds, Subway, Popeye's, Taco Bell and In N' Out Burger are all in the neighborhood. Good luck to everyone attending or competing at the 35th annual IHSA National show, and happy sightseeing too! --Steve Maxwell
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