IHSA Awards First-Ever Coach Education Grants at 2026 National Championship

Milestone recognition supports continuing education for collegiate equestrian coaches.

Gladys, Va. —  May 6, 2026 — The Intercollegiate Horse Shows Association (IHSA) announced the inaugural recipients of the IHSA Coach Education Grant at the 2026 IHSA National Championship on May 4, honoring two coaches whose dedication to collegiate equestrian sport reflects the mission at the heart of the organization.

The Coach Education Grant was made possible through IHSA’s  Give campaign, the organization's philanthropic initiative launched in 2024 to invest in the people, horses and programs that sustain collegiate equestrian sport. As a nonprofit, the IHSA established the Give campaign to create a lasting impact for its members.

Anne-Marine Feat, IHSA hunter seat coach at Luther College, and Taylor Fabus, head coach at Michigan State University, were selected as the first recipients of the grant, which provides continuing education opportunities through the United States Hunter Jumper Association (USHJA) and the American Quarter Horse Association (AQHA).

Feat is an Associate Professor of French at Luther College in Decorah, Iowa, and has been the faculty advisor for the equestrian club for six years and the coach of the IHSA team (Zone 7, Region 4) for the last two. She grew up in the Pony-Club and French system (which includes eventing and jumpers) and spent her junior years in FEI endurance and foxhunting worlds.

What she says she loves most about the IHSA is how it makes the sport accessible. She says she has worked hard to keep the Luther program affordable, using her own lesson horses to make sure students can participate regardless of their financial background. She also helps out with the Luther varsity women’s soccer team, and that experience has really shaped how she views the equestrian team. IHSA is unusual in that it makes riding a team sport in a discipline that is otherwise very individual. She tries to lean into that 'soccer culture' of mutual support and collective responsibility as much as possible in how they function day to day.

“I’m looking forward to using this grant to formalize my coaching through the USHJA credential,” Feat said. “Since the American hunter system wasn't part of the landscape when I was growing up in Europe, I want to bridge that gap to be a better resource for my students and a more active contributor to our wonderful region.” 

Fabus grew up showing American Quarter Horses across the Midwest and nationally. She earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in animal science from Michigan State University (MSU). For more than a decade, Fabus served as an Extension Educator, leading the Michigan 4-H Horse Program before leaving the University to work full-time from home at Fabus Farms.

IHSA Executive Director Peter Cashman presents the award to Taylor Fabus, Western coach of the Michigan State University Team. From left to right IHSA Secretary Becky Huddleston, Associate National Steward Amy Daspit, Cashman, Fabus and Meggie Cramer, IHSA Give Campaign Chair. Photo by Paige Timmerman

In 2022, Fabus took over the Western coach position for the MSU Equestrian Team, and Fabus Farms serves as their home base during the school year.  In addition, she has held her Michigan 4-H Horse Show Judge's Card since 2018.

Fabus says that she is looking forward to adding skills to her teaching repertoire that will benefit the MSU program and connecting with professionals in the industry who can become valuable resources. She is excited to share what she learns with her team and students.

"By supporting initiatives like the Coach Grant, the IHSA community is investing directly in the mentors who shape riders, strengthen programs and sustain the culture that makes IHSA unique," Fabus said. "Thank you to everyone who helped make this first step possible."

The IHSA Coach Education Grant represents the first step in what the organization hopes will be a growing commitment to professional development for coaches across its membership.

“The Coach Education Grant is a testament to the generosity of the IHSA community,” said IHSA Executive Director Peter Cashman. “Because of the support of our members, alumni and partners, we are able to invest in the coaches who give so much to this sport. On behalf of the entire IHSA, thank you to everyone who contributed to the Give campaign and helped make this milestone possible."