It's go time in Washington, D.C.! Photo by Mike Boening Photography/Creative Commons.
The 2015 USEA Annual Meeting & Convention is here! Registration is open from noon-5 p.m. today at the Omni Shoreham Hotel in Washington, D.C., and the action kicks into full gear tomorrow with meetings, forums, seminars and demonstrations. Take a look at the full convention schedule here, and read on for five things you don’t want to miss.
1. Eventing Summit 2016-2026: This will be the USEA’s first Sport Summit meeting since 2007, and the association will seek to answer and discuss many of the critical questions that have emerged as eventing has evolved and undergone major changes in the last 10 to 15 years:
- Who is to provide prize money for events: organizers, sponsors, USEA and/or USEF, outside contractors?
- Where are the future officials, volunteers and organizers going to come from?
- Is there a better business model for organizers?
- Can events continue to offer classes for the lower level riders at the same time they offer FEI classes?
- Is the sport able to sustain a level of professionalism and providing a livelihood?
- Where do the vast number of our members who are amateurs fit into this equation?
- How do we make sure that amateur enjoyment and participation in the sport continues?
- How do we help our professionals earn a decent living in this sport?
- Can prize money be attracted to the sport without doing so at the expense of the amateur riders?
- Are there ways to make the sport more marketable?
- In some areas some events are not filling and can barely break even. How can we help them?
- If the sport is to continue to grow and improve, how do we accommodate new organizers and venues?
The Sport Summit and Town Hall Meeting will be held from 9 a.m.-noon on Saturday, Dec. 5. If you are unable to attend this year’s Convention, the USEA still wants to hear from you. Please send your questions and comments to [email protected]. The USEA Board of Governors will read all questions and comments and incorporate them into the Summit.
2. Hall of Fame Gala: New names are added into the USEA Hall of Fame every three years, and this year’s inductees are Rebecca Broussard, Mike Huber, Jacqueline Mars, Richard and Vita Thompson, Margaret Lindsley Warden, Jo Whitehouse, McKinlaigh, Molokai and Winsome Adante. Click here to read about all the inductees.
The new inductees will be honored at the Hall of Fame Gala, which starts with cocktails at 6 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 5. Tickets to the gala cost $105 and must be purchased separately in the Online Services portal.
3. Year-End Awards Luncheon: The USEA’s year-end awards are usually given out during the Saturday night festivities, but with this being a Hall of Fame induction year, the awards ceremony will take place as a luncheon from noon-2 p.m. Friday, Dec. 4. Tickets cost $75 and are also purchased separately in the Online Services portal. Come out to cheer on your friends as they accept their awards!
4. Hot Topics: In addition to the current state of USEA membership and starters, which increased in 2015, several new divisions and levels will be discussed: the proposed DX Eventing and Beginner Novice Assistance Allowed divisions, plus a Modified level to “bridge the gap” between the Training and Preliminary Levels.
5. Area II Festivities: Area II is welcoming USEA members to the nation’s capital with a “Taste of D.C.” party for all on Friday, Dec. 4, from 7:30-10 p.m. There are also several different meetings for Area II members on Sunday, Dec. 6, including the Area II year-end awards luncheon starting at 11:30 a.m.
And that’s really just the tip of the iceberg. There are countless other seminars, demonstrations, meetings and forums to keep you busy at this year’s USEA Annual Meeting & Convention. Click here to see the full schedule. What are you planning to attend, EN?
The EN team has a large contingent going to the convention this year (me, Leslie, Maggie and Dave), and we look forward to chatting with you all. As always, be sure to follow along with Chinch’s shenanigans on EN’s Instagram. Our live coverage from the convention starts bright and early tomorrow morning. We hope to see you there!
USEA Convention Links: Website, Schedule, EN’s Coverage, EN’s Twitter, EN’s Instagram
