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US Equestrian Issues Update on Licensing of 2021 Unionville Event

By US Equestrian Press Release on Feb 16, 2021 9:00 am -

Photo by Eventing Nation.

US Equestrian has issued an update regarding the 2021 licensing status for the eventing venue in Unionville, Pennsylvania in the wake of controversy regarding its name last year. Bill Moroney, US Equestrian’s Chief Executive Officer, shared the following statement with EN on Monday, Feb. 15. The venue is confirmed to host national horse trials on April 17-19, May 8 and June 5; its international event on Sept. 15-19 is listed as “Pending USEF Approval” as of Feb. 16, 2021.

“The USEF Board is committed to our comprehensive US Equestrian Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Action Plan, which focuses on the expansion of diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives in our sport and the implementation of new strategies to bring the joy of horse sports to everyone. Given the focus and commitment to our DEI plan, we strongly encourage all involved in equestrian sport to remain aware and sensitive to the fact that words matter. We encourage all USEF competition organizers and members to review the purpose and accompanying strategies outlined in the US Equestrian Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Plan and the impact of the use of offensive words and phrases, but decisions regarding venue and competition names are ultimately at the discretion and the responsibility of individual organizers.”

US Equestrian will offer a new Community Conversations series dedicated to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), beginning on Monday, February 22, from 5-6:30 p.m with a session on “Horses in Black Communities.” Anyone interested is invited to register and submit questions in advance for the panelists.

U.S. Eventing Team Hosts First High Performance Training Session of 2021

By US Equestrian Press Release on Feb 12, 2021 9:00 am -

*Liz Halliday-Sharp and Deniro Z. Taylor Pence/US Equestrian Photo.*

The U.S. Eventing Team hosted the first high performance training session of the 2021 competition year in Ocala, Florida last week, welcoming athletes from the Elite and Pre-Elite Training Lists to an intensive four-day camp focused on individualized training with Erik Duvander, the U.S. Eventing Team’s High Performance Director, and the program’s new show jumping coach, Peter Wylde.

The training session offered athletes the ability to familiarize themselves with Wylde’s coaching style and focus on fine-tuning their jumping technique with the opportunity to train on multiple horses each day. The first two days showcased combinations named to the program’s Elite list, with the final two days tailored to athlete and horse combinations on the Pre-Elite list.

Duvander, who is entering his third year with the program, was pleased with the talent and quality the combinations displayed over the four days and also discussed his enthusiasm welcoming Wylde to the coaching staff of the program.

*Erik Duvander (left) and Peter Wylde (right). Taylor Pence/US Equestrian Photo.*

“This is the first session of the year, so this is an opportunity for Peter to check in on the horses and get to know some of the horses he hasn’t seen yet,” said Duvander. “The first day started with easy exercises to get the horses nice and supple and jumping in a relaxed manner. The second day was jumping more of a real track, not of high difficulty, but seeing more of what we need to focus on for the next training session and working on the fundamentals before the competition season so these riders can apply in their own training at home.”

Wylde holds an impressive resume having competed for the U.S. Jumping Team for more than two decades and represented the United States at the 2002 FEI World Equestrian Games in Jerez, Spain, where he secured an individual bronze medal aboard Fein Cera. He was selected to the team for the 2004 Athens Olympic Games, helping to secure team gold. Wylde has recently turned his focus to coaching and training – a perfect fit for the needs of the U.S. Eventing Team program.

*Doug Payne and Quantum Leap. Taylor Pence/US Equestrian Photo.*

“We have been working on control, having a really good relationship with the horse, and getting the horses supple and jumping well, their rideability – these are all things that we do and focus on the pure show jumping side, too,” said Wylde. “I have to say, I’m so impressed with the riding and the horses. We have an incredible group of riders, both the seasoned ones and the younger athletes, who are just fantastic with really good horses.”

“This group likes to ride with a faster pace and more forward to jumps. That’s just normal with cross-country being a part of what you do. Everything that I feel – and the more I’ve done this with the eventing group it further strengthens my opinion – is to actually work on collection, suppleness, control, and getting the jump to be much more vertical and up than forward and flat. That’s a big part of it. It includes the roundness of the jumps and gymnastics training, so that’s really what we’ve worked on a lot. Most of it is very simple: low jumps, jumping out of hand, jumping with collection, landing and having collection after the fences.”

*Sydney Elliott and QC Diamantaire. Photo: Taylor Pence/US Equestrian*

Building support around the program has been a key strategic focus for Duvander, who has enlisted top trainers from around the world to offer their expertise and coaching to program athletes. Duvander, who started his tenure with the program in 2018, sees the growth and progress so far in just three years, and the talent, quality, and competition results of program combinations are consistently trending in the right direction. In addition to Wylde, Duvander has also recruited Johann Hinnemann to join the team as the U.S. Eventing Team Dressage Coach.

“I’ve been in this role for a few years now and have been looking for someone as a show jumping trainer who would be the right fit for us. I got connected up with Peter about a year ago, and I was always a great fan of Peter, especially when he was riding and competing internationally. He rides in such a beautiful way. We had the chance to try him with a few riders at the start of training last year and it’s been super suitable, not just for the jumping, but the same style flows into the dressage and cross-country with the softness and the harmony,” added Duvander. “It’s very important to me to have a system that is a consistent way of training horses, so the jump training doesn’t do one thing and the dressage training does another.”

Last week’s jumping session was the first of 10 training days with Duvander and Wylde scheduled for the Elite and Pre-Elite athletes in the lead-up to the Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event, and dressage-focused training with Hinnemann will be introduced soon.

*Jo Ann Wilson with C’est La Vie 135. Taylor Pence/US Equestrian Photo.*

“We were thrilled to host a successful and safe training session in Ocala under the USEF’s COVID-19 protocols,” said Jenni Autry, USEF Managing Director of Eventing. “The horses on the Elite/Pre-Elite squad were also evaluated by Team Vet Dr. Susan Johns, Team Equine Physio Jo-Ann Wilson, and Program Farrier Beck Ratte to establish a baseline for the year. We were lucky to host both the training session and vet evaluations at Rob and Chris Desinos’ beautiful farm and are very grateful for their support and generosity.”

As an important spring season on the horizon will culminate with team selection for the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games, Duvander feels confident and pleased looking ahead to the future and the progress made so far.

“This year is the first year I really feel like things are starting to gel,” he said. “When I look at the quality of the riders and horses we have at the moment, and their focuses, I think we’re really on to good times ahead of us.”

View the photo galleries and coverage from the 2021 USEF Eventing Winter High Performance Training Session here.

Watch the 2021 USEF Eventing Winter High Performance Training Session highlight video here.

The USEF International High Performance Programs are generously supported by the USET Foundation, USOPC, and USEF sponsors and members.

[U.S. Eventing Team Hosts First High Performance Training Session of 2021]

2021 Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event Will Go Forward in April

By US Equestrian Press Release on Feb 10, 2021 3:02 pm -

Photo by Leslie Threlkeld.

An unprecedented outpouring of public support and a grassroots fundraising effort have led to a reversal of the announced cancellation of the Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event CCI Five Star presented by MARS Equestrian™ (LRK3DE). A new partnership between Equestrian Events, Inc. (EEI), producer of the world-class event, and the Kentucky Horse Park Foundation combined with the support of US Equestrian and longstanding sponsors Land Rover, Mars Equestrian, and Rolex will ensure that the CCI5*-L three-day event will be held, without spectators, alongside a new CCI4*-S, April 22-25 at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, KY.

“The uncertainties surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic placed us in the financially impossible position of having to run the Five Star event without spectators, a situation that left us no choice but to cancel the Five Star for 2021 in order to preserve it for many years to come,” said Mike Cooper, president of EEI. “We are humbled and honored by the response of the eventing community as they’ve stepped up in a mind-blowing way enabling us to go forward.”

A fundraising campaign was started by athletes and fueled by the grassroots effort of the broader eventing community, generating more than $550,000 in donations to run the event. “While that still leaves us short of the amount needed, it is enough to convince us that the balance can be raised,” added Cooper. “We are now, with the assistance of the Kentucky Horse Park Foundation, committed to going forward with the Five Star.”

In the new partnership, EEI and the Kentucky Horse Park Foundation, both 501(c)(3) non-profit charitable organizations, bring strong and distinct skill sets – the Foundation in fundraising and EEI in event management. Using their respective expertise and resources, the Foundation will take the lead in soliciting donations to supplement the grassroots effort, and EEI will focus its attention on running the nation’s premier equestrian event in an environment that is safe for all during the current world-wide pandemic.

“The Kentucky Three-Day Event is the foremost event held at the Kentucky Horse Park and the lifeblood of the eventing world,” said Clay Green, Chairman of the Board of the Kentucky Horse Park Foundation. “The Horse Park was established for the 1978 World Three-Day Event Championships which gave birth to the annual Kentucky Three-Day Event whose success is responsible for the Park’s position of prominence and so much that has happened at the Park, including the 2010 World Equestrian Games. Seeing the number of people pleading for the event to happen this year made it very clear that we must do all we can to ensure that it does.”

“Seeing the athletes, community, our sponsors, and these two organizations, the KHP Foundation and EEI, come together in a united way to allow the CCI5*-L and CCI4*-S to go forward despite the challenges presented by the pandemic is nothing short of remarkable. This will allow our athletes and horses aiming for Tokyo this summer the best opportunity to qualify and prepare, while ensuring the safest possible environment for participants seeking to complete a CCI5*-L or CCI4*-S,” shared Bill Moroney, Chief Executive Officer of US Equestrian. “We extend a huge thank you to all involved, especially to our sponsors, for their flexibility and continued commitment to this event.”

“We are thrilled to return as the title sponsor for the 2021 Land Rover Kentucky Three Day Event CCI5*-L, CCI4*-S and support the event broadcasts on NBC, NBC Sports Network, and USEF Network so everyone can watch this historic event from the comfort of their homes. We applaud the efforts of the equestrian community who have gone above and beyond to raise funds to support this event and ensure another great year of world-class eventing can take place at the highest level at the Kentucky Horse Park,” said Michael Curmi, Director Brand Experience, Jaguar Land Rover USA.

“We applaud the efforts of so many organizers, fans, competitors, and sponsors, supported by MARS Equestrian, which will allow the CCI5*-L competition to continue forward in 2021. This event is an equestrian treasure we are proud to sponsor as we all look for safe ways to hold top level competition,” stated Geoffrey Galant, VP Mars Equestrian.

Spectators are not allowed at this time, but USEF will continue to monitor the effects of the pandemic to determine if a limited number of spectators can be permitted at some point closer to the event with priority given to 2020 rolled over ticket holders. Those who paid for the 2020 event and chose to roll their money over for 2021 will have the option of full refunds or rolling their money over again for 2022. “Ticket holders can expect an email regarding their options, one of which will be to join this incredible grassroots movement on behalf of the sport of eventing,” said Cooper. “Those who wish to do so can donate some or all of the money they’ve paid. We applaud and thank everyone who has contributed so far; without you there would be no Five Star this year and all of you have our utmost gratitude and appreciation!”

Those wishing to be part of the growing movement to save the Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event Five Star can do so through the Kentucky Horse Park Foundation website.

Host Locations for 2021 Adequan®/USEF Eventing Youth Team Challenge Announced

By US Equestrian Press Release on Feb 3, 2021 9:00 am -

The 2018 NAYC CICOY2* podium. Photo by Leslie Wylie.

US Equestrian has announced the inaugural host locations for the 2021 Adequan/USEF Eventing Youth Team Challenge, the newly evolved format of the former North American Youth Championships (NAYC). The Adequan/USEF Eventing Youth Team Challenge offers opportunities for eventing athletes ages 14-25 to gain valuable experience in a team competition environment representing their respective United States Eventing Association (USEA) Areas at the FEI CCI 1/2/3* levels. The Adequan/USEF Eventing Youth Team Challenge will host multiple bi-coastal legs in the short format and culminate with two long format finals in the fall of 2021.

“We have spent a great deal of time developing this concept to provide an important development opportunity for our youth athletes to gain valuable team experience and participate in a championship format that we believe can be successful across the country,” said Jenni Autry, Managing Director of Eventing. “We are working to finalize additional West Coast short format competitions, which we will announce in the coming weeks, and look forward to launching this new pathway competition for our youth eventing athletes in 2021.”

The selected locations for the 2021 Adequan/USEF Eventing Youth Team Challenge are listed below and have been approved by the USEF Board of Directors:

East Coast

Adequan/USEF Eventing Youth Team Challenge Aiken (Stable View) – March 25-27, 2021 – Levels: CCI1*, CCI2*-S, CCI3*-S – Aiken, S.C.

Adequan/USEF Eventing Youth Team Challenge Adamstown – July 2-4, 2021 – Levels: CCI1*, CCI2*-S, CCI3*-S – Adamstown, Md.

Adequan/USEF Eventing Youth Team Challenge Unionville – Sept. 15-19, 2021 – Levels: CCI2*-S, CCI3*-S – Unionville, Penn.

Adequan/USEF Eventing Youth Team Challenge Ocala (World Equestrian Center) – October 21-23, 2021 – Levels: CCI2*-S, CCI3*-S – Ocala, Fla.

East Coast Final: Adequan/USEF Eventing Youth Team Challenge Tryon – November 10-14, 2021 – Levels: CCI1*, CCI2*-L, CCI3*-L – Tryon, N.C.
West Coast
Adequan/USEF Eventing Youth Team Challenge Yelm – June 11-13, 2021 – Levels: CCI2*-S, CCI3*-S – Yelm, Wash.

West Coast Final: Adequan/USEF Eventing Youth Team Challenge Temecula – Nov. 3-7, 2021 – Levels: CCI2*-L, CCI3*-L – Temecula, Calif.

Each team will consist of three to four horse/athlete combinations to be chosen from qualified applicants by the USEA Area Selectors based on performance, soundness, experience, and suitability for the competition. All interested U.S. athletes must submit an Area Declaration and a one-time application for the upcoming competition year by February 15, 2021. Selection procedures for the Adequan/USEF Eventing Youth Team Challenge are available here.

A second Adequan/USEF Eventing Youth Team Challenge Informational Webinar will be hosted in partnership with the USEA on February 8, 2021 at 6:00 p.m. The webinar will cover the new format for the Youth Team Challenge, host location questions and area declaration questions. Register here.

For More Information

Adequan/USEF Youth Team Challenge FAQ
Adequan/USEF Youth Team Challenge Informational Webinar

For questions regarding the USEF Eventing Youth Team Challenge, contact Christina Vaughn, USEF Director, Eventing Performance and Program Support, at (859) 225-6917 or [email protected].

Stay up to date by following USA Eventing on Facebook and Instagram. Use #USAEventing.

[Host Locations for 2021 Adequan®/USEF Eventing Youth Team Challenge Announced]

Horse & Country Launches New Series ‘In the Frame’ Featuring Legends of Equestrian Sport

By US Equestrian Press Release on Jan 25, 2021 3:00 pm -

William Fox-Pitt and Oratorio II. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Horse & Country (H&C) has announced the launch of new series “In the Frame” featuring some of the biggest names from the world of horse sport. In each episode presenter Alice Plunkett asks an equestrian legend to choose five photographs that define their career. The interviews are full of insight and emotion and take us right to the heart of what it takes to get to the very top.

For the first episode Alice doesn’t have to travel far from home, as the subject is her husband William Fox-Pitt. William’s selections encompass both the highs and lows of his extraordinary career. A particular favourite is the family photo taken shortly after victory at Badminton with Chilli Morning in 2015, whilst a sequence recording a spectacular fall at Kentucky highlights the dangers of the sport with which William, and Alice, are all too familiar.

William draws on two images from the early days to reflect on the camaraderie of the eventing world. The pictures feature him with Tina Cook and Pippa Funnell, described by Alice as “the two most important women in his professional life” and his “surrogate wives” when he’s eventing. William talks about the balance between being fiercely competitive with each other at the same time as always willing their success, particularly shared success when competing together in teams for their country.

Alice Plunkett. Photo courtesy of Horse & Country.

There’s humour too as William harks back to the 2012 Olympics which he describes as the highlight of his career thus far. A shot taken in the Olympic Village shows William surrounded by basketball players, one of the few times in his life when the six and a half footer has been the smallest in the room.

Future episodes will feature dressage legend Carl Hester, six-time Badminton winner Lucinda Green, five-time Olympian David Broome and the doyen of equestrian photographers, Kit Houghton, who in a wide-ranging career has covered nine Olympic Games.

Commenting on the new series Director of Content at H&C, Jonathan Rippon, said, “In the Frame is a great example of H&C’s commitment to offer our viewers real insight into the lives of some of the most enduring names in equestrian sport. It’s a really emotional programme, reflecting both the intensity and passion that defines these extraordinary careers.”

Episode 1 of In the Frame was released on H&C+ on Saturday, 23rd January, with further episodes coming out on a weekly basis. The series was produced for H&C by Jenny Rudall. To learn more about H&C+ and to subscribe, click here.

Equestrian Canada Names 2021 High Performance Squads

By US Equestrian Press Release on Jan 24, 2021 12:04 pm -

Hawley Bennett-Awad and Jollybo. Photo by Shannon Brinkman.

Equestrian Canada this weekend sent out a list of riders selected to the High Performance National and Development Squads. Canada will have the ability to send two individual athletes to Tokyo, should the Olympics proceed this summer.

The following horse and rider pairs were named to the National Squad, defined as “Athlete and horse combination with proven form at 4* and/or 5* long or short competitions in the previous 12 months that demonstrates that the combination is capable of being competitive at the 2020 Olympic Games”:

Hawley Bennett-Awad and Jollybo (Jollybo Syndicate LLC & Hawley Bennett-Awad)
Lisa Marie Fergusson and Honor Me (Lisa Marie Fergusson)
Holly Jacks-Smither and More Inspiration (Bruce Smither & Holly Jacks Smither)
Colleen Loach and Qorry Blue d’Argouges (Peter Barry) & Vermont (Peter Barry)
Jessica Phoenix and Pavarotti (Jessica Phoenix) and Bogue Sound (Amara Hoppner)
Waylon Roberts and Lancaster (John & Michelle Koppin, Waylon Roberts)
Karl Slezak and Fernhill Wishes (Kirk Hoppner & Karl Slezak)
Michael Winter and El Mundo (Jonathan Nelson, Emma & Michael Winter)

The following riders were named to Canada’s 2021 Development Squad, defined as “combinations committed to and capable of progressing to National Squad” with qualifications at 5*, 4* or 3*-level events:

Shelby Brost and Crimson (Shelby & Wayne Brost)
Mélissa Boutin and EWSZ Jalando (Mélissa Boutin)
Kyle Carter and Reddy or Not (The Christy Edwards Farm)
Dana Cooke and Mississippi (FE Mississippi Syndicate LLC) and Whole Lotta Rosie (Kingfisher Park)
Lesley Grant-Law and Lady Chatterley (Lesley Grant-Law, Jackie & Steve Brown)
Holly Jacks-Smither and Candy King (Holly Jacks-Smither)
Jamie Kellock and Summer Bay (Jamie Kellock)
Colleen Loach and FE Golden Eye (Peter Barry, Amanda Bernhard & Colleen Loach)
Brooke Massie and Serendipity (Brooke Massie)
Jessica Phoenix and Bentley’s Best (The Bentley’s Best Group), Dr. Sheldon Cooper (Deborah Davies & Jane Stephenson), Wabbit (Jim Phillips & Jessica Phoenix), and Watson GS (Charlotte Schickedanz & Jessica Phoenix)
Brandon McMechan and Oscar’s Wild (Brandon & Glenn McMechan)
Lindsay Traisnel and Bacyrouge (Patricia Pearce)
Michael Winter and Center (Emma & Michael Winter) and Gilexio (Rachel Lippiatt)

To learn more about Canada’s Eventing High Performance Program, click here.

Notes and Updates from US Equestrian’s Public Board of Directors Meeting

By US Equestrian Press Release on Jan 20, 2021 12:00 pm -

The US Equestrian Board of Directors met virtually via Zoom on Sunday, January 17, the final day of the 2021 US Equestrian Annual Meeting. During this meeting, elections occurred for the office of Secretary/Treasurer and for an independent seat, and board members discussed and voted on committee appointees, reviewed council updates and reports, and discussed other pertinent business. Watch the BOD Meeting public session here.

The Board Meeting began in the morning, with outgoing President Murray Kessler leading the final BOD session of his tenure. Kessler and President-Elect Tom O’Mara reviewed the positive financial position of the Federation despite the impact of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, commending both the staff and board members for their flexibility and commitment to reducing costs to ensure the viability of the organization. The board thanked Kessler for his vision, commitment, and leadership over the past four years at the helm of the organization, and Kessler officially handed over the reins to newly elected president, Tom O’Mara.

The second session began with the board elections and ratification of the composition of a number of committees. Current independent board member Judy Sloan was voted into the Secretary/Treasurer position and longtime equestrian Admiral Jon Kreitz was elected to the independent board seat.

US Equestrian CEO Bill Moroney recapped the 2020 budget management process that took place due to the COVID-19 pandemic and resulting event closures in the spring of 2020. Flexibility, weekly financial review and continuous forecasting were integral to responsibly managing the USEF finances. While revenues were negatively impacted, expenses reductions also occurred, primarily due to postponement and cancellation of events. This resulted in a surplus at year-end, however many of the expenses reduced as a result of event postponements will carry forward to 2021 as those events are expected to occur. The 2020 approach to managing finances will continue through 2021.

Bill provided updates on the USEF’s decision to join the AAEP, AHC, and other organizations in opposing the proposed compromise PAST Act. He also reported that recommendations will be brought forward to modify the mileage rule exemption process for competitions, taking into consideration feedback from members including the efficiency, consistency, transparency and accountability of the process. A proposal will be put forward in the next 7-10 days for feedback from affiliates and members before it goes to the board. The Competition Task Force will be repopulated by this Friday and will begin the important work of analyzing the member feedback and ideas that have been submitted to the USEF for consideration. Lastly, Bill announced that the 2020 Annual Report will be out by the end of the month.

The CEO’s report begins at 2:29:25.

International Disciplines Council Chair Joe Mattingly and National Breeds & Disciplines Council Chair Mary Knowlton gave updates on the work of both international and national sport councils respectively, outlining the successes and challenges of 2020, and the work ahead in 2021, including the preparation for the 2021 Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games and a variety of program expansion plans and growth opportunities. Bill Moroney provided the report of the Member Services Council which included highlights of their 2020 accomplishments and 2021 goals.

Chief Marketing and Content Officer, Vicki Lowell updated the Board of Directors on USEF’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Action Plan progress to date and shared plans for key initiatives that will launch in 2021. Among those are the “I Am US Equestrian” mini-documentary series and a rollout of DEI training for USEF representatives. Another key USEF DEI action plan strategy involves partnering with existing organizations already accomplishing meaningful work in increasing access to horses for underrepresented communities. To this end, the Community Outreach Organizations program and Opportunity Fund will create an avenue for USEF to provide visibility, free fan memberships, and access to qualifying grassroots equine organizations across the country as well as the chance to apply for competitive grants from a new Opportunity Fund. The board approved the allocation of $50,000 from the 2022 budget to launch the Opportunity Fund. More details will be announced on how organizations, members and sponsors can participate in the program in the coming weeks.

The marketing report begins at 2:44:07.

Watch the full BOD Public Session and more from the 2021 US Equestrian Annual Meeting on the USEF Network.

Opportunity Abounds in New USEF Eventing Youth Team Challenge: How to Learn More

By US Equestrian Press Release on Jan 15, 2021 3:00 pm -

The 2018 NAYC CICOY2* podium. Photo by Leslie Wylie.

Near the end of 2020, US Equestrian announced the forthcoming launch of the USEF Eventing Youth Team Challenge as part of the evolutionary pivot of the North American Youth Championships. This program is aimed to include even more riders in the opportunity to compete in a team environment, removing the constraints put on by hosting only one championship each year in favor of competitions all over the country culminating in an East and West coast championship.

USEF Development and Emerging Athlete Coach Leslie Law penned the following letter introducing the program to interested parties. If you would like to learn more about this exciting new venture, register to attend the free informational webinar on Monday, January 18 at 6:30 p.m. ET. To learn more about the Youth Team Challenge, click here.

Dear U.S. Youth Athletes and Young Rider Coordinators,

I hope this email finds everyone well and gearing up for the 2021 competition year. The challenging times of 2020 gave us the opportunity to pivot the Eventing North American Youth Championships to a new series that will open the door for more youth athletes to compete in team competitions across the country. I encourage all U.S. athletes between the ages of 14 to 25 to participate in the inaugural 2021 Adequan®/USEF Youth Team Challenge.

Why is the Adequan®/USEF Youth Team Challenge such a key next step for U.S. Eventing?

It fills a critical void in providing a vital stepping stone on the Eventing Pathway, ultimately paving the way to the Elite level of the sport. The U.S. does not currently have the opportunity to compete in FEI Pony, Junior and Young Rider Championships like in Europe, so we must continue to seek new ways to give our youth athletes more opportunities to compete in a team. The Adequan®/USEF Youth Team Challenge will give athletes up to the age of 25 the opportunity to gain this valuable team experience. This is an exciting new initiative in further strengthening the Eventing Pathway, which aims to develop athletes to one day represent the U.S. on the world stage.

The Adequan®/USEF Youth Team Challenge is modeled after the FEI Eventing Nations Cup series with multiple short format competitions during the season leading up to a long format final in the autumn on both the East and West coasts. Each USEA Area will select their team for each competition, and athletes may participate in one competition or multiple competitions throughout the season. If you are currently qualified to compete at the CCI1*, CCI2* or CCI3* levels, you are qualified to compete in the Adequan®/USEF Youth Team Challenge series.

Gaining team experience was integral in my ability to put forward the best performances to secure medals when it mattered most. We invite U.S. youth athletes to participate in the inaugural Adequan®/USEF Youth Team Challenge season and become a part of creating sustainable success on the world stage for the U.S. Every Olympic gold medalist has a story of their very first team competition. Will you join us?

Adequan®/USEF Youth Team Challenge Webinar: Monday, January 18 at 6:30 p.m. EST

Please mark your calendars for an informational webinar on Monday, January 18 at 6:30 p.m. EST to learn more about the Adequan®/USEF Youth Team Challenge and how you can get involved. Please submit any questions about the Adequan®/USEF Youth Team Challenge to [email protected] in advance so we can be sure to answer them during the webinar. You can register for the webinar by clicking here.

Important Reminder – USEF FEI Entry Portal

By US Equestrian Press Release on Jan 10, 2021 10:00 am -

Dear U.S. Eventing Athletes,

As we look ahead with hope and optimism to the start of the 2021 FEI season, I first and foremost hope you and your family continue to be safe and well. With our first FEI competition fast approaching, we would like to take this opportunity to remind you of these key factors regarding FEI entries:

•	If you intend to compete in a U.S. FEI competition, your entry must be submitted in the USEF FEI Entry Portal no later than 3 p.m. EST on the Definite Entry Date listed on the competition’s FEI Schedule.
•	You are not considered as entered in the competition until your entry is not submitted in the USEF FEI Entry Portal.
•	No new entries will be accepted in the USEF FEI Entry Portal after 3 p.m. EST on the Definite Entry Date.

FEI Schedules: The FEI Schedule is your official resource for all information regarding U.S. FEI eventing competitions. FEI Schedules can be found by utilizing the FEI Calendar Search and on the U.S. FEI Competitions page on the USEF Eventing website. We recommend you bookmark this page and refer back to it when preparing to enter an FEI competition.

Definite Entry Date: The “Closing Date for Definite Entries” is the most important date to mark on your calendar and can be found under section VII on the FEI Schedule and on the U.S. FEI Competitions page. This Definite Entry Date may be as early as four weeks prior to the competition but no later than Friday of the week prior to the competition. The USEF FEI Entry Portal will close and no new entries will be accepted after 3 p.m. EST on the Definite Entry Date.

Changes to existing entries may be accepted after the Definite Entry Date with the approval of the competition’s Organizing Committee no later than 3 p.m. EST on the “Last date for substitutions” as stated on the FEI Schedule. These changes are limited to substitution of a qualified horse or athlete or a change of division, i.e. switching from CCI4*-S to CCI3*-S.

Enter early: You can enter an FEI competition through the USEF FEI Entry Portal before the opening date of the competition. There are no fees involved when entering through the USEF FEI Entry Portal, and having your entry in the system is a critical piece of a complete entry. You can make changes to or withdraw your entry at any time up until the Definite Entry Date.

It is equally important to remember that if a competition is over-subscribed, only COMPLETE entries – which means all fees are paid and the athlete/horse membership, registration and passports are up to date – will be considered for balloting purposes. Remember that the Definite Entry Date for the USEF FEI Entry Portal supersedes the date of entry with the Organizing Committee.

Register first: You will not be able to enter a competition through the USEF FEI Entry Portal without a current FEI rider registration. Once you have completed your FEI registration, follow these steps to complete your entry:

•	Go to www.usef.org and log into your user account.
•	Click on My USEF.
•	Scroll down and click on the “Athlete Dashboard” (blue) tile.
•	You will find two important (blue) tiles: one titled “Commonly Ridden Horses” and another titled “FEI Entry.”
•	If you have not already populated information under Commonly Ridden Horses, you must do so before proceeding to the FEI Entry. Once added, information about your horses will always be there for you to select for entries, add/delete information or update as needed.
•	Click on FEI Entry, choose U.S. FEI Competitions or Foreign FEI Competition, select discipline, month, and then pick the competition you wish to enter.

Member Dashboard

Athlete Dashboard

Should you have any issues during the entry process, please send an e-mail to [email protected].

Check your existing passport(s): Make a habit of checking all existing passports every year prior to the spring competition season. Make sure vaccinations are up to date and recorded as necessary. Check the expiration date on FEI passports, and remember the expiration date format on FEI passports is listed as day/month/year.

Please note that due to COVID-19 mailing delays, current processing times for passports are 2-3 weeks, unless you mark the passport as expedited.

New passports and upgrades for breed passports: Review the Horse Passports 101 document before applying for a passport. Once you are ready to apply for a new passport or upgrade for a breed passport, the following scenarios may cause a delay:

•	Incomplete vaccination records or insufficient vaccinations.
•	Incomplete or incorrect horse description (i.e. whorls, snips, etc. not recorded as required).
•	Incomplete information for breed passport upgrades.

We hope you find this information helpful in navigating the USEF FEI Entry Portal. Please feel free to contact Christina Vaughn at 859-225-6917 or [email protected] with questions regarding the portal. We wish you all the best for a successful 2021 eventing season.

Sincerely,

Jenni Autry

USEF Managing Director of Eventing

USET Foundation Awards Will Faudree With the Connaught Grant

By US Equestrian Press Release on Jan 8, 2021 12:00 pm -

Will Faudree and Mama’s Magic Way. Photo by Shannon Brinkman Photography.

The United States Equestrian Team (USET) Foundation has awarded the Connaught Grant to Will Faudree, and his mount, Mama’s Magic Way, a ten-year-old Hanoverian gelding owned by Jennifer Mosing.

Each year, the USET administers up to $25,000 to a CCI* or CCI2* horse in the U.S. that is seen as a potential candidate to represent Team USA on an international level. The grant was established by Caroline Moran in memory of her dear friend, the late R. Bruce Duchossois, who was passionate about and dedicated to encouraging the development of eventing horses in the United States, and is named after the famous eventing horse Connaught, who was owned by Duchossois and ridden by Phillip Dutton.

As the recipient of the Connaught Grant, Faudree, who is an athlete on US Equestrian’s Eventing High Performance Pre-Elite Training List, will be able to use the funds to support further competition and training toward this goal.

“I’m very lucky to have known Bruce [Duchossois] and see his passion for his horses and the American team,” stated Faudree. “He is a huge inspiration for me—not just as an owner and supporter of the U.S. equestrian team—but as a rider and horseman. I also recall exactly where I was sitting the day Phillip [Dutton] won Kentucky Three-Day with Connaught in 2008. He is also an inspiration. So, to be the recipient of the Connaught Grant is a huge honor and incredibly humbling.

“Jennifer [Mosing] and I are very excited about Mama’s Magic Way’s future,” Faudree continued. “We have a really fun partnership, and he loves the sport and loves his job. I know that we have our work cut out for us, but he and I are up for the challenge and we’re ready to do Bruce proud.”

“It’s an honor to carry on [Bruce Duchossois’] legacy in supporting up-and-coming horses that show great promise for representing our country,” Moran shared. “[As part of the Connaught Grant Committee], I was very excited by the strong group of horses that were put in front of us [for this grant] and I send my congratulations to Will. I hope that he has a great schedule ahead of him and look forward to supporting him and Mama’s Magic Way on their journey.”

Though competition plans remain tentative as the world navigates the COVID-19 pandemic, Faudree says the ultimate goal would be to compete Mama’s Magic Way at the Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials (England) in September. Faudree added, “[Mama’s Magic Way] is still young and relatively inexperienced, but he feels ready [for the horse’s first CCI5*]. We’re looking at the Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event in the spring, but if he needs more time before his first CCI5*, we may reroute to the Bramham Horse Trials (England), or the Bromont Horse Trials (Canada).”

Thanks to the Connaught Grant, Faudree and Mama’s Magic Way can continue their training with the goal of representing the United States in future international competitions.

USEF COVID-19 Action Plan: Looking Ahead to 2021

By US Equestrian Press Release on Jan 5, 2021 9:00 am -

Photo by Shannon Brinkman Photography.

As 2020 comes to a close, US Equestrian extends our sincere appreciation to all of our competition participants, officials, and organizers for their unwavering commitment to following the USEF COVID-19 Action Plan. We have all experienced a tremendous amount of disruption and change to our daily lives this year. The efforts each and every one of you have made to wear face coverings, socially distance, and frequently wash your hands and avoid indoor social gatherings have been paramount to allowing the safe return of many equestrian competitions during the ongoing pandemic. The ability to have competitions continue has been a bright spot for participants and has kept many people who make their living in the equestrian industry employed.

USEF Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Mark Hart, who has been working closely with CDC and WHO officials, strongly encourages members to receive the COVID-19 vaccinations as soon as availability allows. “Thanks to the unprecedented global collaboration of the scientific and pharmaceutical communities over this past year, we now have safe and incredibly effective vaccines. It can’t be emphasized enough, the role that vaccines will play in bringing this pandemic under control by achieving earlier ‘herd immunity’ (70-85% of the population) and hence a return to some sense of normality in our personal and professional lives. While it could be late Spring before the vaccine is widely available to the general public, we could potentially achieve umbrella immunity here in the US by late summer or early fall 2021. While there is finally light at the end of the tunnel for ending this pandemic, we are still facing several more months of high COVID-19 infection and death rates until the curve is flattened with increasing vaccination numbers. We all have a role in preventing many of these intervening infections by continuing to closely adhere to well established public health measures (keeping masks on, social distancing, good handwashing and avoiding indoor social gatherings) as well as getting vaccinated as soon as it is available to you.

“There is concern among public health officials that there is some hesitancy by certain segments of our society to get the COVID-19 vaccine. Those individuals should be assured that the review and approval process has been independent and transparent, made by scientific and public health experts who have no allegiance to the federal government or pharmaceutical companies. Another concern is recent reports of new ‘strains’ of COVID-19. Like all RNA viruses, the COVID-19 virus has had some expected and naturally occurring genetic variants documented which to date have been seen to be more ‘transmittable’ but possibly less lethal. Fortunately, there is no evidence that the current approved vaccines will not be effective against these observed variants. There are multiple ongoing surveillance programs worldwide to monitor these genetic ‘drift’ mutations and possible considerations for vaccines.”

While vaccines may not substantially decrease the COVID infection rates for at least the next 3-4 months, active preparations are ongoing for the day when we can gradually allow USEF competitions to host spectators once again. We are currently developing the necessary protocols to evaluate when this can safely occur. The hope is that once COVID infections are under better control, we will be able to permit a restricted level of spectators. This goal will be subject to certain public health conditions as well as all applicable local and state requirements. For the time being, spectators will continue to be prohibited from USEF-licensed competition grounds. The USEF recognizes the disappointment faced by the many fans who enjoy the sport as well as the countless owners who have missed the thrill and excitement of being an active and crucial participant in the development of their horses. Their continued support is greatly appreciated and has allowed our riders and horses to continue to reach their goals in an otherwise uncertain year.

While we cautiously look ahead to reopening events to spectators, the ability to ease the Action Plan requirements is contingent upon the continued progress in controlling the spread of the virus. We must all diligently follow the current Action Plan mandates in order to continue to achieve the success we have seen since restarting limited competitions last June.

Thank you for your continued support of the USEF COVID-19 Action Plan and our community effort to keep our sport open. Please continue to refer to the USEF COVID-19 Action Plan for further updates.

Maryland 5 Star at Fair Hill Designates Maryland Food Bank as an Event Beneficiary

By US Equestrian Press Release on Dec 29, 2020 10:00 am -

We love seeing our sport give back to the communities that support them. Last week the Fair Hill Organizing Committee (FHOC), an affiliate of the Sport and Entertainment Corporation of Maryland (The Sport Corp.), announced the Maryland 5 Star at Fair Hill has designated the Maryland Food Bank (MFB) as an event beneficiary.

MFB is a nonprofit hunger-relief organization dedicated to feeding people, strengthening communities, and ending hunger for more Marylanders. The Maryland 5 Star is a multi-day international event featuring top Eventing riders and horses competing at the sport’s highest-level. The inaugural event takes place October 14-17, 2021 at the new Fair Hill Special Event Zone in Cecil County, Maryland.

In addition to making a financial contribution to MFB, the Maryland 5 Star will be actively fundraising for the organization during the year through the event’s website, social media platforms and e-newsletters. The FHOC team and its partners will also volunteer at the food bank throughout the year and help raise awareness around MFB’s COVID-19 Phase 2 Response Plan via the event’s promotional materials, as well as during the competition with signage in the venue and coverage during the broadcast and livestream.

“We want to thank The Fair Hill Organizing Committee and the Maryland 5 Star at Fair Hill for stepping up and offering their support toward our efforts to combat food insecurity during this especially challenging time for so many Marylanders,” said MFB President & CEO Carmen Del Guercio. “This is an exciting event for our state, and we’re hopeful that this partnership will not only help raise awareness around the issue of hunger, but also generate much-needed funds to feed an increasing number of individuals and families facing hunger as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.”

MFB is the heart of Maryland’s food assistance network, providing food to more than 1,200 soup kitchens, pantries, shelters, and other community-based distribution points across the state. The food bank is currently concentrating on expanding food access to those who have been negatively impacted by COVID-19.

FHOC President and CEO, Jeff Newman commented, “The FHOC and everyone involved with the Maryland 5 Star at Fair Hill is thrilled to partner with the Maryland Food Bank especially during a time when their work is so critical. We are extremely proud to be helping Carmen and his incredible team in their efforts to keep up with the growing demands for food and expanding food access to those who are struggling the most during these challenging times.”

USEA Rider of the Year Liz Halliday-Sharp Joins Team Equilume

By US Equestrian Press Release on Dec 26, 2020 10:00 am -

Liz Halliday-Sharp and Cooley HHS Calmaria. Photo by Shelby Allen

Equilume, an Irish biotech firm offering lighting solutions for the international equine industry, are delighted to announce an exciting new partnership with USEA Rider of The Year, Liz Halliday-Sharp.

Californian, Halliday-Sharp, an established member of the US Eventing High Performance Training List with multiple International wins up to CCI5* level, recently installed Equilume Performance lighting in her barns having trialled an Equilume Cashel Light Mask on her mare HHS Cooley Calmaria. The mare subsequently won the Tryon CCI2*-L in November and Liz was convinced of the benefits of Equilume’s blue light technology for her horses.

Liz, who splits her time between her farms in Ocala, FL and Lexington, KY, has a strong team of horses for 2021 with her sights set on the Tokyo Olympics, said:

“I am very excited to announce my new partnership with Equilume. Equilume is performance lighting which supports circadian rhythms for the horses, these are very important for health, happiness and overall well-being. We want our horses to perform at their best and be as happy and healthy as they can, that is why we have chosen to partner with Equilume.”

Liz joins other international event riders Phillip Dutton and Sam Watson on Equilume’s team of riders, both of whom have noted positive effects on behaviour, focus in training, healing and coat condition in their teams of horses.

Photo courtesy of Liz Halliday-Sharp.

Equilume is a world leader in the research and development of light therapy solutions to assist the global equine industry in maximising reproductive efficiency and performance.

The company was established as a result of pioneering research at UCD by Dr Barbara Murphy, in collaboration with Professor John Sheridan, a UCD optoelectronics engineer, who identified the optimum light level required to advance the breeding season in horses, giving rise to the successful launch of the innovative Equilume Light Mask. www.equilume.com

The Equilume Cashel Light Mask is an individual headpiece for horses that provides timed, low-level blue light to a single eye throughout the day to ensure optimum health, performance and coat condition. Designed specifically for the Sport Horse market, this mask ensures that horses receive optimum wavelengths of light that mimic natural sunlight when they are stabled, travelling or away at competition.

The Equilume Stable Light provides horses with biologically effective light in a system that replicates the benefits of Nature’s environmental lighting indoors, designed to maximise health, performance and breeding efficiency for stabled horses. Modern management of horses requires that they spend a large proportion of the 24 hr day indoors, unexposed to optimum daylight and frequently disrupted by light at night. This regime negatively impacts the horse’s body clock and can result in impaired growth, reduced immune response, poor appetite and performance. The Equilume Stable Light was designed to counteract these problems by providing the horse with biologically effective light. Key features of the system are blue-enriched light by day, gradual transitions at dawn and dusk, red light at night and a circannual program that optimises performance throughout the year.

Sally Ike to Be Honored with Lifetime Achievement Award at US Equestrian Annual Meeting

By US Equestrian Press Release on Dec 23, 2020 12:00 pm -

Sally Ike and Evening Mail competing at Blue Ridge Horse Trials. Photo courtesy Sally Ike/US Equestrian.

US Equestrian is pleased to announce the recipients of the Lifetime Achievement Award and the Junior Equestrian of the Year Award to be presented at the virtual 2021 US Equestrian Annual Meeting. Sally Ike is the winner of the 2020 Lifetime Achievement Award, while Lucy Enns is the 2020 Junior Equestrian of the Year. Ike and Enns, along with other prestigious award winners, will be recognized at the virtual 2020 USEF Pegasus and Horse of the Year Awards Celebration on Saturday, January 16, at 7:30 p.m. ET.

September 1, 2020, marked the end of an era for US Equestrian as Sally Ike, who has been with the organization for more than 30 years, transitioned from her post as Managing Director of Licensed Officials and Education into an independent contractor role. Ike has been an integral part of US Equestrian’s success and growth since 1989, working extensively with the USEF Sport Department. She has managed countless responsibilities and held numerous titles throughout her tenure, including Chef de Mission, Discipline Director of Eventing, Managing Director of Jumping, and Director of Vaulting Activities. She also served as the jumping team leader for every Olympic Games, Pan American Games, FEI World Equestrian Games, and FEI World Cup Finals from 1990 through 2008.

Sally Ike and David O’Connor. Photo courtesy George Oliver Bugbee/US Equestrian.

An accomplished equestrian, Ike successfully competed at the Burghley Horse Trials in 1967 and completed the 1968 Badminton Horse Trials on Evening Mail, earning an Olympic team nomination. She was selected as a non-traveling reserve for the 1968 Mexico City Olympic Games.

Ike’s many roles also have included course designer, technical delegate, steward, and judge at numerous three-day events across the country, as well as managing the jumping department and traveling around the world with top international U.S. Jumping teams.

Ike has always been a welcoming and dependable supporter of all equestrian disciplines. Her pledge to ensure the success of US Equestrian’s teams and programs has left a lasting impression not only on the disciplines she has been so deeply tied to throughout her career, but also on those she has mentored and worked with over the years.

Ingrid Klimke, Groom Carmen Thiemann Win Big at FEI Awards 2020

By US Equestrian Press Release on Dec 15, 2020 12:00 pm -

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Ingrid Klimke (@ingridklimke)

Winners in the FEI Awards 2020 five categories were revealed last week, with multi-medalled young Dressage star Semmieke Rothenberger claiming the Longines FEI Rising Star Award for the second year in a row, and Eventing legend Ingrid Klimke also taking back-to-back wins as Peden Bloodstock FEI Best Athlete.

This year the task of choosing the best of the best from the past decade’s previous awards winners was entirely in the hands of the public who cast their votes for the 55 nominees from 19 nations. Over 70,000 votes were cast on FEI.org and on the Chinese social media platform WeChat. Podiums in each of the five categories were occupied by a global spread from Germany, Great Britain, Australia, China, Ireland, Palestine, South Africa, The Netherlands and Zambia.

With the FEI Awards Gala cancelled this year due to the pandemic, the winners were revealed to their online audience in a moving video narrated by British Paralympic champion Natasha Baker.

Semmieke Rothenberger, winner of the Longines FEI Rising Star Award, was overcome with emotion when her family held a surprise presentation of the award at their home in Germany.

“I’m very grateful that so many people voted for me and that there is such a big fan base of people that support me,” Semmieke Rothenberger said. “It is also quite surreal because there were so many good athletes in this category, including my brother Sönke, so I didn’t really expect that I would win it again.”

The 21-year-old, winner of 22 FEI European Championship medals through all the youth categories right up to Young Riders, has even bigger goals for the future.

“My parents have always taught me to dream big and reach for my goals and I would really like to canter on that centre line of the Olympic Games one day. I’ve been to the Olympic Games in Rio with my brother and I would love to see myself there with one of my horses and feel the atmosphere of representing my country at the Olympics!”

Along with other individual FEI Award winners, Semmieke Rothenberger received an elegant timepiece from FEI Top Partner Longines, the Swiss watch brand which attaches great importance to encouraging young people to practice sports.

“This Longines FEI Rising Star Award was created to recognise young athletes between the ages of 14 and 21 who demonstrate outstanding equestrian sporting talent,” Longines Vice President of Marketing Matthieu Baumgartner said. “We are delighted to once again celebrate Semmieke Rothenberger’s dedication to equestrian sport and we applaud her determination, passion and energy, which we are confident will take her to the very top in her sporting career.”

Double Olympic Eventing team gold medallist and five-time Olympian Ingrid Klimke (GER) was delighted to win a second Peden Bloodstock FEI Best Athlete Award, together with a horse transport voucher from title sponsor and Official FEI Equine Logistics Partner, Peden Bloodstock.

“This is all still a little bit unreal but I’m so thrilled and happy,” she said. The 52-year-old, who was also nominated for the Award in 2015 and 2017, going on to win in 2019, is only the second person in history to win back-to-back European titles on the same horse, claiming individual gold with SAP Hale Bob OLD at the Longines FEI Eventing European Championships in 2017 and 2019. This year she took her fifth German National Championship, having won previously in 1999, 2000, 2001 and 2009, sharing the spotlight with her daughter Greta Busacker, who was crowned German National Junior Champion on the same day.

Although Ingrid Klimke has set her sights on winning her first individual gold at the Tokyo Olympic Games next year, she is not shy of stating her longer term ambitions. “I’m already thinking of Paris 2024 which is not so far away. I love to ride, I love to compete and I love to keep going.”

There was further cause for celebration at the Klimke stables when Carmen Thiemann, head groom for more than two decades, won the Cavalor FEI Best Groom Award and a voucher from title sponsor and FEI Official Nutrition Partner, Cavalor.

“It’s the trust between us and the fun we have with the horses,” Carmen Thiemann said when asked about the longevity of her professional partnership with Ingrid Klimke. “I try to make the horses happy and healthy so that they are ready to work with Ingrid.”

Carmen Thiemann, who won the FEI Best Groom Award in 2013, has a special bond with the Klimke family having started her career as a groom for Ingrid’s father Dr Reiner Klimke, an Olympic Dressage legend for Germany.

“Everyone who knows Carmen knows how valuable she is as a person and especially in her job with the horses,” a delighted Ingrid Klimke said.

“We have been successful as a team for many years and I would never go to a show or a Championship without Carmen. She is a best friend to the horses and I can totally focus on my job, either in Cross Country or in Dressage, knowing that Carmen brings them out as happy and healthy as possible.”

It is also interesting to note that the runner-ups in these two respective categories – Peden Bloodstock FEI Best Athlete and Cavalor FEI Best Groom – went to another dynamic duo: Great Britain’s superstar Charlotte Dujardin and Alan Davies, the experienced and highly respected “Super Groom” to Carl Hester’s horses, and also a key member of the FEI Grooms Working Group.

Ten years after winning their first award, the Ebony Horse Club (GBR) was once again the recipient of the FEI Solidarity Award.

“This award, coming at the end of a really challenging year, just validates everything that we’re working for,” General Manager of the Ebony Horse Club Naomi Howate said. “To be recognised as the best of the decade is such a huge accolade and has made us extremely proud of the work that we do here.

“Ebony is a youth club with horses, rather than a riding centre, because our ethos is all about helping our young people be the best they can be both on and off the horses.”

The organisation, which is based in Brixton, South London, provides young people from low income families with the opportunity to ride horses and take part in a variety of sporting and educational activities.

The FEI has provided the 2020 FEI Solidarity Award winner with a financial donation to support the Ebony Horse Club projects. “We are a small club and we don’t have lots of resources,” Naomi Howgate said. “Donations are everything, as it is how we can provide the work we are doing. We support about 400 young people in a year and we can only do that with donations of money that allow us to run our services. So receiving this from the FEI is really fantastic!”

This year’s FEI Against All Odds Award goes to German Paralympian Dr Angelika Trabert. Born without legs and only three fingers on her right hand, Angelika is well known in the equestrian community for her indefatigable spirit and her motto, “It’s ability, not disability, that counts.”

She had just won individual gold at the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games™ 2010 when she picked up her first FEI Against All Odds award, given to the person who has pursued their equestrian ambitions despite a physical handicap or extremely difficult personal circumstances.

Dr Trabert, an anaesthetist by profession, was inspired to be an athlete and coach in the years after tragically losing her long-time partner in 2005. She has won six Paralympic medals and four at the FEI World Equestrian Games™. She is also the current Para Athlete representative on the FEI Athletes’ Committee and a member of the FEI Para Equestrian Committee.

“I feel this is an award and a reward for the work I’ve been doing and what I feel is important for our sport,” Angelika Trabert said. “You should always look on the positive side, especially in these times. It’s very hard for a lot of people and it counts more than ever to look upon the possibilities and abilities that we have. And there are many.”

“Our global and diverse community is built on our shared passion for horsemanship and the team spirit, which is so present in all five of our winners, is replicated around the world and at every level of the sport, both on and off the field,” FEI President Ingmar De Vos said.

“Passion and resilience define our community, and these values are echoed in the stories of each of our FEI Awards winners for 2020. Congratulations to all the nominees and especially to our winners, thank you for your commitment to the sport and the values which make the equestrian world so rewarding and inspiring.”

FEI Confirms Maryland 5 Star at Fair Hill Official CCI5*-L Status

By US Equestrian Press Release on Dec 14, 2020 2:06 pm -

Tim Bourke and Quality Time at the Maryland 5 Star at Fair Hill’s test event in August. Photo by Amy Dragoo.

It’s all systems go for the postponed-from-2020 Maryland 5 Star at Fair Hill, now scheduled for Oct. 14-17, 2021. The inaugural event has been granted official CCI5*-L status following support from the FEI. The formal ratification was received following the FEI’s evaluation of the host venue at a test event in August 2020 held at the newly constructed Fair Hill Special Event Zone in Cecil County, Maryland.

FEI officials were on-site at Fair Hill in August where competitors utilized the new Special Event Zone for the first time since construction was completed in February 2020. The CCI3*-S event served as the test event for the Maryland 5 Star after the original test event planned for April was cancelled because of the pandemic.

“The five-star designation is the top level of our sport and in turn, there is an extensive evaluation process that takes place in order to host such an event,” said Catrin Norinder, FEI Director of Eventing and Olympic. “Despite the challenges 2020 has presented, the organizers have made tremendous strides and met the necessary requirements to date, and the FEI Eventing Committee supported its inclusion in the FEI Calendar.”

In 2017, the USEF board of directors selected Fair Hill as a potential host site for the newest CCI5*-L competition on the international eventing circuit. Last year, the Maryland Board of Public Works approved funding for the construction of the Fair Hill Special Event Zone to serve as the annual host site for the Maryland 5 Star. Phase One of the project was completed this year including the construction of a new cross country course designed by Ian Stark, as well as new dressage and show jumping arenas located within the infield of the refurbished Turf Course at Fair Hill.

“On behalf of The Fair Hill Organizing Committee and our partner Fair Hill International, we want to thank the FEI for their continued support,” said Jeff Newman, Fair Hill Organizing Committee President and CEO. “This validation of the new Fair Hill Special Event Zone to host a five-star level event is yet another exciting step forward as we gear up for the inaugural Maryland 5 Star at Fair Hill next fall.”

The event will be the seventh CCI5*-L worldwide and Maryland will join Kentucky as the second location in the United States.

“The Maryland 5 Star at Fair Hill will be a significant addition to our country’s eventing calendar and is the result of a major, multi-year initiative to bring a second CCI5*-L to the U.S.,” said Bill Moroney, Chief Executive Officer of US Equestrian. “This event is the culmination of that vision and we’re looking forward to working with the Maryland 5 Star at Fair Hill team to support a successful event in 2021 and beyond.”

The Maryland 5 Star at Fair Hill recently hosted a virtual event as part of Governor Larry Hogan’s proclamation of October as Maryland Horse Month. Exclusive content showcasing the Fair Hill Special Event Zone can still be viewed on the event’s website here.

US Equestrian Announces Athletes Invited to Eventing 25 Assessment Sessions

By US Equestrian Press Release on Dec 11, 2020 10:30 am -

Mia Farley and BGS Firecracker. Photo by Abby Powell.

US Equestrian has announced the list of athletes who have been invited to the 2021 Emerging Athlete Eventing 25 Assessment Sessions. The USEF Emerging Athlete Eventing 25 Program offers athletes 25 years of age and under access to coaching and instruction, high intensity training sessions, and continued mentorship to further support the development of the Eventing Pathway.

The Eventing Performance Advisory Team (PAT) reviewed applications and invited 24 athletes to participate in a two-day assessment session with USEF Developing and Emerging Athlete Coach Leslie Law prior to the final program selection.

Participants in the assessment sessions are eventing athletes age 25 and under who have completed a Minimum Eligibility Requirement at a CCI3*-L or have been talent spotted into the assessment sessions.

The following athletes have been invited to participate in the 2021 Emerging Athlete Eventing 25 Assessment Sessions:

Arielle Aharoni (Bedminster, N.J.)
Charlotte Babbitt (South Lake Tahoe, Calif.)
Alexandra Baugh (Lexington, Ky.)
Amanda Beale Clement (Phoenixville, Penn.)
Mia Braundel (Clayton, N.C.)
Sophie Click (Snoqualmie, Wash.)
Katherine Delaney* (Rockville, Va.)
Cornelia Dorr (Manchester By The Sea, Mass.)
Mia Farley (San Juan Capo, Calif.)
Colin Gaffney (Akron, Ohio)
Alexa Gartenberg (Gladwyne, Penn.)
Savannah Gwin* (San Clemente, Calif.)
Mallory Hogan (Belvedere, Calif.)
Sophie Hulme (Portola Vally, Calif.)
Gabrielle Hutchison (Cleveland, N.C.)
Katie Lichten (South Hamilton, Mass.)
Benjamin Noonan (Ballwin, Missouri)
Meg Pellegrini (Wayne, Penn.)
Alyssa Phillips (Fort Worth, Tex.)
Danielle Poulsen (Newark, Del.)
Kaylawna Smith-Cook (Temecula, Calif.)
Sydney Solomon (Dayton, Md.)
Megan Sykes (Midland, Tex.)
Madison Temkin (Sebastopol, Calif.)

Three assessment sessions will be held in January 2021: one session in Ocala, Fla., one session in Aiken, S.C., and one session in Temecula, California.

USEF Development and Emerging Athlete Coach Leslie Law and members of the Eventing Performance Advisory Team will determine the final athletes named to the 2021 Emerging Athlete Eventing 25 program following the conclusion of the assessment sessions.

To learn more about the Eventing Pathway Program, please contact Christina Vaughn, Director of Eventing Programs and Program Support, at [email protected] or Jenni Autry, Managing Director of Eventing, at [email protected].

*Talent spotted into the assessment sessions for having not met the CCI3*-L requirement.

Updates to USEF’s COVID-19 Action Plan

By US Equestrian Press Release on Dec 9, 2020 9:08 am -

Photo by Shannon Brinkman Photography.

US Equestrian remains committed to efforts that mitigate the risk of COVID-19 virus transmission and keep our members and competition participants as safe as possible. To remain aligned with public health authorities in these efforts, we have updated the USEF COVID-19 Action Plan for USEF-Licensed Competitions to reflect the most recent CDC guidance related to quarantine protocols following COVID-19 exposure.

Exposure is considered close contact with a COVID-19-infected individual (exhibiting symptoms or confirmed by a positive test result) within a distance of six feet for a cumulative total of 15 minutes or more. This exposure results in the need to quarantine.

It is important to note that, due to the virus’ incubation period, the CDC still recommends a quarantine period of 14 days. However, it is recognized that a shorter quarantine time may balance significant societal personal burdens against the progressive smaller possibility of spreading the virus over time following exposure. Therefore, effective immediately, USEF is adopting the CDC’s following options to shorten the quarantine time after exposure.

An individual exposed to COVID-19 through close contact with a person suspected or confirmed to be infected may discontinue quarantine (and therefore gain access to a competition venue):

After Day 10, following close contact (exposure) without testing if no COVID-19 symptoms are present, or;
After Day 7, if no COVID-19 symptoms are present and after receiving a negative COVID-19 test result (testing must occur on Day 5 or later after exposure)

After discontinuing quarantine, all individuals should

Monitor for symptoms for 14 days after exposure
Immediately self-isolate if symptoms develop and contact a personal healthcare provider or public health authority
Wear a face mask/face covering, maintain social distancing of at least six feet from others, and wash hands frequently

Check the CDC website for additional details related to quarantine times following virus exposure.

This most recent change relates to quarantine times associated with virus exposure only. It does not change the requirement for individuals who test positive for COVID-19. These individuals are still not allowed to access competition grounds, and they are required to isolate for a minimum of 10 days following the first onset of symptoms or receipt of a positive test result. Additionally, at the end of the 10 days, the individual must be fever-free for a 24-hour period without the use of fever-reducing medications before being allowed to be around others.

Please reference the updated USEF COVID-19 Action Plan for USEF-Licensed Competitions.

IOC Confirms Inclusion of and Quotas for Equestrian Sports at Paris 2024

By US Equestrian Press Release on Dec 7, 2020 1:00 pm -

Charlotte Dujardin celebrates at the Rio Olympics. Photo by Arnd Bronkhorst/FEI.

All three equestrian disciplines – Jumping, Dressage, and Eventing – have been formally confirmed for the Paris 2024 Olympic program. In addition, the six events – team and individual across each of the three disciplines – and the full quota of 200 athlete/horse combinations have also been endorsed.

News of the confirmation came during today’s International Olympic Committee (IOC) Executive Board online meeting, at which the full program for Paris 2024 was formally approved. Individual International Federations were also provided with details of the event program and athlete quotas for their sport in an official letter from IOC Director General Christophe De Kepper.

The ratification means that equestrian will keep its quota of 75 athlete/horse combinations for Jumping, 65 for Eventing and 60 for Dressage.

Rendering via Paris 2024.

“We are very happy to receive formal approval of our three disciplines for Paris 2024 from the IOC Executive Board and also confirmation that our athlete quota remains untouched at 200”, FEI President and IOC Member Ingmar De Vos said.

“This confirmation is also a token of appreciation for the efforts the FEI and the equestrian community have made to increase the fan base and improve digital figures for our sport. We really appreciate that the IOC didn’t touch our quota as we knew they needed to reduce the overall Games-wide quota to 10,500 athletes, but our sport has grown so much over the last decade that a reduction of our quota would have been detrimental to the universality of our Olympic competitions.”

The equestrian events will be staged in the grounds of Versailles, with King Louis XIV’s Palace as a stunning backdrop at one of the French capital’s most iconic Games time venues. The UNESCO World Heritage Site will also be the site for Modern Pentathlon.

Full details of the Paris 2024 event program were publicly announced at a press conference with the IOC President today. The IOC press release is available on www.olympic.org.

Full Schedule for 2020 USEF Virtual Meeting Released

By US Equestrian Press Release on Dec 5, 2020 10:00 am -

Vicki Lowell (far right) led a panel discussion with (far left to right) Andrea Evans, Taryn Young, Rich Cronin, and Bob Hughes. Photo courtesy of
US Equestrian.

US Equestrian is pleased to share the complete schedule for the USEF Annual Meeting, which will be held virtually January 13-17, 2021. All sessions including the 2020 Pegasus and Horse of the Year Awards Celebration are free for all members.

Members are invited to attend special presentations given by the Member Services Council, National Breeds & Disciplines Council, and International Disciplines Council throughout the week to learn more about results from 2020 and plans for 2021. Additionally, there will be a special Calendar Management Meeting and Q&A open to members on Wednesday, January 13, at 6:00 p.m. The General Session will be held during the afternoon of Saturday, January 16, via Zoom and the USEF Pegasus and Horse of the Year Awards Celebration will take place that evening on USEF Network. The 2021 meeting will conclude with the Board Meeting on Sunday, January 17, via Zoom. Details and times are below, so please mark your calendars! Registration information for each session will be available online and shared via e-mail in the coming weeks.

Wednesday, January 13: Ideas into Action

• 4:00 – 5:00 p.m. | Member Services Council Presentation
• 6:00 – 7:30 p.m. | Calendar Management Meeting and Q&A

Thursday, January 14: Grassroots to Grand Champion

• 4:00 – 5:00 p.m. | National Breeds & Disciplines Council Presentation

Friday, January 15: Growing the FEI Disciplines at Home & Abroad

• 4:00 – 5:00 p.m. | International Disciplines Council Presentation

Saturday, January 16: Listen, Learn & Lead Together

• 4:30 p.m. | General Session Presentation given by President Murray Kessler & President Elect Tom O’Mara
• 7:30 p.m. | 2020 USEF Pegasus and Horse of the Year Awards Celebration

Sunday, January 17: Board of Directors Meeting

• 10:00 – 11:00 a.m. | New Board Member Orientation (Closed)
• 11:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. | Session One (Open)
• 1:00 – 5:00 p.m. | Session Two (Open)

View more information about the 2021 USEF Annual Meeting at usef.org/annual-meeting.

Helmet Research Fundraising Hits Milestone … Research will Begin

By US Equestrian Press Release on Dec 3, 2020 7:00 pm -

Through the collaborative and generous commitments of the United States Equestrian Federation (USEF), the U.S. Hunter Jumper Association (USHJA), the U.S. Eventing Association (USEA), and a major matching grant from Jacqueline Mars, more than $425,000 has been committed in just a few short months to further the safety of equestrian athletes across all breeds and disciplines. The USET Foundation has provided their enthusiastic endorsement of the program via education and awareness with their constituents as well. These critical funds will support further research into U.S. helmet safety standards and the creation of an equestrian-specific rating system, providing riders insight into how helmet models compare when looking at safety and protection. One hundred percent of funds raised will support independent research at the Virginia Tech Helmet Lab to develop this important sport-specific rating system. In addition to the financial fundraising component of the program, USEF has shared important data on falls and injuries from USEF competitions, which will be used in the research and development of the Equestrian STAR rating project at the Virginia Tech Helmet Lab.

“Fundraising and awareness efforts accelerated quickly for the project following a presentation I gave one year ago at the USHJA Annual Meeting on the VT Helmet Lab STAR Ratings,” said Dr. Barry Miller, Director of Outreach and Business Development for the Virginia Tech Helmet Lab. “We were asked what it would take to develop the system for equestrian sport: $450,000 to have the system available in 18-24 months. The USHJA jumped on board immediately with a generous commitment, then Jacqueline Mars stepped up with her own matching donation, which the USEF Board of Directors and USEA Board of Governors matched dollar for dollar. We are ready now to get the initiative underway.

“It was great to work with the leaders from all the organizations, together with Jacqueline Mars, to quickly and collectively pull this together on behalf of all members across all breeds and disciplines to benefit improved safety for all.”

To date, the Virginia Tech Helmet Lab has developed STAR helmet ratings for sports including football, youth football, soccer, flag football, cycling, and hockey. Since 2011, Virginia Tech researchers have been providing unbiased helmet ratings that allow consumers to make informed decisions when purchasing helmets. The helmet ratings are the culmination of over 10 years of injury biomechanics research with special attention to concussions and which helmets best reduce concussion risk (www.vt.edu/helmet).

With $425,000 committed, work will begin on the rating system, but the fund will remain open for donations. Any additional money raised will go towards accelerating the development timeline. Your tax-deductible donation can be made directly to the Virginia Tech Helmet Lab, with 100% of all funds going directly to this research.

[Helmet Research Fundraising Hits Milestone … Research will Begin]

2021 USEF Eventing High Performance Winter Training Lists Announced

By US Equestrian Press Release on Nov 25, 2020 4:20 pm -

Liz Halliday Sharp and Deniro Z. Photo by Shannon Brinkman Photography.

US Equestrian has announced the USEF Eventing High Performance Elite, Pre-Elite, and Development Training Lists for the winter of 2021. The training lists are part of U.S. Performance Director Erik Duvander’s U.S. Eventing Pathway Program, focused on developing combinations to deliver sustainable success for the USEF Eventing Program at the international championship level. Full program details and criteria for the training lists are available here.

“Having the Olympic Games next year and World Championships in 2022 has brought a new level of complexity to the selection of our Elite and Pre-Elite Training List,” said Duvander. “Tokyo will be run in the Olympic format of three combinations with no drop score over an eight minute cross country course. In contrast, the World Championships in Pratoni (ITA) will have four combinations with one drop score, as well as one individual. I believe the World Championship cross country course will be at maximum distance and number of jumping efforts with challenging terrain that will demand a different type of expectation from Tokyo.

“The selection of our training list has considered the different demands of both Tokyo and Pratoni; however, some combinations have the capability to suit both. I have been studying our riders and horses closely over the last three years with this in mind, and the training list has been refreshed with excellent input and the advice from the Performance Advisory Team. As always, the door is open for other combinations to show form before Olympic and World Championship selections and we will constantly look for more talent in both horses and riders.”

The following athletes have been approved for the Elite, Pre-Elite and Development programs by an Ad Hoc Group of the Eventing Sport Committee at the recommendation of Duvander, with input from Duvander’s Performance Advisory Team of Bobby Costello, Derek di Grazia, Leslie Law, Karen O’Connor and Ian Stark.

2021 Elite Training List

The Elite Program supports athlete and horse combinations who demonstrate the ability to contribute to medal-winning potential at the World Championship level, with targets measured against world-leading performances and aiming to compete at the next Olympics or World Championship.

The following combinations have been named to the Elite Training List (in alphabetical order):

Phillip Dutton (West Grove, Pa.) and Z, a 12-year-old Zangersheide gelding owned by Ann Jones, Caroline Moran, Suzanne Lacy, Simon Roosevelt and Tom Tierney
Liz Halliday-Sharp (Lexington, Ky.) and Deniro Z, a 12-year-old KWPN gelding owned by Ocala Horse Properties & The Deniro Syndicate
Boyd Martin (Cochranville, Pa.) and Tsetserleg TSF, a 13-year-old Trakehner gelding owned by Christine Turner
Doug Payne (Aiken, S.C.) and Vandiver, a 16-year-old Trakehner gelding owned by Debi Crowley

2021 Pre-Elite Training List

The Pre-Elite Program aims to identify and support athlete and horse combinations with the perceived potential to meet Elite status within the next two to four years, with the target of competing on a Championship team in the next four years.

The following combinations have been named to the Pre-Elite Training List (in alphabetical order):

Woods Baughman (Lexington, Ky.) and his own C’est la Vie 135, a 12-year-old Hanoverian gelding
Jennie Brannigan (West Grove, Pa.) and Stella Artois, a 12-year-old Holsteiner/Thoroughbred mare owned by the Stella
Artois Syndicate and FE Lifestyle, a 10-year-old Warmblood gelding owned by Nina & Tim Gardner
Will Coleman (Gordonsville, Va.) and Off The Record, an 11-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding owned by the Off The Record Syndicate and Don Dante, a 10-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding owned by Team Rebecca, LLC
Sydney Elliott (Bossier City, La.) and QC Diamantaire, a 10-year-old Oldenburg gelding owned by Carol Stephens
Will Faudree (Southern Pines, N.C.) and Mama’s Magic Way, a nine-year-old Hanoverian gelding owned by Jennifer Mosing & Sterling Silver Stables
Ariel Grald (Southern Pines, N.C.) and Leamore Master Plan, an 11-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding owned by Anne Eldridge
Boyd Martin (Cochranville, Pa.) and Luke 140, a nine-year-old Holsteiner gelding owned by the Luke 140 Syndicate
Doug Payne (Aiken, S.C.) and Quantum Leap, a nine-year-old RPSI gelding owned by Doug & Jessica Payne
Erin Sylvester (Cochranville, Pa.) and Paddy The Caddy, a 13-year-old Irish Thoroughbred gelding owned by Frank McEntee
Lynn Symansky (Middleburg, Va.) and RF Cool Play, a 12-year-old German Sport Horse gelding owned by The Donner Syndicate, LLC

2021 Development Training List

The Development Program, led by USEF Development and Emerging Athlete Coach Leslie Law, aims to support athletes with the perceived talent and ability to reach Elite status in the next four to eight years by focusing on developing the skills needed to progress on the Pathway.

The following athletes have been named to the Development Training List (in alphabetical order):

Maya Black (Clinton, Wash.)
Rebecca Brown (Seagoville, Texas)
Daniel Clasing (Lovettsville, Va.)
Zoe Crawford (Boston, Fla.)
Jacob Fletcher (North Little Rock, Ark.)
Caroline Martin (Miami Beach, Fla.)
Andrew McConnon (Vass, N.C.)
Sara Mittleider (Kuna, Idaho)
Mike Pendleton (Waynesboro, Va.)
Caitlin Silliman (Cochranville, Pa.)

*Please note: The Performance Director may remove an athlete from the Elite and Pre-Elite programs in consultation with the Performance Advisory Team if the athlete fails to meet program criteria. Athletes/horses with a long-term injury will be removed from the Training List in consultation with the Performance Advisory Team, Team Veterinarian and/or Team Physician. Training opportunities may be limited for combinations with short-term injuries. Inclusion or exclusion on a Training List does not imply or preclude an athlete from selection for a Games and Championships. This list will be reviewed in June 2021.

Report of the FEI Eventing Committee

By US Equestrian Press Release on Nov 24, 2020 5:00 pm -

The full FEI Eventing Committee report which was released following the FEI General Assembly is available here.

FEI President Ingmar De Vos (R) and Secretary General Sabrina Ibáñez at the FEI Headquarters in Lausanne (SUI). FEI/Richard Julliart Photo.

Given the current Covid-19 pandemic situation the Eventing Committee met for monthly videoconference calls between March November 2020, led by the Chair David O’Connor and attended by all the Eventing Committee Members and FEI Eventing Department. The Eventing Committee videoconference calls included many discussions to finding solutions to the ramifications of the Covid-19 virus in order to encourage the organization of eventing competitions, Nations Cup, and Championships.

The different National Governments’ decrees in most countries on Covid-19 countermeasures in regard to mass gatherings and travel restrictions had led to most of eventing competitions being canceled worldwide from March until July 2020. Return-to-play had started to resume from July with most regular events in the calendar taking being organized without spectators and with Government and FEI Return-to-Play policies in place.

COMMITTEE MEETINGS

The main points discussed during the 2020 Eventing Committee videoconference calls were:

Olympic Games: During the Eventing Committee Conference Calls, official communications from the IOC had been published to inform that due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 were to be rescheduled to the following year, reflecting the 2020 dates. Most deadlines would be reviewed to closely reflect the dates planned for 2020 with a year’s delay. Together with the other disciplines, the Eligibility requirements had been reviewed to take into account the additional year. The IOC had equally confirmed that all Nations having already achieved an Olympic Qualification quota place would retain this despite the postponement of the Games.
Covid-19 impact on eventing: An Eventing Calendar Task Force, one of the eight discipline-specific task forces, had been created by the FEI to evaluate the impact on the FEI Calendar and propose ways of mitigating Covid-19 effects on the discipline (i.e. qualification events for the postponed Olympic, Continental Games, Championships, Nations Cup Series, 2020 organizational requirements and Calendar) and to provide proposed solutions to the FEI Secretary General and the Board. The Eventing Task Force held its first meeting via videoconference on 24 April 2020.
Covid-19 impact on officials and athletes: The Board (FEI Board Emergency resolution July 21, 2020) agreed to extend the exemption that is currently in place for Australia and New Zealand to all countries. With this exemption, which would be reviewed end December 2020, foreign official requirements would not be compulsory, for CCI4* Long & short formats however two (2) Judges, Technical Delegate and Course Designer would need to be selected from the Level 3 lists.The Eventing Athlete Categorization used to determine eligibility requirements for events according to the rules are calculated on July 1, 2020 and was based on an eight-year rolling period. Considering the current situation and the lack of qualification opportunity for athletes in 2020, the Eventing Committee agreed to take 8.5 years into account for the July 1, 2020 Athletes Categories review, to be reviewed for an extension by the Eventing Committee for the next Category review on January 1, 2021.
Covid-19 Eventing Specific Guidelines: The FEI Policy for Enhanced Competition Safety during the Covid-19 Pandemic – Effective for FEI Events held as of July 1, 2020, has been published on the FEI website as a guide to help Organizing Committees with Return to Competition during the pandemic. The Covid-19 Eventing discipline Specific Guidelines had been finalized with the input of the Committee and Organisers. This document aimed to provide OCs with detailed guidance for the management of FEI Eventing Events during the Covid-19 pandemic.

In addition to COVD-related matters, the Eventing Committee discussed:

Risk Management: Measures and recommendations of the Risk Management Report were reviewed including improvement of Horse injury reporting, EquiRatings®’ Horse Form Index studies and use, clarification of Rotational and Torsional fall, Frangible Standard 2.0 with the introduction of the kettlebell pendulum test and new MIM clip to be fixed at an angle (yellow clip). (details below under sections 4 and 5)
Education: The revision of the Officials Education program to line up with the FEI Education Departments all discipline approach was on-going, as well as the redefinition of Officials’ roles and responsibilities by the Eventing Officials Education Working Group. The criteria of appointment of Eventing Overall Course Director, the composition of the new Eventing Officials Education Working Group and the adjustment proposals of the CES System to the current circumstances were reviewed.
Eventing Documents Supporting Rules: The Cross-Country Guide for Officials, Memorandum, and Equipment & Tack FAQ had been reviewed throughout 2020, finalized and published on the FEI website.
FEI Eventing World Challenge: During the first Eventing Committee Videoconference of the year (March 25, 2020), the Eventing Committee had agreed to the development of an FEI Eventing World Challenge, following discussions with the FEI Solidarity Department in 2019 regarding possibilities of developing eventing, as this would give a change to developing countries to reach international level. The FEI Eventing Committee Chairman encouraged the development of the Eventing Challenge and would pursue the project including the review of fence construction with the help of the FEI Solidarity Department and Eventing Department.
Elkton, Fair Hill (USA) CCI5*-L: Following the review of the reports provided by the Technical Delegate of the test event held in August 2020 in Fair Hill, the Eventing Committee agreed to put forward to the FEI Board the inclusion in the 2021 FEI Calendar of a CCI5*-L in Elkton (Fair Hill, USA) on a five-year basis with an initial review after three editions.

2020 RULES REVISION

All suggestions for modifications received from National Federations and Stakeholders by March 1, 2020, and falling in one of the revision criteria had been taken into account. New suggestions received after that deadline or not falling in one of the revision criteria would be included as part of the next rules revision process. The 2020 FEI Eventing rules had been reviewed by the Eventing Committee according to the new FEI rules revisions policy.

The Eventing Committee provided the initial proposal for NFs review, and then considered the feedback for recommendations and clarifications for the 2021 Eventing Rules proposal which could not wait for the full revision. The rationale for each proposal was added as per the format agreed by the FEI Board.

It included updates due to last year’s rules revision processes, especially in regards to the new education system and the modification of the sanctions system.

The proposals also included: number of individuals at World Individual and Team Championships, ages of ponies, prizemoney distribution, requirements for promotion and maintenance of status, TD General Duties, CD responsibilities, the strengthening of the qualification requirements for less experienced Athletes participating at Higher level Events, official clothing, mandatory protective headgear, permitted and forbidden saddlery, permitted mouthpieces, cheek pieces, and nosebands, water crossings, ground lines on cross-country obstacles, obstacles with alternatives, Annex D Medical Services and qualification requirements for Pony Events. In regards to risk management, it has been decided to maintain the proposal to have mandatory frangible technologies at all levels as of January 1, 2021.

All eventing rule changes which were voted on can be viewed here.

FEI EVENTING RISK MANAGEMENT PROGRAM

The FEI Eventing Risk Management Program including data collection has been ongoing since 2000 and now includes 20 years. The data collected by the Eventing Department includes fence description forms, fall reports, and fence analysis. The amount of data now allows for a significant base for information queries in regard to risk management and all other questions related to qualification and technical issues in the discipline. The effort is substantial however the results are invaluable.

For 2020, the number of competitions had decreased by 51.5%, from 742 in 2019 to 360 (figures at end October 2020) due to the Covid-19 pandemic situation. The number of announced competitions in the calendar in January 2020 was 763 (which would have been an increase of 2.83% compared to 2019). However, more than 50% of the competitions have been canceled.

EVENTING RISK MANAGEMENT POLICY AND ACTION PLAN

1. The ongoing primary commitment of the FEI Eventing Committee is to ensure that the FEI Risk Management Policy and Action plan is endorsed and implemented by all involved in the Sport with the support and dynamic involvement of National Federations, National Safety Officers, Athletes, Officials, Organizers, Owners, and Sponsors.

2. The FEI Eventing Risk Management (NSO) Seminar was organized together with a “Future of the Sport” Forum in Aintree (GBR) in January 2020. A total of 145 participants from 29 countries attended. All sessions of the Forum were live-streamed and are available to watch on replay on the FEI website, which was very appreciated by the eventing community.

The main points of discussion included the future of eventing, the internal structure of the sport, risk management, data and the use of statistics, the safety program, rule changes, dressage tests, the importance of athlete education, cross-country specific items such as course design, the role of officials on cross-country day, Cross-Country Performance Indicator.

The Forum was followed by an NSO Seminar where 67 National Safety Officers and NF representatives from 25 countries participated. The agenda focused on the Risk Management Program update, including discussions on body protectors, rider representative role, frangible devices, horse injuries, etc. In addition, each nation had the opportunity to give a presentation on the Risk Management program in their country.

The FEI Eventing Risk Management Steering Group met further to the Eventing Risk Management (NSO) Seminar and recommendations were put forward to the Eventing Committee.

3. The 2021 FEI Eventing Risk Management (NSO) Seminar will be organized online due to the Covid-19 pandemic situation. It will be held in January 2021 over two to three days and available to all Eventing Officials and NSOs. The subjects could include: Officials roles during cross-country, education of athletes and coaches, Covid-19 related to risk management, return to play of horses, horse injuries, EquiRatings Horse Form Index, and new technologies

4. Continued work in partnership with EquiRatings® to implement a reviewed and improved Cross-Country Horse performance index (HFI) available in the FEI Database available for Athletes and their NFs. EquiRatings mandate with the FEI also includes specific data analysis for decision making support to the Eventing Committee and Eventing Risk Management Steering Group.

EVENTING RISK MANAGEMENT STATISTICS

The number of competitions is growing consistently, with an increase of 10.8% and an increase of starters of 2.8% over the last five years (2015-2019).

Falls: The total falls are stable (except at the five-star level where the low number of starters had an influence on the percentage of falls). The horse falls have decreased from 1.41% in 2015 to 1.36% in 2019. The number of rotational falls is very small with 26 falls in 2019, the percentage has dropped over the last 10 years from 0.31% in 2010 to 0.12% in 2019. Up to 2017, falls on the flat, included all falls not related to a cross-country fence (dressage, show jumping, warm-up areas, and on the flat in cross-country), as of 2018, the split showing where the falls occurred allowed a better understanding of the non-fence related falls. Out of 1,166 falls reported for 2019, 54 were cross-country falls on the flat (4.63%), 109 in show jumping (9.35 %), one in Dressage (0.09%), and 72 in warm-up (6.17 %).Falls per athlete category: At all levels of competition, the non-categorized athletes incurred the highest number of falls, it is concluded that this could be due to a lack of training and/or adequate cross-country education.The provisional 2020 data (end July) shows a total fall rate of 3.67% (128 falls for 3,690 starters). The significant decrease of total falls from 5.57% in 2019 could be linked to the lack of five-star competitions. This figure could evolve as the remainder of the 2020 competitions are entered in the Risk Management database.

EVENTING RISK MANAGEMENT STEERING GROUP (RMSG)

The Risk Management Steering Group Meeting as a subgroup for the Eventing Committee met in January 2020 following the Risk Management Forum and the Eventing Risk Management (NSO) Seminar. An additional member, Dr. Dave Vos (USA) had been nominated, his knowledge and work on the Update of the Frangible Device Standard as well as the video projects were very valuable. Members include: Geoff Sinclair (AUS) (Chair), Mike Etherington-Smith (GBR), Jonathan Holling (USA), Rob Stevenson (CAN), Gert Naber (NED), Staffan Lidbeck (SWE), Laurent Bousquet (FRA), and Dave Vos (USA)

In addition, conference calls took place in August and September to discuss the following points: · Qualification Criteria / Higher Level Events: Increased MERs for CCI5*-L competitions to be adapted depending on the athlete category

Education of Coaches / Athletes / Officials: development of a video to be made available on FEI Campus
Update of the Injury of Athletes and Horses definitions
Update of Cross-Country Design Guide on sloping shoulders, minimum widths of fences, and a description guide for ground lines
Frangible Technologies: Finalization of the Updated Standard for Frangible Devices to be implemented as of January 1, 2021.
Communication: increased number of posts on the NSO Facebook page
Risk Management Policy and Action Plan: Review and update of the current version needed to take place based on a “risk matrix” used during company risk assessment to define the level of risk by considering the category of probability or likelihood against the category of consequence severity
Body protectors Standards: suggestion to the Medical Committee to change the body protectors standards currently recommended in the Rules to mandatory
Update of the Medical Coverage at Events (Annex D) with the Medical Committee
Video at CCI5*-L Events: Further to the valuable technical information obtained based on the filming in 2019, the projects would be pursued in 2020
Online reporting for Officials: the importance of developing for officials the possibility to enter the Risk Management related data in the FEI database was again emphasized
Horse Injury Reporting: coordination with the Veterinary Department to correlate the information from the Veterinary Reports and the Eventing Fall Reports

EVENTING SERIES AND CHAMPIONSHIPS:

FEI Eventing Nation’s Cup Series: In 2020, the Eventing Nations Cup season was challenged by travel and border restrictions due to Covid-19. Six (6) out of the eight (8) originally allocated legs were cancelled. Montelibretti (ITA) offered to run the last leg, after ITA had to cancel Pratoni, ultimately comprising a three-legged Series: Strzegom (POL), Le Pin au Haras (FRA) and Montelibretti (ITA). To date, 10 nations had competed in two events and the final classification would be decided at the last event in Montelibretti (ITA).

Following the Eventing Committee recommendation to adapt the overall 2020 Nations Cup Classification, agreed by the FEI Board as follows: If three or above Nations Cup Events take place: a classification would be made end 2020 of the best team based on the two best event results.

In 2021, further to the reallocation of the 2020 Events to 2021 and possibility additional applications to be reviewed by the FEI Board taking in account the financial situation, the 2021 FEI Eventing Nations Cup Series would include the same number of events as planned in 2020 taking place on a monthly basis from April to October 2021.

EDUCATION OF OFFICIALS

The regular Education Programs for Officials in Eventing were highly impacted by Covid-19 travel restrictions:

a) The Official Exchange Program – Eventing had 12 Officials enrolled, but only one had been able to travel in 2020 and officiate within the program.

b) The Course Calendar 2020 and the regular training courses for all four categories of Eventing Officials were affected: two in-person courses for J/TD/CD could take place, one in POR and one in POL, whilst the Stewards could join only one in-person course, in POL.

The Overall Course Directors Conformity seminar took place in Lausanne in February 2020, and the following topics were discussed:

– The in-person courses themes highlighted for 2020 – in addition to the actual Syllabus:

– Review of the 2020 Rules changes, with emphasis on:

Narrow fences – Missing flags (clear, 20 pen and EL) with selection of video support
Updated sanction system and implementation

– Frangibles/MIM (understanding of correct fitting)

– Serious incident management

– The reinforcement of the role of President of the Ground Jury, the review of GJ Members roles, the TD’s cross-country involvement and expertise, and the Course Designers increased responsibility during cross-country.

The 2021 course calendar looked promising, with eight in-persons courses planned for J/TD/CD in AUS, BLR, BRA, FRA, GER, ITA, and USA and seven for Stewards, in AUS, BRA, COL, FRA, HUN, SWE, and USA. Three additional requests to host in-person courses of national level were also received from AUS, BRA, and RUS.

Based on the RMSG recommendations, the Eventing Department worked with several officials on the production of video clips/webinars on various topics such horse welfare, dangerous riding, fence judge function, coach and athlete education, etc. to be posted on FEI Campus. The idea was to have short, comprehensive, and educative clips on important topics available for the eventing community, and made by experienced eventing officials.

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