Classic Eventing Nation

Sport Horse Nation Spotlight: Calling All Canadians!

Have you checked out the new-and-improved Sport Horse Nation lately? EN’s longtime classifieds sister site recently received a big makeover to help make it the best eventers-only matchmaking service in the land. Almost 250 listings are now live … check it out today!

Where are our Canadian event horses for sale at? At Sport Horse Nation, that’s what we want to know. We currently only have a four listings for horses located in Canada on the site, and we want more.

As such, through the end of December we are offering a promo code — enter CAN1224 at checkout — for FREE unlimited listings. 

In the meantime, feast your eyes upon these two pretties. Wouldn’t you like to find one of these under your tree?

JB Virgin Electric

  • Year Born: 2016
  • Height: 16.1
  • Breed: Dutch Warmblood cross
  • Gender: Mare
  • Eventing Competition Level: Preliminary
  • Location: Langley, BC

“Ellie is the complete package! Sire Ampere, Dam lines Riverman/Thoroughbred. She scores in the low 20s in dressage, is brave and fast cross country and a careful and honest show jumper. Ellie is excellent on the ground for all things, farrier, vet and clipping. Ellie would make a wonderful young rider mount for an ambitious junior wanting to be competitive at NAYRC and beyond. She has competed at the CCI2* level and has the scope and drive for MUCH more. Ellie is very sound and has required no maintenance.” Learn more …

Tugce is a stunning 12yo German Sport Horse that has top placings through to the 4* level

  • Year Born: 2012
  • Height: 16.1
  • Breed: German Sport Horse
  • Gender: Mare
  • Eventing Competition Level: Advanced
  • Location: Cannington, Ontario

“Tugce is a stunning 12yo German Sport Horse that has top placings through to the 4* level. She has also successfully show jumped through to 1.35m. Tugce has been ridden by a professional, young rider and adult amateur. She would be an ideal candidate for a young rider or adult amateur looking to win! Tugce is extremely well schooled on the flat and over fences and is competitive in all phases. She has three beautiful gates and an impressive gallop.”

Read more…

Very athletic unraced TB; ideal for Pro on a budget or experienced rider

  • Year Born: 2015
  • Height: 16.2
  • Breed: Thoroughbred
  • Gender: Gelding
  • Eventing Competition Level: Novice (US)
  • Location: Ascot Corner, QC

“Louis Song is probably one of the most beautiful and athletic Thoroughbreds out there. He is by Bellamy Road out of Song Cat by Unbridled’s Song. He is unraced and started later in life in an eventing program (through no fault of his own). Louis is an impressive mover and very scopey jumper. With all that talent, he requires an experienced rider. He is sensitive and a bit quirky. Needs to be in a regular program. I can see this horse putting a young professional on the map or suiting a talented rider wanting to outshine all the warmbloods, on a TB budget. Sound, up to date on everything, no vices.” Read more…

Takes The Cake – PRICE REDUCED

  • Year Born: 2012
  • Height: 16.3
  • Breed: Canadian Hanoverian/Sport horse mix
  • Gender: Gelding
  • Eventing Competition Level: Training
  • Location: Priddis, AB, Canada

“Check out the best Christmas present EVER! Takes The Cake is ready to take his new partner up the eventing levels. Cake is a barn favourite with the sweetest disposition. Over the past three years he has gone through Starter to Training (EV100) level with his current partner finishing 6th at the Alhambra Summer event in Red Deer, Alberta. He has the potential to go to Prelim! Cake has many Pre-Training (EV90) ribbons and has travelled and competed in Spokane, California and Arizona. Seasoned show horse who loves to perform and easy to handle. Currently lives inside but is great outside with his pasture mates too. He goes in a snaffle, is schooling Second Level dressage, has auto lead changes, very adjustable, clips, bathes and is an easy keeper with no maintenance required. Would be perfectly suited for an ambitious amateur or junior.” Read more…

Sunday Links

Not necessarily the collab we all had on our bingo cards for 2024, but a cool one nonetheless! British Olympic gold medalist Tom McEwen stopped by to cut the ribbon to open the new Aldi store in Bristol, England this week. Next up, an Aldi sponsorship perhaps? We wouldn’t say no to some cool snacks and horse show meals! Put a good word in, will you Tom?

Links & Reading

Back From The Brink: After An ‘Unsurvivable’ TBI, Emily Brollier Curtis Sees Life Differently

Daniel Stewart: The Mess in Message

Laura Kraut: Talent and Timing – Part I

‘This is an offence’ Government warning to riders after imported equine ulcer drugs worth thousands seized

Register to attend the IGNITE 2nd Annual Sports Science for the Olympic Disciplines Seminar

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Just a little exercise for you this winter!

2025 Annie Goodwin Rising Star Grant Recipient: Taylor Bradish

Taylor Bradish and Katydid Duchess
3 Time USEF Advanced Single Horse Combined Driving National Champions
2022 and 2024 FEI Combined Driving World Championships Highest Placed US Pair

The Aiken Horse Park Foundation and the Annie Goodwin Rising Star Grant Selection Committee are pleased to congratulate Taylor Bradish on being named the 2025 Annie Goodwin Rising Star Grant recipient.

Annie’s father, Putter Goodwin, who has been integrally involved with the grant since it’s inception commented:

“This is the second year of this grant in Annie’s memory. We continue to get quality applications from aspiring young professionals working hard to be successful in the horse business. It’s so important we do all that we can to give those most deserving a leg up. If we can continue to grow this fund, we will be able to make even more of an impact.”

This year’s grant cycle received seventeen applicants from many different equestrian backgrounds including Polo, Hunter/Jumper, Dressage, Eventing, and Combined Driving. Bradish, a 10 year full time resident of Aiken, SC, stood out from the rest, not only with her impressive professional resume boasting accolades such as 3 Time USEF Advanced Single Horse Combined Driving National Champions and the highest places US pair at the 2022 and 2024 FEI Combined Driving World Championships, but also her dedication to growing the sport here in Aiken.

Upon being awarded the 2025 Annie Goodwin Rising Star Grant, Bradish remarked:

“I am incredibly honored to have been chosen to receive the 2025 Annie Goodwin Rising Star Grant. Unfortunately, I never had the opportunity to meet Annie. I have heard many great things about her lifelong dedication to her sport, which is something I think we would have had in common. Receiving this grant will be instrumental in helping me towards my goals of growing the sport of Combined Driving, as well as continuing to develop my training business and competing at the international level.”

Not only did Bradish and Katydid Duchess again represent Team USA at the 2024 FEI Combined Driving World Championships in Le Haras Du Pin, France, placing 6th overall and being the highest placed US pair, but following their time abroad and training with coach Boyd Excell, Bradish sold her 2 time World Championship mare to the world number 1 as his new lead horse for his 4 in hand team. It is a familiar, monumental decision that so many young professionals are faced with in their early career of selling their top horse in order to focus on the next string of up and coming equine athletes and continue propelling their career forward.

The selection committee was deeply impressed by Bradish’s commitment to do right by her horse and her own career, a choice Putter Goodwin shared Annie faced at one point with Bruno. The fact that the world number 1, Boyd Excell, thought so highly of this horse Bradish produced he added her to his own team, speaks so highly of Bradish’s talent and skill as an equestrian and horsewoman. The story echoes that of another Boyd’s partnership with another truly spectacular, self-produced horse, who also took a trip to France this past summer.

To learn more about Taylor Bradish and the sport of Combined Driving, you can visit her website goldencarriagedriving.com.

Selection Committee

The selection committee is comprised of a cross section of equestrian industry professionals, a member of Annie Goodwin’s Family, members of the board of directors and staff of the Aiken Horse Park Foundation.

Boyd Martin, Olympic Eventing Rider/Professional
Daniel Geitner, Professional Hunter/Jumper Rider
Eugene Kneece Jr., Professional Polo Player
Catherine Stumberg, Amateur Hunter/Jumper Rider
Caitlin Silliman, Professional Eventing Rider
Putter Goodwin, Annie Goodwin’s Father
Robert Stevenson, FEI Judge
Tara Bostwick, CEO – Aiken Horse Park Foundation
Kate Boggan, Director of Marketing and Communications – Aiken Horse Park Foundation

Thank you to all of Annie’s friends and family who have already donated to the Annie Goodwin Rising Star Fund. To date, we have received $197,034.22. To make a donation to the Fund, click here.

Saturday Links from World Equestrian Brands

We have a winner! Many congratulations are in order to the newly crowned EquiRatings Horse of the Year for 2024: Pau winner D. Day, piloted by Great Britain’s Caroline Harris! This pair notched an incredible first 5* win on a soggy weekend in France for the final event at the level for 2024, besting a field that saw major changes on cross country, epic mud and weather, and a test unlike any other we saw this year.

Want to relive Caroline and D.Day’s big weekend? Click here to dive into our full final report from Pau.

Links & Reading

Funnell’s record-breaking Derby win chosen as ‘Moment of the Year’

Celebrating Virgil’s Retirement

Suspicion of breach of trust: Public prosecutor’s office searches FN [German Equestrian Federation] premises

Podcast: Meet Jo Williams, founder of the Georgie Campbell Foundation

“Happy Horse Equals Happy Judge”: Ask An Expert with Dressage Judge Peter Gray, Brought to You by Ride iQ

Sponsor Corner: World Equestrian Brands

Here’s a deal for you just in time for Christmas! Sergio Grasso’s Evolution and Progress line of tall boots are on clearance while supplies last through the World Equestrian Brands outlet. Don’t wait! Save your 50% here.

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Wise words from one David O’Connor himself! Watch, then watch again:

Prize Money Boost and Star Judges for the 2025 Dubarry Burghley Young Event Horse Final

2024 Dubarry Burghley Young Event Horse winners Mike Jackson and two-time champion Oscar.

Britain’s most prestigious young horse championships, the Dubarry Burghley Young Event Horse Final, will receive an increase in prize-money as the leading manufacturers of countryside clothing and boots celebrate 15 years of sponsorship.

Britain’s most prestigious young horse championships, the Dubarry Burghley Young Event Horse Final, will receive an increase in prize-money as the leading manufacturers of countryside clothing and boots continues its sponsorship of the series for a 17th year.

The highly competitive championships for the country’s best four- and five-year-old event horses are held on the Friday of Defender Burghley – 5 September 2025 – and always attract a huge crowd. The two classes will be worth a total of £8,000 for 2025, with a first prize of £1,500 for both the Dubarry five-year-old champion and the Dubarry four-year-old champion.

And six-times Defender Burghley winner William Fox-Pitt will make his debut as a Dubarry Burghley Young Event Horse Final judge; he will assess “potential to gallop” for the top 10 finalists in both the four- and five-year-old sections.

He will join an impressive set of judges for 2025 – dressage will be assessed by experienced top-level ground jury member Harry Payne and famed young horse producer Judy Bradwell, jumping by multiple Olympic, World and European eventing medallist Bettina Hoy and legendary former eventer, trainer and course-designer Ian Stark, and highly respected vet Fred Barrelet will judge “suitability and type”.

The Dubarry Burghley Young Event Horse Final is the culmination of a season-long series of qualifiers in Britain and Ireland, of which there will be 18 in 2025. These will commence at Osberton on 1 May. There are two new venues for 2025 – Belsay (18 May) and Wellington (22 August – the final chance for riders to gain qualification for Burghley).

Martyn Johnson, Director of Defender Burghley, said: “We are delighted that Dubarry are continuing to support these celebrated championships. While the CCI5* at Burghley shows the world what the very best and most experienced horses and riders can do, the Dubarry Burghley Young Event Horse Finals showcase our future champions and are very important for breeders, riders and owners.”

Charlotte Strange, brand manager of Dubarry of Ireland, said: “We are thrilled to be extending our long-standing partnership with Burghley through our continued sponsorship of the Dubarry Burghley Young Event Horse Series. Each year we see both new and returning riders to the series, where we are proud of the dedication to the development of young event horses and Dubarry’s commitment to the equestrian community.”

A full list of Dubarry Burghley Young Event Horse qualifiers for 2025 can be found here.

Defender Burghley is the established highlight of the summer social season. As well as top-class sport featuring both the most famous horses and riders in the world and up-and-coming stars, in the beautiful and historic setting of Burghley Park, the event offers superb shopping opportunities, delicious food and drink, elegant hospitality options and lots to entertain children and less-horsey members of the family.

Every minute of the action from Defender Burghley, including the Dubarry Burghley Young Event Horse Final, is shown live on Burghley TV.

To find out more about Defender Burghley (September 4-7 2025), visit www.burghley-horse.co.uk.

Friday News & Notes from Stable View

A hallmark of every horse person in England’s calendar, the London International Horse Show, is in full swing at ExCel in London and the final few days of the show will take place this weekend. While there aren’t any eventing-specific competitions on the docket, eventers have certainly been out in full force all week long! The British Eventing team and their fellow Olympic medalists had a ceremony to celebrate their back-to-back team gold in Paris, Tom McEwen was the prize presenter for the Defender Shetland Grand National, and one of the jockeys in the Shetland Grand National rode in purple and white for Georgie Campbell. Other eventers were on hand to participate in Masterclass demos and much more.

If you’re like us and having FOMO, you can follow along on the @LondonHorseShow Instagram here, and you can also watch the show’s live stream via Horse & Country, FEI TV, or BBC here.

News & Reading

Beloved Texas venue, MeadowCreek Park, has come up for sale. Its longtime owners have promised that the facility will not abandon its 2025 show season, but interested parties can check out the full listing for the 100 acre farm here.

Meet this month’s USEA VIP Volunteer, Cathy Hale! With a total of 382 volunteer hours in 2024, Catherine “Cathy” Hale not only topped the USEA Area III VIP Volunteer leaderboard, but she also ranked fourth out of all eventing volunteers across the country. Read all about Cathy’s love of volunteering here.

High Performance Sport New Zealand (HPSNZ) has announced a $160+ million investment into 36 National Sporting Organisations (NSOs) over the next four years through to the Los Angeles Olympic and Paralympic Game. “This investment package is designed to maintain the targeted approach that has helped deliver ongoing international success for New Zealand athletes, while continuing to increase wellbeing support within the high performance system,” says HPSNZ Director of High Performance Steve Tew. Read more about this investment here.

Love Yellowstone? The Monmouth County Hunt in New Jersey is working to make their hunt more accessible and fun for all, and a Yellowstone-themed hunt was just the ticket. The result was an eclectically dressed field, from traditional hunting attire to full-on western gear, and a few combinations somewhere in between. Read the recap here.

Sponsor Corner: Stable View

That’s a wrap on the 2024 Stable View Eventing Academy season! Congratulations to all for a successful season. It’s already time to start planning for next year! View the full schedule of 2025 Eventing Academy dates here.

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(Mis?)-adventures with a mini horse make every childhood brighter!

Where Are the North American CCI5* Horses and Riders?

Photo by Tilly Berendt.

At the MARS Maryland 5 Star this year, there were 23 horses entered in the CCI5* division. Of those, 8 were ridden by riders from outside of North America. Only 15 5* entrants—or about 65%—were ridden by riders from the U.S. and Canada.

By contrast, at Les 5 Ètoiles de Pau in France, which ran the week after Maryland, there were over 80 horses entered. A number of the entries were from France and other European countries. A couple of them were American.

Aside from the Adelaide 5*, which tends to have a small field by the nature of the relatively small number of high performance riders in the Antipodean countries of Australia and New Zealand, as well as the logistically difficult and expensive nightmare of shipping a foreign horse to compete there, there is no other 5* in the world that has had fewer than 25 entries in the past decade. What’s more, the other North American 5* this year, the Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event, had just 26 entries. And again, just 13 of those 26 were ridden by North Americans – only 50%.

Why is it that we have two of the best 5* events in the world, but so few horses to compete at them? Where are the North American 5* horses? And, perhaps more importantly, where are the riders?

It’s possible that this year was a bit of an outlier.

It was an Olympic year, after all, so many North American top horse and rider pairs were competing heavily this spring to vie for an Olympic team spot. But still, usually the horses that don’t get the team call-up then head to a fall 5* with the aim of a competitive finish; Sinead Maynard did just that in 2012 when she finished runner-up at Burghley with Manoir de Carneville.

Buck Davidson and Sorocaima represent the U.S. at the 2024 MARS Maryland 5 Star. Photo by Shannon Brinkman Photography.

It’s also possible to say that Maryland 5 Star is just getting off the ground, since it is a new event, and a new CCI5*, which might account for the low entry numbers. However, 2024 was Maryland’s fourth year running, so it’s not exactly true that riders did not have notice that the event was coming. Furthermore, the Fair Hill Three-Day Event, which used to run on exactly the same weekend in October as Maryland now does, included a class at the CCI4*-L level which generally had upwards of 40 or 50 entrants in most years. Those same horses were often 5* competitors who had done Kentucky, or would do Kentucky the following year.

This year likely wasn’t an outlier. So is the problem deeper? Are we going to have a pattern of low entries at our North American 5* events? Where is North America’s up-and-coming talent?

There are a few potential explanations that I’ve come up with, but I’d love to hear thoughts from others as well.

First, every country has its ebbs and flows of top-level athletes. Perhaps the U.S. and Canada are simply experiencing one of those troughs. Some countries will find themselves with a deep bench of horses and riders in championships years, such that they can be incredibly selective (and therefore very competitive). Those same countries may have a lighter potential team roster in other years, just by virtue of some riders and horses retiring.

Second, the production of riders and horses in this region really seems to top out at the 2* and 3* level. We have a pyramid shape to our sport, and for some reason in North America, the top 10% of the pyramid is incredibly small. I have a hunch that this lack of production to the top level is due, in part, to horse selection. The type of horse that can give someone experience at the 5* level may not be the same horse that wins at the 2* and 3* level. In fact, it may not win at any level! But gaining experience precedes becoming competitive. My opinion is that it’s more important to go and complete a 5* -— or maybe three or four or five 5*s -— than it is to try to win one right off the bat.

Young and Developing Horse pathways are an integral part of increasing upper-level numbers. Photo by Tina Fitch Photography.

I make this point because I think our sport has become so competitive that people believe they must have a horse that will win on the flat and show jump clear every time in order to pursue the upper levels. But here’s the thing—looking for that horse is very difficult, because often they aren’t for sale, or if you do find one that’s super competitive in the dressage and show jumping, it is more likely to be a horse with not enough blood for top level eventing. The correlation is fairly clear that a more Thoroughbred-type horse tends to have the natural ability to gallop around a five-star compared to a more Warmblood-type horse, although there are obviously many exceptions and variations.

Sometimes I meet people -— either fellow competitors, or folks I teach in clinics -— who are so intent on being competitive in all three phases that their drive to win ultimately becomes their detriment. The biggest challenge of the 5* level is the cross country test. Thus, we should be looking for amazing cross country horses, first and foremost, particularly for up and coming riders. I see lots of people who have competitive 3* horses that likely won’t make it to 5*. And that’s okay. But if those riders have the goal of being on teams and being great cross country riders, they have to gain 5* experience.

Third, there are not enough good young horse producers creating a pipeline of 5* horses here. Somehow, at some point, the horses with the talent to make it to the top are falling off the map, or maybe not even making it onto the map in the first place.

We need a better system of cultivating equine talent, whether it be through providing more incentives or having more structure to young horse development programs. For instance, we have the USEA Young Event Horse (YEH) competitions and other programs such as the U.S. Event Horse Futurity and the 6- and 7-year-old Developing Horse pathway via USEF. But perhaps we should also have YEH clinics, where riders are educated about how to produce a young horse with a big future in mind.

Ideally, the riders producing these horses from the beginning should also be the riders who ride them up to that top level, because having a strong relationship with your horse is one of the most important parts of getting to the 5* level. I have felt this to be true with both of my 5* horses so far in my career, and it’s why I will continue to hunt for the best young horses and aim to bring them along in my own program, with my own training philosophy, so they can be very much my own horses to ride when they eventually -— hopefully! -— get to the top.

Lauren Nicholson and Vermiculus won USEF National 5* Champion honors with their 5th place finish at the 2024 Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

The thing is, we have incredible events in North America. We have had amazing investment in two world-class 5* events at Kentucky and Maryland. The addition of Maryland 5 Star has meant that you can produce a horse to 5* level, in some respects, more easily, because if the timing is right, you can do a 4*-L with a horse in the spring, and a 5* in the fall, whereas before you would have had to wait until the following year for that 5* debut. But we aren’t taking advantage of these amazing opportunities because we don’t have the pipeline of horses and riders coming through.

So where are these 5* horses and riders? Are they in some barn in the Midwest, off the beaten path but brimming with talent? Are they horses that have the potential to go all the way, but have been sold to fund a rider’s business? Are they riders who have the talent and drive to get after the big goals, but not the support or coaching to get there?

Where is the missing link? The proof is in the pudding. When Tamie Smith won Kentucky with Mai Baum in 2023, I thought the momentum in this sport in North America would take off. We haven’t seen that happen yet, but perhaps with some more initiatives, a different mindset, and some planning, we can fill those 5* entry rosters with many more pairs from North America in the years to come.

Thursday News & Notes

We’ve got some bragging to do about our team this morning! Our roving reporter/photographer/wearer of all hats, Tilly Berendt, received the news last week that this photo from the Paris Olympics show jumping has been tapped as a finalist in the World Sports Photography Awards for 2025! The winners will be announced soon, but you can take a gander through the finalists across sports categories here.

You can also hear from our co-Publisher and Managing Editor, Sally Spickard, who was a guest on the most recent episode of the Major League Eventing Podcast hosted by Karen and Robby Bowersox. You can listen to the interview on your favorite podcast platform, or by clicking here.

News & Reading

With the conclusion of the 2024 competition season, the standings of the USEF Eventing Developing Horse Series are now final. The series includes divisions for 6-year-old and 7-year-old horses, and the leaderboard is determined by the average of the horses’ two best finishing scores in CCIs at levels specified by age. Meet the top finishers from 2024 here.

Could riding lesson programs be made more successful and enjoyable by introducing a tiered system of leveling up? Chronicle of the Horse blogger Sarah K. Susa tested the theory with her barn’s “Ribbon Levels Program”, which provides Atomic Habits-type scaffolding for both mounted and unmounted skills with horses across six different levels. Dive into the concept here.

A social media duel between two show jumping Olympians has made waves online this week. After Noelle Floyd reshared an old blog excerpt with Karl Cook, fellow U.S. teammate Mclain Ward took to his own socials to share a different take on Karl’s thoughts on position and effective riding. Mclain’s post went viral and the story has since been picked up by multiple media outlets. Read one take here and another here.

A good dose of empathy is required when thinking of training, riding, or competing your horse. For instance, if you were asked to go run an obstacle course today, not even an “American Ninja” level one, just something equivalent to what you ask of your horse, could you do it? How much strength and agility training would you need in order to perform on an equal level of athleticism as you require from your horse every day? While there is certainly a difference between the average weekend warrior human athlete and any seriously competitive athlete, we all can agree that the better prepared one is prior to attempting their favorite sport, the better things generally tend to turn out. Gwyneth McPherson explores this further in her latest column on Horse Nation.

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Watch Elisa Wallace work with her newest mustang, Nodin, and getting him comfortable with a staple piece of horsemanship equipment – the flag:

Sydney Elliott and Sharon White Elected to Serve on Team USA Athletes’ Commission

Sydney Elliot and QC Diamantaire. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Earlier this month, elections were held to select two new equestrian athletes to serve on the Team USA Athletes’ Commission (AC). After tabulating the votes, Sydney Elliott was elected to serve as the USAAC representative, and Sharon White was elected to serve as the Alternate USAAC representative.

In their roles, which will run from January 2025 until 2029, both Elliott and White will serve on the US Equestrian Board of Directors as Athlete Representatives. Elliott and White have both represented the U.S. on the international stage as part of the U.S. Eventing Team.

“Congratulations to both Sydney Elliott and Sharon White on their election to these important roles,” stated US Equestrian Chief Executive Officer Bill Moroney. “Sydney and Sharon are both excellent representatives of equestrian sport and will serve us well in being a voice within the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee athlete meetings.”

Team USA AC, formerly the US Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC) Athletes’ Advisory Council (“AAC”), serves as the representative group and voice of Team USA athletes. Team USA AC is responsible for broadening communication between the USOPC and active athletes and serves as a source of input and advice to the USOPC board of directors.

Sharon White and Claus 63. Photo by Shannon Brinkman Photography.

During the election process, four athletes self-nominated to serve as the USAAC representative and Alternate representative. Voting occurred from December 2 through December 10, and of the four, the one who received the most votes would be named Team USA AC representative, and the one who received the second most votes would be named the Alternate representative.

Elliott and White will succeed Alison Brock and Lauren Nicholson. Brock has served in her role as the Team USA AC rep since 2017, while Nicholson served in her role as the Team USA AC Alternate since 2022.

“I want to offer my sincere gratitude to both Ali and Lauren for their service, both as representatives to the USOPC, but also in serving on the US Equestrian Board of Directors,” stated Moroney. “Both have brought incredible insight to our discussions and have represented our sport honorably.”

Elliott and White will now join 5 other athletes currently serving on the US Equestrian Board of Directors. Currently Athlete Representatives on the board are:

Jacob Arnold (2024-2028) – Combined Driving
Eleanor Brimmer (2023-2027) – Para-Equestrian
Sydney Elliott (2025-2029) – Eventing
Beezie Madden (2024-2028) – Jumping
Joseph Mattingly (2023-2027) – Endurance
Chester Weber (2022-2026) – Combined Driving
Sharon White (2025-2029) – Eventing

For additional information contact Sonja S. Keating, USEF General Counsel, at [email protected] or (859) 225-2045.

Wednesday News & Notes

🌟 Well done to Team Hong Kong, China rider Yuxuan Su! 🇭🇰

We’re excited to share that Yuxuan's consistent hard work has…

Posted by The Equestrian Federation of HK, China on Monday, December 16, 2024

The Princess’s Cup Thailand was hosted by the Thai Equestrian Polo Club last week, and the sporting schedule featured discipline-specific competitions. Congratulations to Hong Kong’s Yuxuan Su, who earned a great result in his Category A Eventing Individual competition.

To see more from the Princess’s Cup Thailand, click here.

U.S. Weekend Preview

The 2024 season has officially ended! We’ll see you in January with more shows coming your way.

News & Reading

The longevity of eventing counts on many things, not the least of which is the sport’s accessibility to others. A recent survey of USEA members and former members revealed some interesting findings in terms of inclusivity, and this deep dive from The Chronicle of the Horse expounds on opportunities for the sport to open its doors to more participants. Don’t miss the full read here.

Did you miss out on any of the happenings at this past weekend’s USEA Annual Meeting and Convention in Seattle? Here’s a round-up of some notes about this year’s convention attendance and catch up on more coverage here.

A ban on double bridles, curb bits and riding behind the vertical could be on the cards in Denmark – and has been debated in the European Parliament, Horse & Hound reports. The Danish Council on Animal Ethics, which advises the national government, published a series of recommendations regarding new “legislative initiatives” for the involvement of horses in sport in Denmark, which included a proposed double bridle ban. Read more on this developing story here.

The 2025 USEF Annual Meeting returns to Lexington and will adopt an agenda that builds off the interactive format and strategic topic of social license and horse welfare, which became a major focus two years ago and continues to be at the forefront of our industry. A full schedule of workshops and speakers have been planned out and you can find more information here.

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How to get 11 horses from Germany to Rome for the winter: