Classic Eventing Nation

Entering an FEI Event in 2020? Read These Important Updates to the USEF FEI Entry Process

By on Jan 30, 2020 9:00 am -

Image via US Equestrian.

The US Equestrian website has been under under construction lately, with lots of new resources for eventers that can be accessed via the eventing page.

In particular, U.S. eventers planning to enter FEI competitions this year will want to familiarize themselves with updates to the USEF FEI Entry System. These updates, outlined below along with Entry Portal best practices, will help you get your entries submitted correctly, completely and on-time. The FEI Competitions page offers important information on horse and rider registration requirements as well as 2020 U.S. FEI competition quick links and U.S. FEI Schedules.

Earlier this week, Managing Director of Eventing Jenni Autry issued this memo to U.S. eventing athletes:

Dear Eventing Athletes,

It seems like only yesterday the USEF FEI Entry System was implemented; however, 2020 marks the fifth FEI competition season utilizing the system. With our first FEI competition of the 2020 season fast approaching, we would like to take this opportunity to provide you with important updates and procedural changes with the USEF FEI Entry Process, as well as several resources to help you navigate the process.

FEI Schedule – It ALL Starts Here

The FEI Schedule is your official resource for all information regarding U.S. FEI eventing competitions and supersedes any other information found on the internet. FEI Schedules can be found by utilizing the FEI Calendar Search. Click on the event (listed by city and state) and look for the link to the schedule on the far right-hand side of the page.

Work is in progress on a new FEI Competitions page on the USEF website, which will include quick links to these FEI Schedules, as well as resources and information for entering FEI competitions. This page will officially launch at the end of January, so be sure to bookmark it and refer back to it when preparing to enter an FEI competition.

FEI Definite Entry Date – USEF FEI Entry Portal Closes

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. 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. For 2020, 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.

USEF FEI Entry Portal Best Practices

Enter early: Remember – you can enter through the USEF FEI Entry Portal before the opening date of the competition you wish to enter. Please enter through the USEF FEI Entry Portal FIRST. 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 date of entry in the USEF FEI Entry Portal supersedes the date of entry with the Organizing Committee.

Register first: You will not be able to begin the entry process without a current FEI rider registration. Once you have completed your FEI registration, follow these easy 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 show you wish to enter.

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.

New passports and upgrades for breed passports: Review the helpful document Horse Passports 101 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).
• For breed passport upgrades, ensure all information required for a national or FEI passport is complete and up to date or your passport may be delayed.

We hope you find this information helpful in navigating the USEF FEI Entry Portal. Please feel free to contact Shealagh Costello at 859-225-6923 or [email protected] with questions regarding the FEI entry process. We wish you all the best for a successful 2020 eventing season.

Sincerely,

Jenni Autry
Managing Director, Eventing

[Athlete Memo – Important Update on 2020 USEF FEI Entry Portal Process]

Thursday News & Notes from Taylor Harris Insurance Services (THIS)

By on Jan 30, 2020 12:03 am -

I can’t be the only one who has a weird collection of pitchforks that have one tine missing, right? I just can’t bring myself to throw them away, they’re 99% perfect but also 100% useless. Also the nice ergonomic pitchforks are strangely expensive, and it makes me very angry that one tiny piece can ruin it all. I can’t promise that I’ve never brought my glue gun to the barn in an attempt to resurrect one.

National Holiday: National Croissant Day

U.S. Weekend Preview:

Galway Downs Winter H.T. [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times] [Live Scores]

Sporting Days Farm H.T. [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times] [Live Scores]

Three Lakes H.T. at Caudle Ranch [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times] [Live Scores]

News From Around the Globe:

Let’s all agree not to just wait on the FEI when it comes to our own safety this year. The pressing need for riders to share responsibility for their own safety was a recurring theme at the Fédération Equestre Internationale Eventing Risk Management Seminar at Aintree Racecourse, Liverpool, England, Jan. 24-26. The gathering of 150 officials, trainers and course designers from around the world discussed developments in frangible technology; the latest thinking in course design such as intensity of jumping effort, groundlines and the profiling of the leading edge of a fence; and safety helmets, body protectors and medical cover. [Risk Management for 2020]

I love a good story of a firecracker pipsqueak. McLain Ward’s new mount, Catoki, is barely 15.2, and was passed over for years by professionals due to his small stature. However, he’s found his way into McLain’s barn, and is already winning classes, with great promise for the future. He’s a brave and feisty one, make sure you watch the video! [McLain Wins With a Pocket Rocket]

Love Horse Nation? Yeah, me too. It’s time for the 2020 HN Gallop Poll! Yes, we know. Okay puns aside, get to this poll and tell us about yourself. [HN Gallop Poll]

EN’s sister site, Jumper Nation, is on the hunt for a new part-time editor. We are going to miss Meagan DeLisle, who has taken a position with Phelps Media — best of luck, Meagan! The ideal candidate has excellent writing/editing skills and is plugged in to the hunter/jumper community. Email us at [email protected]. [Jumper Nation]

Ain’t no shame in my neck strap game:

 

Wednesday Video from Kentucky Performance Products: The Nitty-Gritty on Neck Straps

By on Jan 29, 2020 4:30 pm -

Last week we introduced you to William Fox Pitt‘s brand new Fox Pitt Equestrian YouTube Channel and we’re delighted to see that one of his first videos is all about one storied piece of equipment: the neck strap. While commonly regarded as an item for more novice riders, William champions it’s use for riders of all levels and is well known for wearing one himself at all times — even at five-star level. Watch this video to learn where William’s high regard for neck straps come from, what their benefits are, and a bit about the new FEI rule regarding them.

Fight back against colic and digestive upset.

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The horse that matters to you matters to us®. Not sure which horse supplement best meets your horse’s needs? Kentucky Performance Products, LLC is here to help. Contact us at 859-873-2974 or visit our website at KPPusa.com.

(Triple) Congrats to Our Hylofit System Winner Cristina Barbour!

By on Jan 29, 2020 3:00 pm -

Cristina Barbour and Moon on the River in the Open Prelim division at Cherrylane H.T. in Puslinch, Ontario. Photo by Ian Woodley.

As the mom of a 9-month-old baby who can barely find time to get to the barn, much less get my ducks in a row to compete, I have mad respect for all the eventer moms out there who bounce right back into the game.

Cristina Barbour, the winner of our recent Hylofit system giveaway, is one such supermom. She wasted no time getting back in the saddle and just finished 2nd at her first event back, at Rocking Horse H.T. last weekend, just four months postpartum. Triple congrats on your baby, winning a Hylofit, and your super comeback result, Cristina!

“I am so happy to have won the Hylofit system for the 2020 season,” Cristina says. “I gave birth to our son Harry this past August and I’m in the process of getting Moon and myself back to peak fitness from our ‘maternity leave.’”

Her top horse is Moon on the River, a 10-year-old ex-point-t0-point Irish Thoroughbred. Together, they’ve done well for themselves since Cristina moved him up to Prelim last year.

She and her husband, Curtis, are Shelburne, Ontario, but are in Ocala for the winter to train and compete. Curtis is also a successful event rider; their business together is Barbour Equestrian. Cristina and Moon have their sights set on the Ocala International two-star in April, then upgrading to Intermediate this summer.

“I use trot sets and gallop interval training to get my horses fit along with jumping and dressage schooling,” Cristina says. “I can’t wait to incorporate the Hylofit system into my horses schedule so I see the improvements in their fitness and I will also know when to increase the gallop intervals, taking the guesswork out of it.”

Hylofit provides real-time heart rate monitoring through the free Hylofit App and allows riders to set up a horse profile for each horse they ride. Through the use of interval training and heart rate data, Hylofit helps riders know whether or not their program is working, and through consistent monitoring of heart rate they can have a better understanding of their horse’s health, happiness, and wellbeing.

“It’s the perfect year for me to use it since I’m rebuilding fitness in both me and my horse and not always certain how much I should be pushing,” Cristina says.

Many thanks to Hylofit for sponsoring this great contest. Click here to read more about how using Hylofit can up your fitness game. Want to learn more about using a heart-rate monitor? EN has a handy guide here. You can also sign up here to receive updates and tips from Hylofit on how to make the most of your conditioning and training work at any level. Go Eventing.

Ready, Steady, Tokyo: An Update on Construction and Development

By on Jan 29, 2020 1:00 pm -

We are eagerly anticipating this year’s Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Japan, and the city has been hard at work constructing what has been labeled the most sustainable Olympic Games in history. Thanks to the donations of Japanese citizens, the Olympic medals this year will be uniquely constructed from recycled mobile phone parts, and it was recently announced that the traditional Olympic torch will be fueled by hydrogen for the first time in an effort to leave as small of an environmental footprint as possible.

Of course, putting on an event of this magnitude is a massive undertaking. But leave it to the Japanese to leave no stone unturned as they ready new complexes for the Olympic athletes that will descend on the city in August. On Twitter, the Tokyo 2020 page posted a first look at the newly constructed, energy efficient Athletes’ Village. Take a peek:

One of the eternal questions surrounding the Games and their ongoing impact on host cities is that of the fate of the new construction, often hastily built and left empty in the wake of the Olympiad. This year, the Athletes’ Village was constructed from 40,000 pieces of timber donated by various Japanese municipalities. After the conclusion of the Games, these buildings will be deconstructed and the timber returned to the donating municipalities for re-use.

You can view the entire outline for Japan’s sustainability plans for Tokyo here. Take a look at some of the other latest developments from #Tokyo2020:

Stay tuned for all the latest from Tokyo right here on EN! Just 176 days left to go! Looking for all you need to know about eventing in this year’s Olympics? Get the low-down here.

Twin Rivers Ranch Has 2020 Vision as Inaugural CCI4*-L Approaches

By on Jan 29, 2020 11:00 am -

Marc Grandia competes at Twin Rivers. Photo courtesy of Sherry Stewart.

The Baxter family had a vision back in 2001 when they laid eyes on 500 acres of fallow farmland in Central Coastal California’s Paso Robles. Connie was an experienced eventing competitor. Jeff had earth moving expertise as the owner of Whirlwind Excavating. And their daughter Andrea was already a talented eventer who now competes at the 5* level.

On April 9-12 of this year, the vision of staging top flight eventing competition is fully realized with the Spring International’s inaugural CCI4*-L. One of only six CCI4*-Ls in the United States, this division stacks with Long formats in the 2* and 3*; Short format 3* and 4*; and Beginner Novice through Advanced divisions that have drawn close to 500 exhibitors to the competition in recent years.

“The biggest thing is creating something our riders need,” explains Andrea, a member of the organizing committee along with Connie and Jeff Baxter. She speaks from her own 5* experience readying for successful competitions at Burghley, England, and Land Rover Kentucky last year. The 2019 recipient of the Rebecca Broussard $50,000 International Developing Rider Grant, Andrea knows the many drawbacks of having to go East for the experience, exposure and qualifying finishes needed for team consideration or foreign competition invites.

Thanks to the preparatory capabilities of Twin Rivers and a handful of other West Coast competitions, Andrea is one of several elite riders in the region who’ve been able to attain peak form without the wear, tear and cost of cross-country travel. Pan Am Team gold medalist Tamra Smith, Canadian Olympian Hawley Bennett-Awad and Puerto Rican Olympian Lauren Billys are others. A roster of talented young riders has caught talent spotters’ attention without leaving the West, thanks to Twin Rivers and other venues providing a suitable stage for their development.

Beautiful Twin Rivers Ranch. Photo courtesy of Twin Rivers Ranch.

Broad Benefits

It’s not only the elite horses and riders who benefit from Twin Rivers’ considerable investment in meeting the standards required for hosting a 4*-L. Continual cross-country course changes and improvements expand into new territory and terrain that will also give Preliminary and Intermediate horses good tests for their future. Unique features including a tunnel and a bigger quarry element are among much-anticipated additions. These and other new obstacles maintain Twin Rivers’ reputation for fresh twists on the foundation set by a great course building team. They provide ample options for new upper level course designer, Hugh Lochore, and lower level designer, Marc Grandia.

Good sandy loam footing that handles rain well, permanent show stabling, a covered arena, multiple rings, brightly colored new stadium jumps and fan-friendly viewing enhancements add to Twin Rivers’ appeal.

Most of all, a welcoming family atmosphere and a beautiful wine country and close-to-the-coast location combine with quality competition to make Twin Rivers a top destination for those within and well beyond the region. “We love welcoming everyone to our home to enjoy the new course improvements and great competition for the weekend!” states organizer Connie Baxter.

Andrea Baxter & Infinity. Photo by Sherry Stewart.

Catering to Exhibitors’ Interests

As owners, the Baxters enjoy the unique opportunity to do whatever they feel is in their exhibitors’ best interest. Connie brings a lifetime of equestrian passion and, along with earth moving muscle, Jeff brings deft bartending skills to the party. And we do mean “party” when it comes to the Spring International’s Saturday night exhibitor get-together.

Veteran show manager Christina Gray of Gray Area Events has a seasoned hand on the helm and Margie Davis takes the reins from Twin Rivers’ much-appreciated volunteer coordinator of the recent past, Asia Vedder. The Spring International’s presenting sponsors have been critical to making it a circuit fixture: APF Pro; Professional’s Choice; and Riding Warehouse.

The town of Paso Robles is increasingly popular with wine and equestrian enthusiasts –often one and the same! Wineries, vineyards and olive groves dominate the area’s rolling landscape. The Mission San Miguel, the Paso Robles Pioneer Museum and the Estrella Warbird Museum are great side-trips for non-riding family members.

Along with competition, Twin is home to Andrea Baxter’s Estrella Equestrian training program, plus Area VI Young Rider and Adult camps, in June and August. Year-round membership to Twin Rivers Ranch offers everyday access to the cross-country course, arenas and vast acreage for schooling and conditioning. Multi-week stabling is available for out-of-area horses taking advantage of the region’s nearly year-round show circuit and great weather.

Twin River’s secure place on the national eventing map came about fairly fast. The Baxters purchased property in 2001, staged their first event in 2004 and their first International competition in 2005.

The Spring International anchors an exciting year of activity. It’s preceded by the Winter Horse Trials Intro through Advanced Feb. 28- March 1, and an April 4-5 Combined Test that doubles as fundraiser for ongoing improvements. The July 4th weekend starts with a July 2 day of schooling rounds, a Derby, and a qualifier for the USEA Young Event and Future Event Horse championships. That’s followed by the July 3-5 Summer Horse Trials, Intro to Advanced.

The Twin season concludes in September with FEH Championships, Young Event Horse qualifiers and Fall Horse Trials with Intro through Advanced, and 2*-3*-4* Short format divisions.

Having a grand vision is one thing. Shepherding it to reality is quite another. As the Twin Rivers crew readies for an ambitious 2020 season, the Baxters’ vision manifests as a big benefit to horses and riders throughout the West and beyond.

Entries for the Spring International open on Feb. 24 on www.useventing.com. For more information on all of Twin Rivers’ competitions and events, visit www.twinrivershorsepark.com and follow their pages on Facebook and Instagram. Volunteer sign-ups are welcome at www.eventingvolunteers.com.

USEF Members Invited to Volunteer at 2020 Tokyo Olympics

By on Jan 29, 2020 9:00 am -

Kazuma Tomoto & Tacoma D’Horset of Japan in the Ready Steady Tokyo Olympic Test Event. Photo
by FEI/Yusuke Nakanishi.

Interested in a little summer trip to Tokyo? It sounds like the 2020 Olympic equestrian venues, the Equestrian Park in Setagaya and the Sea Forest Cross Country Course in the Tokyo Bay area, could use a helping hand.

The Pan American Equestrian Confederation shared this memo on Wednesday:

“The Pan American Equestrian Confederation (PAEC) is delighted to share that we are able to offer all members of a National Federations the opportunity to attend the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games as a volunteer. The only requirement is that any volunteer must have some level of equestrian experience, commitment to hard work and team spirit. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity to be a part of the success of the Games.”

Equestrian experience: check!

Hard work: check!

Team spirit: check!

Instructions to apply are below. Applications are due Monday, February 3, 2020.

The equestrian venues for Tokyo 2020 are recruiting volunteers from July 16 to August 11 for a total of at least ten days (maximum five consecutive days) for the 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Tokyo, Japan.

Not only on the competition day, but there is training from the arrival of the horse from overseas to departure, and there are volunteer activities, so the more activity days are more appreciated. (The actual competition dates are July 25 to August 9.)

Registration Instructions: 
Please follow the steps below to register as a volunteer.

1. Check the general explanation (conditions, what is provided, etc.) on the Tokyo2020 volunteer site at https://tokyo2020.org/en/special/volunteer/.

2. Log in from the SNS of volunteer registration “My Page Login” and enter the equestrian competition code in the last item of STEP 4. (If you do not have this code, you will not be able to register).

3. When entering the code for STEP 4, enter the input field with “Add more” and enter the following “SPT …” line by line. Do not enter spaces or other letters or numbers. The numbers are: SPT092632 (for Olympics) or SPT092633 (for Paralympics)

4. After completing registration, please send your volunteer seven (7) digits registration number and your name to [email protected]

5. The deadline for application submissions is Monday, February 3, 2020. A web interview will be held from the middle of February.

[Pan American Equestrian Confederation Announces Tokyo 2020 Volunteer Program Application Opening]

Wednesday News & Notes

By on Jan 29, 2020 12:01 am -

When you rush out after work to ride the world's best 4yr old & realize you forgot some important pieces of equipment….

Posted by BadEventer on Tuesday, January 28, 2020

I live in perpetual fear of forgetting something I need for the barn….like pants. Luckily the most I’ve forgotten was a proper polo shirt thus far. Improvisation is not my strongest trait sometimes.

National Holiday: National Puzzle Day

U.S. Weekend Preview:

Galway Downs Winter H.T. [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times] [Live Scores]

Sporting Days Farm H.T. [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times] [Live Scores]

Three Lakes H.T. at Caudle Ranch [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times] [Live Scores]

Your Wednesday News & Notes

A heavy topic at the FEI Eventing Risk Management Seminar was rider responsibility. So often, riders have confused the MER requirements with competency. If riders cannot as a whole begin to ride and enter events more responsibly, it may be time for national federations or even the FEI to step in. [Don’t Wait on the FEI]

German team rider Andreas Dibowski will be the headline clinician for the USEA Educational Symposium. Maren Engelhardt, and Marilyn Payne will join him for the YEH seminar while Susan Graham White and Robin Walker will lead the FEH seminar. [USEA Educational Symposium Schedule]

EN’s sister site, Jumper Nation, is on the hunt for a new part-time editor. We are going to miss Meagan DeLisle, who has taken a position with Phelps Media — best of luck, Meagan! The ideal candidate has excellent writing/editing skills and is plugged in to the hunter/jumper community. Email us at [email protected]. [Jumper Nation]

Wednesday Social Media:

Get those entries in early – your secretary will thank you for it!Florida Horse ParkPine Top EventingMeadowCreek ParkCopper Meadows EventingRocking Horse StablesParadise FarmFresno County Horse Park

Posted by United States Eventing Association, Inc. (USEA) on Tuesday, January 28, 2020

Tuesday Video from Flexible Fit Equestrian USA: Three Exercises to Add to Your Arena

By on Jan 28, 2020 5:00 pm -

In today’s video, follow Flexible Fit Equestrian sponsored rider Amanda Ross as she shares three new exercises that you’ll want to try up at home. First is a pole work exercise to work on controlling the stride. The second will test your straightness, and the final exercise, the “wheel of fortune” is designed to help you achieve a better rhythm.

“If you don’t have control of the basics it’s very hard to layer the other skills. These can take you right through from lower level right up to being quite experienced,” Amanda says.

Flexible Fit Equestrian: Redefining Comfort & Quality at an Affordable Price. Learn more at www.ffequestrian.com.au.

What Do You Think Happens Next? This Survey Tests Your Ability to Predict XC Outcomes

By on Jan 28, 2020 4:08 pm -

Photo by Leslie Wylie.

If you watch enough horses jump enough jumps, it’s possible to get quite adept at seeing what’s coming down the pike from a few strides out. Possible outcomes: a clear jump, a refusal, a runout, a rider fall, or a horse fall … what do you think happens next?

A new study involving Nottingham Trent University and co-funded by An Eventful Life asks that question of survey participants. The survey involves a random series of videos of riders approaching cross country jumps, with the ending cut off. The survey-taker is asked to predict the outcome, after which they are shown the full video clip. At the end, the survey-taker is given a score according to how many outcomes they correctly predicted. I’m not sure that all the riders in the videos would agree, but for the survey-takers, it’s a pretty fascinating experiment!

Even better, the study is aimed at improving eventing safety. It utilizes An Eventful Life’s vast video footage of international and grass roots eventing competitions in the UK, Australia and New Zealand as background data for their research. The researchers hope to evaluate the factors that contribute to successful jump clearance and apply their findings in coaching scenarios and to influence improved jump design.

Can you help? Whether you’re an amateur or professional rider, coach, enthusiast, supporter or never even ridden at all, your feedback could be valuable. You do need to be over 18, have reasonable internet connection and 20-25 minutes to spare. You will also be asked to answer some questions regarding your age, gender, eventing experience and occupation.

The survey can be accessed HERE.

More info:

An Eventful Life Co-funds Eventing Safety Study

PhD Study Eventing Video Survey