Classic Eventing Nation

Saturday Links from Nupafeed USA

By on Dec 14, 2019 12:01 am -

Full disclosure, this is the first USEA Convention that I’ve attended and, first of all, it’s been super educational and there have been so many excellent talks already. Second of all, it’s such a funny ‘Who’s Who’ of eventing just walking around wherever you go. Standing in line at Starbucks next to Liz Halliday-Sharp? No big deal. Lauren Kieffer just sat down at the table next to you? Just act casual. The name of the game for me this weekend is actually just to try not to be a weird fan girl.

National Holiday: National Wreaths Across America Day

Weekend Action:

#USEAConvention: USEA Convention Page, Schedule, Program, Live Stream, USEA’s Coverage, EN’s Coverage

Saturday Links:

Convention videos on demand courtesy of the USEA:

Tips for Designing Your Own Cross-Country Schooling Course

Duvander Debriefs on the Year with USEF High Performance

Taking Care Of Yourself On The Road

British-based eventer replaces Bettina Hoy as Netherland’s team coach

Do Horses Have Muscle Memory?

Saturday Video: April will be here before you know it — plan ahead for Twin Rivers Ranch!

Friday at USEA Convention: ERQI, Maryland 5*, High Performance & Event Horse Longevity

By on Dec 13, 2019 9:25 pm -

Photo by Leslie Wylie.

Friday was a jam-packed day at the 2019 USEA Annual Meeting & Convention. Here a few highlights.

ERQI Reports for Officials at Events: How They Will Be Used in 2020  — Speakers: Sam Watson, Diarm Byrne, Carol Kozlowski, Janis Linnan, and Rob Burk

Last year, the EquiRatings Quality Index (ERQI), a “traffic light” color coding system to indicate the level of risk a horse carries on cross country, was made available to all USEA members. Since then, the ERQI for each registered horse has been visible only to the USEA member associated with that horse. At a recent USEA Board of Governors meeting, the Board voted to supply a list of horses with red (less than 50% clear cross country rounds) and amber (less than 60% clear cross country rounds) ERQI ratings to the Organizer and President of the Ground Jury to assist them in monitoring horse who are more at risk of not jumping clear across country.

  • It’s important to understand that a red ERQI doesn’t mean that a horse is destined to fall, but there is elevated risk and a likelihood of reduced performance. Data tells us that cumulative consistent poor performance will often result in horse or rider fall.
  • The benefit of having their horse’s ERQI available to each member is that they can take some self-responsibility for riding at an appropriate level, however, according to Carol Kozlowski, the majority of the USEA membership has not checked their rating. Ideally, it would be part of rider responsibility to not ride with a red rating.
  • Clear cross country rate at Beginner Novice is very similar to the clear rate at Preliminary, Intermediate and Advanced. Low rates at low levels still mean something and are not to be taken lightly just because it’s the lower level.
  • Sam Watson: “I grew up for 15 years hearing that horses don’t fall at Training level. But if you look at the data the rate of horse falls at Training is the same as at Prelim. So that’s not true. It then doubles when you go up to Intermediate. But even if you had asked me, even probably today without looking at the data, I would have said there was a big step up in falls at Prelim compared to Training.”
  • Part of risk management should be promoting better training and learning the art of cross country riding.
  • EquiRatings and USEA are working on finding a way to champion clear rounds and recognizing riders with exceptional cross country jumping records.

— AP

Maryland 5* at Fair Hill Update — Speakers: Jeff Newman and Mary Coldren

Jeff Newman, CEO of the Fair Hill Organizing Committee (FHOC), recalled doubts during that last year’s USEA convention that the Fair Hill venue would be ready to host a five-star in 2020. He and Mary Coldren, Competition Manager of Fair Hill International (FHI), of were on hand to present the progress made towards upgrading the venue in preparation to host North America’s second five-star event.

  • Via studies done in 2005, 2012, and 2015 the state of Maryland recognized a need for a Maryland Horse Park system and recognized Fair Hill as a potential area. The Fair Hill Foundation, a 50-50 public-private partnership was formed in 2016 to help create this area.

  • FHOC and FHI are separate entities, but work together to bring the Maryland 5-Star to fruition. FHOC will do the general oversight including sponsorship, promotion, and branding, while FHI will take care of competition management.

  • Phase I of the project is on track for completion at the end of this year. This phase consisted of the created of three arenas inside the oval flat track, a new irrigation ponds, and a new timber course.

  • Phase II of the project will see the creation of a new grandstand which will hold new offices for officials, scoring, and timers etc.
  • Jeff believes in simplifying the message of what eventing is in order to get new people to come out and see the event, then they become fans. “We need to simplify the message in order to grow the fanbase outside of the original passionate group.”
  • Mary gave a sneak peak of the plans for the five-star course, which will be an out-and-back track originating at the oval track, running along route 213, and heading into the Sawmill Field where part of the horse trials course runs.
  • There will be four water complexes on course, with the largest being set in the Sawmill Field where the course loops back on itself and where there is easy access for spectator viewing.
  • Eric Bull, who is constructing the course, has already finished 13 permanent features on the course and will spend the winter building portables.
  • In future years several jumps on course will be placed on the turf track, but not in 2020. Course designer Ian Stark has chosen to preserve the new sod that has been laid for the track, which is not being raced on at all in 2020 so that the turf can establish itself.
  • For the April 2020 event, the four-star test event will run on the new track, while other levels run on the existing Gallagher Road track. In October, both the five-star and three-star will run on the new track.

— AP

USEF High Performance Athletes Open Forum I & II

The late morning session of the USEF High Performance Athletes Open Forum was so packed to standing-room-only capacity that they expanded the floorspace for the afternoon session. That speaks to an invested enthusiasm about the future of our U.S. team, propelled by team gold at this year’s 2019 Pan American Games in Lima and looking forward to the Tokyo Olympics next year. Even moreso, there’s a sense of long-term investment in the health and success of future teams, via discussions about the streamlining the track from young riders to Olympians

  • Developing the athlete pipeline: The Eventing Performance Advisory Team received and reviewed 52 applications for consideration for the 2020 USEF Eventing 25 Program. Thirty-two of the applicants will be invited to participate in USEF Eventing 25 Program Assessment Sessions with USEF Developing and Emerging Athlete Coach Leslie Law prior to the final program selection. This system, which is shifting from USEF to USEA, allows more interface between young athletes and coaches to identify and develop the talent. “Given more time, we will be able to make more of a difference,” says Emerging Athlete Coach Leslie Law. Incoming USEA president Max Corcoran added, “We need to marry up what the emerging program is doing into the developing program.” A new proposed curriculum, in which Young Rider coaches will be involved, gives young riders a solid horsemanship base, with everything from how to walk a show jumping course to understanding dressage tests to equine fitness.
  • Resources: Jim Wolf noted, “In this country America doesn’t send us to the Olympics, Americans send us to the Olympics.” I.e. U.S. team funding doesn’t come from the government, but from individuals and from sponsorship. An invigorating and interactive conversation about fundraising ensued, including discussion about the unique role that owners play in our sport. How can we procure more funding from sponsors, and make sponsorship a more rewarding experience for the sponsors? Frankie Thieriot Stutes suggested giving riders the tools to thank sponsors.

— LW

Panel Discussion: Why Aren’t U.S. Event Horse Careers Lasting Longer? — Speakers: Erik Duvander, Matt Brown, Max Corcoran, Sam Watson and Susan Johns, DVM

Over the previous decade the number of upper level event horses that remain at the highest levels of the sport for extended periods of time has anecdotally been dwindling. Also, it is rare to see horses return to represent the U.S. on international teams. This discussion featured statistics provided by the USEA and Equiratings to strengthen understanding of this issue and perspectives from coaches, trainers, riders, grooms, and veterinary professionals on the possible reasons and solutions.

  • Footing: Matt Brown says that he spent an estimated $10,000 on withdrawn entries from events that didn’t get any rain so he withdrew, missing out on qualifications and eluding goals. Man-made surfaces can be too grippy for their own good. Says Erik, “I’ve seen surfaces where there is too much stick and it feels very safe but doesn’t allow the horse to go across the ground in a safe way.” Leslie Law chimed in that, “There’s bad ground in Europe, too. They’ve got to be conditioned for that is going to be asked of them, and that starts at home.” I.e. you can’t train a horse on perfect footing at home, then go to less than perfect conditions in competition.
  • Cross training, via Erik: “I personally believe in cross training. I’m not saying this is the solution but I have worked with hundreds of riders on teams and some people break horses and some people don’t. You always want to go look at why are they doing this.”
  • Jimmy Wofford: “We use trot sets in a sport that no longer includes roads and tracks …it was a different world then, I agree, but the horses we’re training are the same horses we were training a hundred years ago and they can’t match our work ethic.”
  • Continuing from a discussion in yesterday’s horsemanship sessions, there was a discussion of what is the right risk versus what is the wrong risk. Treating inflammation all the time so you make the horse feel better so it can keep continuing on vs. backing off workload. The U.S. season happens at high speed, but there is a suggestion to give oneself two or three extra weeks so you can back off.  Max Corcoran: “The body has an interesting way of telling us to slow down or stop.”
  • Season length: From Sam, “In Ireland we have a long off season, in England you’ve got snow, in America you’ve got Florida.” The question is raised of how many times we can peak a horse in a season.
  • Are we asking too much of four- and five-year olds in the YEH program?

— LW

Classic Series Open Forum

  • The Classic Series Task Force is dedicated to keeping the long format series alive and thriving in the U.S. In the last three years, there has been an upswing in the number of events and participants in the Classic, and the Task Force is working to keep the series, rooted in the history of eventing, relevant to the sport as it moves forward.
  • Some of the projects the Task Force undertook this year include developing rules for the Modified Three-Day. They have also implemented speed fault times on steeplechase for Beginner Novice and Novice. This is in response to data gathered during the year indicating excessive speeds on steeplechase at these levels. The Classic is all about education, so encouraging good horsemanship and smart riding is paramount.
  • The Board of Governors approved a budget request to partner with RNS Video Media and develop a promotional video for the Classic which will serve both to generate interest and provide information about resources available to competitors who are interested in competing in a long-format. The Task Force indicated that common feedback is that competitors are not sure what to expect when they enter a Classic event and are unaware of the resources available to help prepare them for this epic experience. The video is intended to provide that information in an entertaining and easily shareable format.

— LT

Much more to come. Go Eventing.

#USEAConvention: USEA Convention Page, Schedule, Program, Live Stream, USEA’s Coverage, EN’s Coverage, EN’s Twitter, EN’s Instagram

Friday Video from SmartPak: The Tale of an Extraordinary Thoroughbred

By on Dec 13, 2019 7:04 pm -

Who among us hasn’t had their life profoundly impacted for the better by a good Thoroughbred? In today’s video we meet one incredibly special example of the breed — 19-year-old Ruched, who left a career on the track in Australia behind him to become a therapy horse. Watch as he and rider Luke Eaton, who has cerebral palsy, navigate a dressage lesson and answer the question of whether there’s anything a Thoroughbred can’t do with a resounding ‘no.’

Do you know an OTTB who’s an outstanding citizen in his or her second career? Drop them in the comments!

Bettina Hoy Steps Down as Dutch Team Coach After Tumultuous 2019

By on Dec 13, 2019 2:28 pm -

Bettina Hoy and Designer 10 at Pau in 2018, Bettina’s last major competition as a rider. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

It has been announced today that Germany’s Bettina Hoy will step down as coach of the Dutch eventing team after three years in the role. Her stint as trainer culminated in a tricky 2019 season, which saw the team fail to qualify for the Tokyo Olympics.

“It has been mutually agreed by both parties that my contract as national trainer with Koninklijke Nederlandse Hippische Sportfederatie (KNHS) will not be extended beyond the end of 2019,” said Hoy in a statement. “We have also agreed that I should continue to coach a number of individual Dutch riders and support them in achieving their future goals in top-level eventing.”

“During the last three years I have learnt a lot, not just about the job of trainer and leading a team but also about myself, and I thank the KNHS for the great experience and opportunity. I look forward in the future to having not only more time to coach my private pupils and run clinics worldwide but also to spending more time in the saddle. Perhaps I can even achieve my dream of competing in dressage at Grand Prix level! Finally, I would like to wish my successor and the team all the best.”

Andrew Heffernan, pictured riding Gideon at Boekelo this year, will take over as Dutch team trainer for 2020. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Hoy will be superseded in her role by Andrew Heffernan, a long-time member of the Dutch squad. Based in Cheshire, England, Heffernan was part of the bronze medal-winning team at the 2014 World Equestrian Games, and is a well-established trainer and coach in the United Kingdom, where he teaches out of Somerford Park Farm and possesses a Level 3 coaching certificate and is accredited as a British Eventing trainer. Heffernan’s appointment as Dutch team trainer will last until the end of 2020, at which point it will be reviewed.

“I was surprised when I was approached for this position, but I am really looking forward to it,” said Heffernan in a KNHS statement. “Coaching riders is something I really enjoy doing and I look forward to this opportunity. I will certainly continue to ride my own horses, but of course not at the selection trials, team competitions, and other important moments. Next year I will only keep a few of my better horses and in England there are plenty of opportunities to relocate them.”

Though the Dutch team hasn’t earned a ticket to Tokyo, they’re almost certain to possess two individual slots, which means that 2020 will still be a crucial year for Heffernan and the KNHS. Director Maarten van der Heijden expressed his positive outlook at the appointment of Heffernan, saying, “I am happy that we have found Andrew Heffernan willing to fill this position in the coming year. He is a good trainer and rider, but also a huge team player. Partly due to his vast experience – especially in England – he manages to send riders with confidence and good advice. As a member of the Dutch team, he has demonstrated this many times. The riders we have consulted with are also enthusiastic about the arrival of Heffernan.”

 

USEA Convention 2019: Can’t Miss Quotes from the Pan Am Games Review Panel

By on Dec 13, 2019 2:05 pm -

Members of the 2019 Pan American Games Eventing team take the stage. Photo by Abby Powell.

The midday highlight of today’s agenda at the 2019 USEA Annual Meeting & Convention was a panel discussion led by USEF Managing Director of Eventing, Jenni Autry featuring members of the U.S. Eventing Team for the 2019 Pan American Games. Chef d’equipe Erik Duvander sat down alongside team riders Boyd Martin, Doug Payne, Lynn Symansky, and Tami Smith to debrief the team’s performance in Lima, Peru earlier this summer.

On the amount of pressure the team faced to turn in a top performance:

Erik: “When it comes to championships, some people love the the pressure and it gets the best out of them and some people fade. Often, you don’t know how much pressure you’re under until it’s done and you say, ‘Holy sh*t, that was hard!'”

Boyd: “I think obviously failure makes you better. At least for me. In a way my failure (at WEG) made me stronger, because I know what it’s like to drop the ball and let a team down.” 

“I really think America had the best riders, a top coach, top grooms, no stone was left unturned. When you can go home saying, ‘I couldn’t have done anything better or tried any harder’ then you can sleep a bit better at night.”

“We got to Lima and it was more competitive in the cross country than we dreamt of, but we had top horses and top riders and the key is to ride really well in that moment. You have to show you can walk the walk for 7 minutes in the dressage, for 10 minutes in cross country, and for 2 minutes in the show jumping. I can say that I did all I could in those moments.”

Doug: “It was a massive amount of pressure. I was lucky to be selected — it was a bit of a long shot concerning the horse and myself. It was a fleeting thought that (Starr Witness) would make it, but she just kept getting better and better. I’ll probably never forget jumping the last boat jump and the relief coming across the finish line. It was a very big honor.”

“Cross country was challenging. The first time you walked it you got a plan, but then the next time you walked there would be some change – a rope or a brush or some un-jumpable thing – so we didn’t have a solid plan until the morning of. But everything did ride to plan in the end, except for the spectators – I did try to run one of those down.”

Lynn: “This was my first time in a games or championships being the pathfinder. We didn’t know what to expect on the day but I was comfortable going in that position and brought back all the information I could.”

“It was a nicer feeling walking out of theses games than the last one (WEG). And it was special because everyone here jumped a clean round on the final day. You look back on it and think what an honor, but when you’re there you have a job to do and you think about that.”

“It was nice to have such a great reserve there (Liz Halliday-Sharp and Cooley Quicksilver) and I say that because I’ve been there and I know what it’s like. It’s an incredibly difficult spot to be in, but she brought a lot to the team.”

Tami: “I went there hoping to bring my best result and it was a huge learning experience for me. You can’t really explain being on your first team, but the pressure was tremendous. I had a different experience than the other three, because I didn’t have a clean cross country. Looking back I could have just prepared better and I didn’t quite know what that took. I just learned a ton and that you can never prepare too much for something like that. Even though it was a level lower (CCI3*-L) the track rode much more tricky than any of  us thought.”

“It’s not what you do when things are going great, it’s what you do when everything is going hard. So I tried to have a smile on my face and support everyone else as best as I could.”

“That event event changed my career. Going into Boekelo (Nations Cup) I had a whole different understanding of being on a team. You don’t know what you don’t know until you’re there. The good news is that I made that mistake early in my career and it will never happen again.”

On their main takeaway from the experience:

Tami: “It’s really awesome being on a team even when you don’t do well, but the rest of your team does. I stood on the podium with these guys and got a gold medal and I’ve dreamt of that for years. I can’t wait for it to happen again.”

Lynn: “I somehow survived after flying into the first water jump. I’ve been on a lot of teams with Boyd and a group that’s been rotating. It was nice to have some new blood going into a games. It’s been a different experience each time. Even when Tami went out and didn’t have the ride she hoped for, it’s still nice to go out and root for everyone.  It’s nice to have everybody’s back. It’s very special to look around and see that all the grooms are hugging and crying and see Joanie Morris ( former USEF Managing Director of Eventing) who has been with us at every games for the past 7 years and this was her last.”

Doug: “The monumental effort made by, not just out team members, but the countless support staff from the USEF and USEA, our owners, people in the barn and everywhere. There’s no way we could do this without them and we are incredible lucky to be the ones standing there in the end.”

Boyd: ” I got a new weird admiration/ friendship/ bond/ respect for these guys. We bump into each other every second weekend of the year in competitions and you see them in warmup and we’re all in our own little bubble because we’re all trying to outdo each other at domestic competitions. But spending time with them and living with them, it reverses it.”

“Also the admiration for this horse I’ve got (Tsetserleg). When I first got Thomas I didn’t think he was anything good and it took a while until we clicked, but he turned out to be special. My mother said, every now and then just stop and look around because it’s amazing where these horses will take you.”

On the pathfinder position:

Erik: “I have to make the call on (who goes out first as pathfinder” but the system I always believe in is to talk to each rider about where they would feel comfortable going I think everyone in this group put their hand up that they would go first. Having seen Lynn, she just has that character she’s not fazed by it and I knew she’d give a good debrief after. Every rider likes a certain type of information — some want the whole bloody story, some want it filtered, some just want to know yes or no if it rode to plan.”

Lynn: “All of thee guys are experienced enough to go first, but it’s a different level of pressure at these competitions and it’s about knowing the kind of information to bring back.”

Miscellaneous:

Erik: “I think about it always when we have riders on our teams, that they have to be seen as leaders and show others what it takes and how to be a leader. Any young rider should look up to these guys as to how they operate on a daily basis and what they do to get better. It is how these guys behave and these guys were impeccable.”

Boyd: “It’s nerve-racking process to get there, it’s not as glamorous as it seems. You get there and you have one horse to focus on and you train him for an hour and have the other 23 hours left to worry. You do manage to keep yourself busy and occupied once you get there, you go to watch other athletes and disciplines, but you have to still focus on your ride and the competition.”

Tami: “One of the chefs, I think from the Mexican team, came up to me after cross country and said, ‘Well if this eventing doesn’t work out, you know you could have a career in dressage.”

Doug: “Normally you would have a riders tent with 6 or 8 TVs, but because there was a media blackout we didn’t have any of that so we posted people strategically around the course and reported back about everyones rides via text to one another.”

#USEAConvention: USEA Convention Page, Schedule, Program, Live Stream, USEA’s Coverage, EN’s Coverage, EN’s Twitter, EN’s Instagram

This Week in Horse Health News Presented by MediVet Equine

By on Dec 13, 2019 10:00 am -

Photo via EquiManagement on Facebook

If only surgery was really this easy! This over-sized equine version of the classic game Operation was a hit at one of the trade fair booth at the the American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) Annual Convention which took place weekend. We’re looking forward to some of the research that was presented and conference proceeding being published!

In the meantime, This Week in Horse Health News …

How do you get a hard keeper to eat more? Try playing them some Beethoven. Researchers from the Equine Science Department of Hartpury University in Britain conducted a small study which found that playing classical music overnight (Beethoven’s ninth symphony, to be exact) had an effect on horse behavior. During night in which music was played, horses in the stable spent more time eating and less time walking and standing alert. [HorseTalk]

Farriers can play a big role in preventing and containing a disease outbreak. From the hoof and mouth disease epidemic of 2006 to the latest series of equine influenza outbreaks this year, Great Britain in particular knows how detrimental infectious disease can be. A British farrier supply company, Stromsholm Ltd., has partnered with The Horse Trust to further educate farriers about proper biosecurity measures and how they can take measure to help stop the spread of disease. Even though this initiative is originating in Great Britain, it’s absolutely relevant to farriers worldwide. [The Hoof Blog]

Giving a warm bran mash to your horse after hard work in the winter used to be a practice that was commonly accepted as beneficial. Not so much anymore, as we’ve learned more about the horse’s digestive system and how even slight changes to their diets can cause big disruptions to their gastrointestinal systems. Wheat bran itself is also not the greatest feed from a nutritional standpoint. The Horse outlines the cons — and few pros — of offering your horses a warm bran mash, plus a couple alternatives. [The Horse]

As horse owners and competitors, we want to give our equine athletes every opportunity to feel and perform their best. Keeping up to date with the latest news in horse health and medicine is an important part of that, and it’s why Medivet Equine is bringing you the latest in horse health news each week.

Following the medical model of “do no harm,” MediVet Equine develops scientifically based therapeutics enabling the horse to call on its own healing ability, thus achieving its full performance potential. MediVet Equine provides effective, all natural, drug free products and lab services designed to optimize the overall health of performance horses. They specialize in regenerative treatments that help the body heal itself to get stronger naturally. Boyd Martin has several of his top competitive mounts on MediVet ACS, and has had terrific results!

Friday News & Notes from World Equestrian Brands

By on Dec 13, 2019 12:03 am -

Chestnuts roasting by an open fire! Photo by Emma Massingale.

Let it be known that yesterday I rode my thoroughbred after six weeks off and I did, in fact, survive. I’ll admit, I did put him on a rope for a while and let him bronc and rear and fling his legs about, because he needs to do that and I don’t really need to be involved. But I rode him and lived to tell the tale! Hope springs eternal.

National Holiday: National Cocoa Day

Weekend Preview: Don’t miss the USEA Annual Meeting & Convention, happening Friday through Sunday in Boston, Massachusetts. For those who are unable to attend, don’t forget to tune in to the live stream that is generously being offered once again. #USEAConvention: USEA Convention Page, Schedule, Program, Live Stream, USEA’s Coverage, EN’s Coverage

News From Around the Globe: 

Working with a horse with separation anxiety can be one of the most challenging things for any trainer. Your horse isn’t with you mentally, because he’s constantly distracted by the thought of his friends, and certainly for eventing it’s important that he learns to be okay alone, or he won’t be going out on a cross country course. With time and conscientious training, you can make a difference in his confidence, and your work will improve. [What To Do With Separation Anxiety]

Ready for some award-winning equestrian films for your long winter nights? Check out these British produced films that won awards at the Equus Film Festival in Kentucky this week. Ranging from a light-hearted Christmas ad to an in depth excursion into winning in the world of racing, these films are sure to warm your heart. [Watch Great Horse Films]

In a day and age where many riders have access to highly trained grooms, some horsemanship and knowledge around the barn has gone to the wayside. The only way to cure this is to demand horsemanship before riding, and encourage barns and parents to emphasize that as equal part of their equestrian education. [Real Riders Don’t Hand-Off Horsemanship]

Best of Blogs: I Got It From My Mother

Thursday Video from Professional’s Choice: FEI Asian Championship Highlight Reel

By on Dec 12, 2019 7:00 pm -

Highlights – Eventing

As our series of highlights continues, lets take a look at how multiple medal winner Arinadtha Chavatanont found herself leading after cross country in the Eventing discipline at the FEI Asian Championships Pattaya 2019 ⏱️🐴

Posted by FEI Asian Championships Pattaya 2019 on Friday, December 6, 2019

Team Thailand took home the top honors at the inaugural FEI Asian Championships held in Pattaya, Thailand last weekend. Anchored by Arinadtha Chavatanont and Tzar of Her Dreams, the Thai team was able to hang on to the team gold medal after a glorious weekend on home turf.

Arinadtha also earned the individual eventing gold medal in addition to competing on the dressage side of these Championships, earning individual bronze in the Freestyle. Check out the highlights from Arinadtha’s busy weekend in the cross country recap above. Go eventing!

USEA Convention 2019: Back on Track with Starter Numbers

By on Dec 12, 2019 6:21 pm -

Welcome to Massachusetts for the 2019 USEA Annual Meeting & Convention which is taking place at the Sheraton Boston Hotel and where the currently below-freezing temperature is surely a shock to the system of everyone who has traveled north to Area I to attend.

The convention kicked off today with multiple forums and talks and this afternoon’s Board of Governors Meeting served to review happenings of the past year and to discuss the current state of affairs in the organization.

Current USEA President Carol Kozlowski, who will be handing the baton over the President-Elect Max Corcoran at the end of the convention, kicked off the meeting with some welcome news: that after an underperforming 2018 attributed to a particularly rainy year, the number of starters rebounded in 2019 and the number of USEA events rose as well. She specifically highlighted the success of a few competitions in particular, including an increase in entries at North American Youth Championships (NAYC) held at Rebecca Farm and the “spectacular success” of the AECs, which, with it’s 1,072 entries and 969 starters, broke the record for the largest horse trials in North America.

USEA CEO Rob Burk added that it’s been a record-breaking year in numerous ways, noting also that the Adult Team Challenge at this year’s AECs hosted a record number of 53 teams and that there was record usage of Xentry, the USEA’s online event entry system, this year.

Carol also spoke of other successes across the association, including that the Young and Future Event Horse (YEH and FEH) Programs also flourished with large Championship rosters. 20 horses currently on the USEA leaderboards are graduates of the young horse programs, which points to success in the program’s mission which is to identify horses with the disposition and talent to go on to excel at the upper-levels.

The nationwide launch of the Volunteer Incentive Program (VIP), which clocked 46,066 hours put in by 3,089 volunteers at 165 events, demonstrated the immense amount of manpower needed to propel this sport and highlighted the generosity of the USEA membership in donating their time.

One ongoing challenge that the Board is working towards addressing is that of scheduling competitions fairly, such that new events are welcomed to the calendar without aversely affecting existing events that already run close to the desired date.

Prior to ending her address Carol acknowledged that it has also been a particularly difficult year for the USEA’s membership and the sport of eventing as a whole, as we experienced four fatalities directly resulting from participation in the sport within a four month span. She assured that each of those fatalities, three of which occurred during schooling and one which occurred during warm-up for the cross country phase, were rigorously investigated with the hope of gaining insight to prevent future accidents. Though schooling courses are not directly overseen by the USEA, the USEA has created guidelines for jumps at schooling facilities and they have also identified a need to make some changes to the presentation of jumps in the warm-up.

Morley Thompson, USEA Treasurer, further detailed this year’s growth of the sport in his address to the Board. He cited key indicators as a 4% overall increase in starters, which is particularly significant considering that last year’s starters dropped 8% from 2017.

Morley also said that the USEA has operated with zero debt in 2019 and has been trending towards a net positive three-year total, despite the losses incurred in 2018. There was a small decrease in number of USEA members this year as well as a small decrease in starter revenue, but the increase in membership dues that was experienced last fall, plus the increase in revenue from merchandise sale (mainly attributed to the AECs) made up for it.

Areas II and III saw the most growth over 2019, while participation in Areas I, V, VII, and IX was down slightly. Participation in the lower levels of the sport also rose; and while the number of starters at Preliminary and Intermediate decreased slightly, starters at Advanced increased. Net entries in FEI events was about equal to last year, with some shift towards more competitors in the short-format divisions and fewer in the long-formats.

#USEAConvention: USEA Convention Page, Schedule, Program, Live Stream, USEA’s Coverage, EN’s Coverage, EN’s Twitter, EN’s Instagram

Your Guide to the 2019 USEA Annual Meeting & Convention

By on Dec 12, 2019 2:18 pm -

One of the most legendary riders in American history, George Washington, will be in good company this week in Boston, with eventers from around the country descending upon the USEA Annual Meeting & Convention. Photo via public domain.

The 2019 USEA Annual Meeting & Convention is here! Eventers from all across the country are currently flocking to Boston, Massachusetts, for four days of seminars, meetings and open forums — all designed to help USEA members be more involved in governing the sport.

The action kicks off today with committee meetings and the first of the educational sessions on the jam-packed schedule. Curious as to who is speaking? You can read bios on all the speakers in the USEA Convention program.

Many of the meetings and sessions at the USEA Convention will be streamed live. The Open Stream (🐴) will show content that is free and available for all to watch, while the Member Stream (🦄 ) is only available to USEA members who have joined or renewed their membership for the 2020 season.

A few highlights:
🐴 = open livestream
🦄 = member livestream
🐨 = EN don’t-miss pick (apologies for the lack of chinchilla emoji, we’re just working with what we’ve got here)

In addition to the following, there are a number of closed meetings, eventing movie and vintage film showings, social gatherings, don’t-forget-the-trade-fair and more. Click here to view the complete schedule.

THURSDAY, DEC. 12

Legendary eventing supergroom < incoming USEA president Max Corcoran has stated that she wants the health, happiness and well-being of the horses to lead the USEA’s agenda on her watch, and she’s putting her money where her mouth is at the Convention. Thursday kicks off with a four-part horsemanship series from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. moderated by Max herself. The USEA Board of Governors Meeting follows from 2 to 5 p.m. The day caps off with a Board of Governors Welcome Reception from 6 to 8:30 p.m.

9 – 10 a.m. EST – Horsemanship Series I: Helping Improve the Eventing Athlete (Max Corcoran and Mark Revenaugh, DVM) 🦄 🐨
10 – 11 a.m. EST – Horsemanship Series II: Practical Advice to Optimize Horse Training (Max Corcoran and Tim Worden, PhD) 🦄 🐨
11 a.m. – 12 p.m. EST – Horsemanship Series III:  Effects of Shoe Modifications on Sport Horses (Max Corcoran and Steve Teichman) 🦄 🐨
12 – 1 p.m. EST – Horsemanship Series IV: Round Table Discussion (Mark Revenaugh, DVM, Tim Worden, PhD, and Steve Teichman) 🦄 🐨
12- 1 p.m. EST – Training: Become a Cross-Country Controller 🐴
1- 2 p.m. EST – Having and Instilling Rider Responsibility (Lesley Grant-Law, Leslie Law and Shannon Lilley) 🐴
2:00 – 5 p.m. EST – USEA Board of Governors Meeting 🦄 🐨
2:30 – 3:30 p.m. EST – Train Your Brain for a Confident Ride (Andrea Waldo) 🐴
5 – 6 p.m. EST – Intercollegiate Open Forum (our girl Leslie Threlkeld!) 🐴
5 – 6 p.m. EST – Membership and Affiliate Open Forum (Dawn Robbins, Janet Gunn, Liz Hoskinson, and Rob Burk) 🦄🐨

FRIDAY, DEC. 13

Friday is a smorgasbord of fascinating sessions, and you may need to clone yourself to catch them all. The ERA of NA Annual Meeting takes place from 6 to 7 a.m.

8 – 9 a.m. EST – Problem Solving: Reason, Response, Recommendation, & Resolution for Officials (Cindy Deporter, JM Durr, Loris Henry, Marilyn Payne, Tim Murray, and Gretchen Butts) 🦄🐨
9- 10 a.m. EST – Volunteer Incentive Program Open Forum (Bonnie Kibbie) 🐴
9 – 10 a.m. EST – Preceptor Training (Cindy Deporter, JM Durr, Tim Murray, and Wayne Quarles) 🦄
10- 11 a.m. EST – Classic Three-Day Open Forum (Gretchen Butts) 🐴🐨
10 – 11 a.m. EST – The New FEI Dressage Tests Demystified (Marilyn Payne) 🦄🐨
11 a.m. – 12 p.m. EST – Adequan I.M.: Understanding the Facts (Allyn Mann) 🐴
12 – 1 p.m. EST – Future Event Horse Open Forum (Robin Walker) 🐴
12 – 1 p.m. EST – Pan American Games Review (Erik Duvander, Boyd Martin, Doug Payne, Lynn Symansky, and Tamie Smith) 🦄🐨
1 – 2 p.m. EST – Cultivating the Whole Equestrian (Emily Hamel and Tyler Held) 🐴
1 – 2 p.m. EST – ERQI Reports for Officials Explained (Diarm Byrne, Janis Linnan, Carol Kozlowski, and Rob Burk) 🦄🐨
2 – 3:30 p.m. EST – Calendar Planning & Organizers Open Forum (Debra Delacruz and Jonathan Elliott) 🐴🐨
3 – 4 p.m. EST – Why Aren’t U.S. Event Horse Careers Lasting Longer? (Dr. Susan Johns, Matt Brown, Max Corcoran, Erik Duvander, and Sam Watson) 🦄🐨
3:30 – 4 p.m. EST – Maryland Five-Star at Fair Hill Update (Jeff Newman) 🐴🐨
4 – 5 p.m. EST – Rider Biomechanics (Hannah Diebold) 🐴
4 – 5 p.m. EST – Course Designer/Builder Open Forum (Morgan Rowsell) 🦄
5 – 6 p.m. EST – Tips for Designing Cross-Country Schooling Fences at Home (Morgan Rowsell) 🐴
5 – 6 p.m. EST – PHC Open Forum (Matt Brown) 🦄🐨

SATURDAY, DEC. 14

The keynote address is always a highlight of the USEA Convention, and the 2019 edition offers a dynamic variation on the theme: Honoring the USEA’s 60th anniversary, this year’s keynote address will be a unique presentation led by moderator Jim Wolf and featuring a panel representing the past (Jimmy Wofford), present (Max Corcoran), and future (Woodge Fulton). Later on, it’s party time! The Awards Cocktail Reception takes place from 4:30 – 5:30 p.m., followed by the 60th Anniversary Dinner and Awards Celebration in the evening.

8 – 9 a.m. EST – Safety Committee Open Forum (Jon Holling, Dr. Jennifer Miller, Mary Coldren, and Sarah Broussard) 🦄 🐨
9 – 10 a.m. EST – Feeding Strategies & Nutrition for the Sport Horse (Jaclyn Gagnon) 🐴
10 – 11 a.m. EST – Sports Massage for the Performance Horse (Jo-Ann Wilson) 🦄
10 – 11 a.m. EST – ICP Open Forum (Phyllis Dawson, David O’Connor, Jim Graham, and Robin Walker) 🐴
12 – 2 p.m. EST – USEA Annual Meeting of Members and Keynote Presentation 🦄🐨
2 – 3 p.m. EST – Young Riders Open Forum (Bec Braitling) 🐴
2 – 3 p.m. EST – Riders: Build Your Brand and Earn Sponsorships (Frankie Thieriot Stutes) 🦄
3 – 4 p.m. EST – Amateur & Adult Rider Open Forum (Dawn Robbins, Lou Leslie, and Frankie Thieriot Stutes) 🐴🐨
3 – 4 p.m. EST – Where is the Sport Headed with Frangible Cross-Country Fences (Morgan Rowsell, Dan Michaels, Jon Holling, and Tremaine Cooper) 🦄🐨

SUNDAY

The main goal of Sunday, I think, is to recover from Saturday night. But there are still a few things going on, including a Board of Governors meeting from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.

Click here to access the live stream. You can view the full live stream schedule here.

Keep it locked on EN for everything you need to know from Boston. Go Eventing.

#USEAConvention: USEA Convention Page, Schedule, Program, Live Stream, USEA’s Coverage, EN’s Coverage, EN’s Twitter, EN’s Instagram