United States Eventing Association

In just a few short weeks, the first events of 2021 will take place in sunny Florida on the East Coast and in California on the West Coast. For those lucky riders headed south to escape the snow, it's time to send in those entries, practice those dressage tests, and polish that tack in preparation for the start of the season. For the rest of us sticking out the winter up north, there's still time for some more winter gridwork before the season starts.

The Rules Open Forum, typically one of the most popular sessions at the USEA Convention, is led by Malcolm Hook, Chair of the USEF Eventing Rules Working Group and a member of the USEA Competitions, Calendar, and Rules Committee. The Rules Open Forum will discuss changes to the USEF Rules for Eventing for the upcoming competition season. Attendees will have the opportunity to hear which changes are coming and why they are in place.

As a rider, coach, and designer, I think trusting your gut instinct is a key element to success! Do not be afraid to ask questions. Talk to your trainer, to the officials, and those around you. If you are unsure of the best approach for a line, or a particular obstacle continues to stand out in your mind, talk it through with someone until you become clear on your plan.

US Equestrian (USEF) has released the updated USEF Rules for Eventing for the 2021 season which will go into effect on December 1, 2020. Changes this year include relaxed dress requirements, riders will no longer be required to wear a medical armband (unless they have a relevant medical condition), activating a frangible device will now carry a penalty of 11 points, and this coming year we will see the addition of the new Modified Three-Day Event!

If you've been following our Rule Refresher series, you've seen the article on the dressage test and scoring for the dressage phase. But wouldn't it be nice if we collected all the rules you need to know for the dressage phase, including dress and equipment rules, all in one spot? We thought so too!

It was very exciting to see horse trials running again! There was, however, some confusion due to the new USEF COVID-19 Action Plan, so here are some points of clarification.

There are seven distinct levels of competition offered in USEA recognized competition starting with the lowest, Beginner Novice, and ranging all the way up to the most difficult, Advanced. The Modified level, between the Training and Preliminary levels, is the newest level, introduced in 2017 to bridge the gap between the upper and lower levels.

Nicole Brown is joined this week on the USEA Podcast by Marilyn Payne, who was the President of the Ground Jury at the 2016 Olympics, is a member of the FEI Eventing Committee, and has officiated at major championships all over the world, and Irish five-star eventer Sam Watson, who has represented Ireland at three FEI World Equestrian Games, to discuss ways you can improve your performance in the dressage ring.

After the rules for the jumping test, show jumping penalties, and show jumping timing and faults, there is a summary of the different ways to be eliminated in the show jumping phase in rule EV 154 Eliminations.

Learn the dressage wrong test? Here is the established protocol. What happens if you start your dressage test and it is the wrong test? Current USEF eventing dressage test ‘A’s track left and test ‘B’s track right, so the judge knows within the first movement that you probably learned the wrong test.