How do officials handle difficult situations?  What are strategies that competitors and officials can use to be on the same page? The seminar will be interactive and include role playing.

Ever considered a syndicate but did not know where to start? Yvonne C. Ocrant, a fellow eventer and equine law attorney, understands that syndication agreements, like horses, come in all shapes and sizes. Yvonne has organized over 400 syndicates over the last 10 years and can introduce you to the concept and get you going on your way to organizing your own syndicate. Whether you are a rider, horse owner, or simply a generous supporter wanting to get involved, Yvonne will provide a detailed understanding of her syndicate program and walk you through how to get started. Yvonne will provide a checklist of terms for any syndication agreement and help you answer each one for your specific syndicate. Do not miss this opportunity to learn everything you wanted to know about syndication but were afraid to ask. As a Convention attendee, Yvonne will provide you with a free initial consultation and provide your syndication services at a reduced Convention Special flat fee rate you will not find anywhere else from such an experienced attorney in the equine industry.

The American Horse Trials Foundation is a non-profit corporation established to assist Three Day Event Riders and Organizers in raising tax deductible financial support for national and international competition. The American Horse Trials Foundation has been granted tax exempt status under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. All contributions are deductible to the maximum extent allowed by law.

Since its inception in 1987 the AHTF has distributed over $21,000,000 directly to equestrian athletes and competition organizers for competitive activities. If you would like to assist equestrian athletes or are a rider or organizer needing financial support, you’re invited to attend the Foundation’s meeting at the annual USEA Convention. Perhaps we can fund your dream, too.

When it comes to feeding horses, everything starts with forage. Horses are designed to graze throughout the day, so good-quality hay and pasture help keep them comfortable, healthy, and ready to perform their best. That’s why understanding what’s in your hay matters. Beyond the Bale: Why Hay Testing Is Vital to Equine Nutrition.

Yvonne is a trial lawyer, transactions attorney, and certified mediator who practices in the areas of equine law, employment law, and commercial litigation. Yvonne’s equine law experience includes handling litigation and transactions involving the Equine Activity Liability Act and various other state and federal laws affecting equine industry activities. She assists individual horse owners, trainers, breeders, facilities, veterinarians, and others in the equine industry litigate and resolve claims for personal injury, property damage, and other losses caused by allegations of negligence, breach of contract, fraud, misrepresentation, and other legal issues. She also drafts contracts for horse purchases, sales, and leases, assists with negotiating and drafting employment and independent contractor agreements for equine industry workers, and creates equine liability releases for horse owners, trainers, breeders, facilities, veterinarians, transporters and other individuals and entities sponsoring or participating in equine activities. She also has extensive experience developing multi-owner syndicates for horses in numerous disciplines, including eventing, dressage, and jumpers, as well as creating stallion and mare breeding syndicates. The syndicates completed to date range from several owners to multiple owners, range in value from $5,000 to $850,000 in value, and vary from very young horses beginning their training to mature horses competing at the highest levels of their sport.  Yvonne speaks extensively on the topic of equine law to national and local organizations and competes in Eventing for Area III.

The USEA is proud to bring together Interscholastic Eventing League (IEL) and the Intercollegiate Eventing Program into a collaborative pathway designed to connect, inspire, and grow the next generation of eventers. With thriving participation nationwide, this initiative creates opportunities for riders of all levels to learn, compete, and build lasting friendships within a supportive community.

Bring all your course designing and building questions to the Course Designers/Builders Open Forum to have them answered by the top professionals currently designing and building courses. This forum will focus on the latest building techniques, cross country guidelines, and anchoring jumps.

Come and be part of an interactive, round table extravaganza!

Whether you are a coach, a rider, a horse owner, Eventing professional, parent, or sport supporter in any way – you are invited to participate, or audit, or both.

The theme of the exercise is developing the “eye” of the coach; to recognize where the horse and rider are in their training journey, what underlying weaknesses might be limiting their progression, and prioritizing the next steps in correct increments to best support the rider’s goals.

We have allotted some extra time in anticipation of a diverse exchange of ideas. Participants will break into working groups to evaluate some video of riders and horses at competition, come up with their top observations and ideas, and then we will compare with the other groups.

If you have been to our ECP symposium over the past couple of years, then you will be familiar with the concept. If not – then this is your chance to get a taste of what all the buzz is about!

What does eventing have to do with equality in our nation and the world? Join the co-chairs of the USEA Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee and the co-founders of Strides for Equality Equestrians (SEE) to find out. We will explain how Equestrians of Color are a vital part of our sport and how others can be their allies.

This year, as in years past, Malcolm will moderate the Rules Change Forum, during which time he will attempt to clarify the new rules.