Grooms

USEA Grooms Program

Mission

The aim of this program is to drive educational opportunities for grooms, sustainability for groom careers, and promote equine management and welfare. The USEA Grooms Committee reports to the VP of Active Athletes.

2026 USEA Groom's Committee Educational Series

World Equestrian Center in Ocala, Florida | 6:30 p.m.

January 20 | Ask the Vets with Dr. Lisa Casinella & Dr. Shane Harley | Come and ask two of the best sports medicine vets in the business all of your questions and learn about preventative care.
January 27 | Show Jumping 101 with Chris Barnard | One of the most popular nights of the series! Learn how to walk, set, and understand the theory of show jumping courses.
February 3 | Karen O'Connor and Friends | Karen and guests will talk about their career, experiences, how they deals with pressure, running a business, and anything else!
February 10 | Hands On Sports Massage with JoAnne Wilson | Learn to apply JoAnne's proven technique on competition horses. We will address gait analysis, application of technique, and causes of performance problems. This session will be located at Lauren Nicholson eventing.
February 17 | Ask the Grooms | Olympic and World Championship grooms come together to tell you the tricks of the trade, best practices, and answer all of your questions about horse care and management.

Aiken Horse Park in Aiken, South Carolina | 6:30 p.m.
*Pre-registration required for the Aiken sessions. Sign up here*

January 13 | Equine Dental with Glenn Reed | The importance of equine dentistry in the performance, health, and longevity of the horse.
January 20 | Lauren Garett-Bond with Mid-Atlantic Saddlery | Saddle fitting, the relationship between performance, and a good fit.
January 27 | Dr. Nikki Sherrer, DVM with DAVCO | Associate Professor of Ophthalmology at the University of Pennsylvania’s New Bolton Center will discuss ocular abnormalities.
February 3 | Clinical EFT Practitioner Sarah Louise Lilley | Confidence isn’t just mindset, it’s safety in the nervous system.
February 10 | Pat Parelli, Co-Founder of Parelli Natural Horsemanship
February 17 | Amy Gibbs, Founder of Be Balanced Physical Therapy, PLLC | Performance enhancement and injury prevention for equestrians from a biomechanics view point.

Leadership:

The members of the USEA Grooms Committee proudly serve as ambassadors for horsemanship and grooming across the United States. They are eager to engage in conversations with anyone seeking guidance on entering the sport of eventing as a groom, or those in need of horsemanship or grooming tips and advice. Please feel free to reach out to them with any questions you may have, as they are more than willing to assist and support you on your journey.

Max Corcoran - Committee Chair, contact via email: [email protected]
Lauren Nicholson - USEA Board of Governors Representative for Grooms Committee, and VP of Active Athletes
Christina Curiale - Committee Member, contact via phone: 910-992-8181
Alyssa Dobrotin - Committee Member, contact via phone: 805-705-1782
Emma Ford – Committee Member, contact via phone: 508-376-4963
Cat Hill – Committee Member, contact via email: [email protected]
Claire Martelli - Committee Member, contact via phone: 301-514-2908
Katie Osbourne – Committee Member, contact via phone: 810-441-8246
Sally Robertson – Committee Member, contact via phone: 413-404-8744
Stephanie Simpson – Committee Member, contact via phone: 802-535-4763

Additional Support: