United States Eventing Association

On Friday, December 5, there will be an all-day, hands-on course building seminar at Gold Chip Stables in Bartonville, Texas. This seminar is part of the USEA Annual Meeting and Convention, and the Event College educational series.

James Atkinson of Copper Meadows Eventing is an accomplished rider, trainer, course designer and a valued member of the eventing community. In addition to being a 3-time Canadian Equestrian Team member and an accomplished trainer and instructor, he has credentials as a National “S” cross-country course designer, an FEI 1* and 2* cross-country course designer, and over 15 years of experience as a course builder. He has also served as an event organizer for competitions through the 3* level, and has been on the USEA Board of Governors for two years. James has made countless contributions to the sport of eventing over his long and distinguished career.

Dan Stark has been a course builder since 1985, when he helped build the courses at Rolex Kentucky. Since then, he has built courses all over the country, including North Georgia, Foxhall, Poplar Place, Chattahoochee Hills, Virginia Horse Center, Maui Jim, Millbrook (N.Y), Inavale (Oregon), Texas Rose, and the 2007-2010 USEA American Eventing Championships. Dan is co-chair of the USEA Designers and Builders Committee and a member of the Safety Committee. He is the 2005 recipient of the USEA’s “Golden Posthole Digger” award and is the author of the Frangible Pin Handbook.

Tremaine Cooper grew up on a farm in Bethany, Connecticut, and started riding when he was five years old. He is a graduate 'A' Pony Clubber and started eventing in 1984. Tremaine has ridden through the CCI3* level, and is currently competing at Intermediate. At an early age, Tremaine started helping out with the cross-country courses at the Pony Club rallies at his parents farm. At the end of high school and through college he started building seriously and ended up constructing courses throughout the US as well as in NZ and the UK. Tremaine has since then focussed more on design, earning his FEI 'I' license more than ten years ago. He now designs at some of the premier equestrian sites around the country, including Morven Park, Millbrook, The Fork, Aspen Farms, Poplar Place and many others. Tremaine is also one of the national USEF Course Advisors, is involved in the educational design seminars for both the USEF and the FEI, is co-chairman of the building/design committee, and sits on the board of governors. He currently lives in Bluemont, Virginia with his family.

For a schedule of events at the USEA Annual Meeting, go here.