United States Eventing Association

2018 USEA Convention Track Preview: Eventers

The 2018 USEA Annual Meeting & Convention featuring the USEA's Eventing Hall of Fame at the Sheraton New Orleans in New Orleans, Louisiana, December 6-9, is less than two months away, and we could not be more excited about all the different topics and speakers that are lined up to present.

This year's convention will focus on officials, but our schedule is split up into three different tracks: “Eventers,” Events,” and “USEA”. Each track will feature a variety of presentations and forums focused around a common theme to educate and engage members.

The "Eventers" track features presentations and open forums on topics ranging from conditioning and first aid certification to volunteers and amateur riders. Read on to learn more abou the different sessions in the "Eventers" track!

Professional Horseman’s Council Open Forum
Thursday, December 6, 3:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Moderator: Matt Brown

The Professional Horseman’s Council is comprised of active members of the USEA who are professionals in all aspects of the sport. The Council’s purpose is to facilitate communications between professionals and the eventing community, including governing bodies, officials, organizers, and competitors to facilitate further development, growth, and safety of the sport. The open forum gives PHC members and all professionals a chance to discuss important topics.

Competition Level vs. Required Skill, Part 1
Thursday, December 6, 4:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Speaker: Dan Michaels

Ask any two USEA members to discuss competitors' and horses' skills required at each level of competition and you will likely receive two widely disparate answers. The lack of agreement often leads to passionate arguments, unprepared competitors at competitions, and horses meeting course questions with confusion. In these two workshops, invested membership will work to develop a matrix of competition level versus competitor skills. Entries within the matrix delineate the level of mastery required for a skill at each competition level and point to descriptive documentation (including videos). In the first workshop we will pose the problem and articulate a matrix solution. Interested workshop participants will be tasked to think about the matrix and associated documentation, develop contributive ideas, and return to the second session to further develop the matrix. At the second session we hope to identify a cadre of USEA members willing to work the matrix into a completed form in order to present this documentation at the 2019 USEA Convention in Boston.

Tai Chi for Riders
Friday, December 7, 8:00 a.m. – 9:00 a.m.
Speaker: Matt Brown

Wake up after sitting through long convention meetings and improve your balance, timing and strength. Come learn from four-star eventer Matt Brown how to stay with your horse over those big drops, how to sit that extended trot, and how to control your horse without tension. This class will help you to increase your balance and partnership skills by using techniques from the ancient Chinese art of Tai Chi Chuan. The strength gained through this type of martial arts training can often be very useful to riders due to the increased flexibility, body awareness and posture that goes along with the training. Come have fun working out your convention kinks and improve your riding while not in the saddle.

Volunteer Committee Open Forum
Friday, December 7, 9:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.
Speakers: Irene Doo

The USEA Volunteer Committee will give updates on their work from 2018, including EventingVolunteers.com progress updates and usage statistics, volunteer educational video projects, volunteer rewards programs, and organizer practices/care of volunteers. Commentary, feedback and suggestions for the committee’s focus in 2019 will be welcomed.

The Science of Conditioning and Recovery
Friday, December 7, 10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.
Speaker: Max Corcoran

Speaker Max Corcoran is a self-professed “geek” when it comes to the science behind conditioning and recovery of athletes. In this seminar, Max will bring together the science of human conditioning and recovery to draw parallels with equine. She will infuse the talk with her expertise as an Olympic groom and first-hand experience to provide an interesting and interactive discussion.

USEF High Performance Athletes Open Forum
Friday, December 7, 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Moderator: Erik Duvander

This is a general meeting covering information on the program structure and administrative USEF ideas.

FEH Open Forum
Friday, December 7, 2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Moderator: Robin Walker

USEA Future Event Horse Committee Co-Chair Robin Walker will moderate this open forum that will discuss modifications to the FEH program for the upcoming year.

Membership Development Open Forum
Friday, December 7, 2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Moderators: Dawn Robbins, Janet Gunn, and Liz Hoskinson

By looking ahead down the road, tracking trends, and by listening to the concerns and ideas of the USEA membership, the Membership Development Committee endeavors to keep the eventing experience responsive and satisfying for our current membership and attractive and exciting for potential new members. Please join us at the Membership Development Open Forum where concerns and solutions can be aired.

Tik-tac-TOLD
Friday, December 7, 3:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Speaker: Tik Maynard

More information coming soon!

USADA Education for Athletes
Friday, December 7, 3:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.

While many in the sport of eventing are accustomed to the equine anti-doping measures in place, they are often less familiar with the anti-doping rules and policies for our human athletes. The U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) is the national anti-doping organization (NADO) in the United States for Olympic, Paralympic, Pan American, and Parapan American sport. The organization is charged with managing the anti-doping program, including in-competition and out-of-competition testing, results management processes, drug reference resources, and athlete education for all United States Olympic Committee (USOC) recognized sport national governing bodies, their athletes, and events. This session will focus on information that is pertinent for U.S. eventing athletes.

YEH Through the Riders’ Eyes
Friday, December 7, 4:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.

More information coming soon!

First Aid, CPR, and AED Skills Check
Friday, December 7, 5:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Speakers: Rusty Lowe

This session will serve as a skills check for the completion of the American Heart Association First Aid CPR and AED course. For certification, the student will complete the online teaching of the course prior to the Convention. Click here to register for the online portion. At the Convention, the student will attend this session to be checked off on the practical skills portion of the course. If someone has a conflict with this session, they may schedule a time to meet to complete the process. Certification cards will be e-mailed to the student within 24 hours of completion.

ERAofNA Annual Meeting
Friday, December 7, 6:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.
Moderators: Helen Murray

Jump in and engage with the Eventing Riders Association of North America. Join ERA of NA members for the Annual Meeting to learn more about the organization and initiatives to improve the overall safety, welfare, visibility, and growth of the sport.

ERAofNA Year End Awards
Friday, December 7, 7:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.

Following the ERA of NA Annual Meeting, stay for the ERA of NA Year End Awards as we celebrate outstanding individuals that have had a major impact on the sport of eventing in North America.

Equestrian Fitness & Focus
Saturday, December 8, 8:00 a.m. – 9:00 a.m.
Speaker: Daniel Stewart

Use sports psychology and cross training to prepare your brain and body for success! Treat and train yourself like an athlete by learning a series of rider-specific fitness exercises that’ll improve your strength, stamina, and suppleness using everything from medicine and stability balls, to agility ladders and speed ropes.

How New Safety Technology is Going to Reduce Injuries
Saturday, December 8, 9:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.
Speaker: Roy Burek

With the focus on head injuries on all sports globally, we are seeing a raft of new technologies claiming huge benefits. Which ones are most beneficial to equestrians and should you replace your helmet next year?

ICP Open Forum
Saturday, December 8, 9:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.
Speakers: Robin Walker, Brian Sabo, Phyllis Dawson, and Mary D'Arcy

Moderators Robin Walker, Phyllis Dawson, Brian Sabo, and Mary D'Arcy will discuss the importance of the Instructors’ Certification Program and to event instructors and competitors and will focus on the ways events are upping their standards – for both dressage, cross-country, and show jumping. As examples, horses at all of eventing's dressage levels must be on the contact, in front of the seat/leg, and equally supple going left and going right. Horses must be maneuverable and nimble to improve the likelihood of show jumping clean and within the time. On cross-country, horses must manifest the balance, pace, impulsion, and obedience to the requisite aids to successfully answer fence-related questions. ICP assists instructors, riders, and horses in achieving these kinds of refinements. We invite you to join us and share your thoughts.

USEF Eventing Sport Committee
Saturday, December 8, 10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.
Moderator: Mike Huber

This is a general committee meeting and will cover administrative duties and rule change discussion.

Rule Change Open Forum
Saturday, December 8, 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Moderator: Malcolm Hook

Learn about the rule changes that will go into effect in 2019. Discuss the latest rule change proposals and have your opinions heard.

World Equestrian Games U.S. Team Review
Saturday, December 8, 2:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.

Members of the U.S. World Equestrian Games Eventing squad and leadership will be on hand to recount the highs and lows of the 2018 World Equestrian Games held at the Tryon International Equestrian Center. They will also share their thoughts on the future of our international program. Additional invited participants on the panel may include USEA members that competed at the Games as well as other guests.

1981: The Last Time a Rider of the Year was Female
Saturday, December 8, 3:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Moderators: Karen O’Connor, Jonathan Holling, Nina Gardner, and Lynn Symansky

In 1981, the USEA/USCTA Rider of the Year Award was won by the late Karen Stives. However, over the past 37 years, the prize has been awarded to only five different riders, all of whom were male. Given the prevalence of female eventers, this panel will tackle a discussion on why the award has alluded female riders for the past several decades. Relevant data will be provided to supplement this challenging discussion.

Amateur and Adult Rider Open Forum
Saturday, December 8, 4:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.
Moderator: Dawn Robbins

Adult Rider Committee Co-Chair Dawn Robbins will host the Amateur & Adult Rider Open Forum. This open forum will focus on amateur issues. Adult Rider coordinators will be discussing their current activities and ideas for improving the sport for the adult rider and the amateur. Speakers will touch on amateur issues, including topics such as having more amateur divisions, cross-country courses and difficulty, getting new amateurs into the sport, the definition of amateur, and keeping down the costs of eventing. Then we will open the floor to discussion. Please attend and bring your questions, concerns, and solutions. We want to hear from you!

The Future of Data Science in Eventing
Sunday, December 9, 8:00 a.m. – 9:00 a.m.

This presentation will review the use of data to guide decisions in eventing, with a particular focus on risk management and how the USEA uses the ERQI system. We will also look at how data is being used around the world to improve fan engagement, high performance, and the next steps for EquiRatings with predictive analysis.

Tai Chi for Riders
Sunday, December 9, 9:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.
Speaker: Matt Brown

Wake up after sitting through long convention meetings and improve your balance, timing and strength. Come learn from four-star eventer Matt Brown how to stay with your horse over those big drops, how to sit that extended trot, and how to control your horse without tension. This class will help you to increase your balance and partnership skills by using techniques from the ancient Chinese art of Tai Chi Chuan. The strength gained through this type of martial arts training can often be very useful to riders due to the increased flexibility, body awareness and posture that goes along with the training. Come have fun working out your convention kinks and improve your riding while not in the saddle.

YEH Judges Training
Sunday, December 9, 9:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.
Speaker: Marilyn Payne

More information coming soon!

Competition Level vs. Required Skill, Part 2
Sunday, December 9, 10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.
Speaker: Dan Michaels

Ask any two USEA members to discuss competitors' and horses' skills required at each level of competition and you will likely receive two widely disparate answers. The lack of agreement often leads to passionate arguments, unprepared competitors at competitions, and horses meeting course questions with confusion. In these two workshops, invested membership will work to develop a matrix of competition level versus competitor skills. Entries within the matrix delineate the level of mastery required for a skill at each competition level and point to descriptive documentation (including videos). In the first workshop we will pose the problem and articulate a matrix solution. Interested workshop participants will be tasked to think about the matrix and associated documentation, develop contributive ideas, and return to the second session to further develop the matrix. At the second session we hope to identify a cadre of USEA members willing to work the matrix into a completed form in order to present this documentation at the 2019 USEA Convention in Boston.

The full Convention schedule including sessions for all tracks can be viewed on the USEA Convention App. Click here to download the app for iOS and click here to download for Android. Once you’ve downloaded the Meeting Applications for Events app, search for “USEA Convention” or scan the QR code.

Registration for the 2018 USEA Annual Meeting & Convention is now open and members may register through their Online Services account.

To reserve your room at the Sheraton New Orleans Hotel, call (888) 627-7033 or book here to receive the special USEA rate. Rooms are filling fast, so make sure to book today!

About the USEA Annual Meeting & Convention
The USEA Annual Meeting & Convention takes place each December and brings together a large group of dedicated USEA members and supporters to discuss, learn, and enjoy being surrounded by other eventing enthusiasts. The USEA organizes multiple seminars in addition to committee meetings, open forums, and tons of fun! The 2018 Annual Meeting & Convention will take place at the Sheraton New Orleans Hotel in New Orleans, Louisiana on December 6-9, 2018. Visit the 2018 USEA Annual Meeting & Convention page to stay up to date on news, announcements, and details.

The USEA would like to thank Adequan, Devoucoux, Nutrena, Charles Owen, Standlee Hay, Merck Animal Health, SmartPak, Mountain Horse, Parker Equine Insurance, Rebecca Farm, Auburn Laboratories, Stackhouse & Ellis Saddles, Bit of Britain, World Equestrian Brands, Gallops Saddlery, Revitavet, CWD, and H.E. Tex Sutton Forwarding Company for sponsoring the USEA Annual Meeting & Convention.