United States Eventing Association

2018 USEA Convention Track Preview: Events

The countdown to 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 continues this week with a preview of the second of the three tracks that will be offered at this year’s convention.

Last week we previewed the different topics that will be discussed in the “Eventers” track, and this week we’re going to give you a taste of what’s to come in the “Events” track. The “Events” track will cater to event officials, organizers, and volunteers – essentially, anyone who works at or attends events! Speakers will be presenting on numerous different topics pertaining to events, including volunteers, training for officials, and more. Read on to learn more about the different presentations:

Intercollegiate Open Forum
Thursday, December 6, 5:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Moderator: Leslie Threlkeld

Intercollegiate Eventing is thriving and the USEA is continuing steady progress to grow the program across the country and bring students together. Come learn about recent developments, committee projects, and the future of the USEA Intercollegiate Eventing Program.

Problem Solving: Reason, Response, Recommendation, and Resolutions for Officials
Friday, December 7, 8:00 a.m. – 9:00 a.m.
Speakers: Loris Henry, Wayne Quarles, Cindy DePorter, Gretchen Butts

Officials have to deal with many types of situations on the field of play and during a competition. As we all know, there are many types of personalities that are involved in events as there are in all walks of life. This seminar is designed to provide officials with strategies in dealing with these types of personalities. Our customers in eventing are varied from the parents that know little to nothing about horses or the sport, to the confirmed rider that makes their living riding, competing, and coaching, to the harried organizer who is dealing with anything from a water break, to ice on the pond, to 10 inches of rain the night before. This session will be interactive with real life scenarios.

Preceptor Training
Friday, December 7, 9:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.
Speakers: Wayne Quarles, Cindy DePorter, and Marilyn Payne

Are you a preceptor? Do you want to be a preceptor? This class is for you. This session is designed to review the expectations of being a preceptor for people who want to be an official or helping people who want to be upgraded for their licenses. This seminar will discuss the evaluations and how to complete them. There will be discussion about evaluating potential candidates and helping candidates move forward for upgrade of their license. The seminar will help provide tips on developing our prospective officials and new officials.

Step-by-Step: How to Become an Official
Friday, December 7, 10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.
Speakers: John Michael Durr, Loris Henry, Wayne Quarles, Sally Ike, Alina Brazzil, Marilyn Payne

So you want to be a licensed official? What does it mean? What are the expectations? What are the requirements? What type of education and continuing education is required? Once you become a licensed official, what does that mean? What does a technical delegate do? What does a judge do? What does a course designer do? This session will help answer all of these questions and more!

Classic Three-Day Open Forum
Friday, December 7, 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Moderator: Gretchen Butts

Come to the Classic Three-Day Open Forum, hosted by Waredaca’s Event Organizer and Chair of the USEA Classic Three-Day Task Force, Gretchen Butts, to hear why this popular ‘educational’ competition is so successful and find out why a classic three-day should be on your 2019 event schedule!

2020 Eventing Calendar Planning
Friday, December 8, 2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Speaker: Debra Delacruz

Have you ever wondered how the eventing calendar is constructed each year? If so, you won’t want to miss the Event Calendar Planning Workshop! We will be looking at the first run of the 2020 competition calendar. All are welcome to sit in on this dynamic planning session.

Organizers Open Forum
Friday, December 7, 3:00 p.m. – 4:00 pm.
Moderator: Jonathan Elliott

Jonathan Elliott of Aspen Farms Horse Trials in Yelm, Washington and the Chair of the USEA Organizers Committee will host the Organizers Open Forum to inform and discuss all issues big and small facing organizers.

Cross-Country Design for the Future
Friday, December 7, 4:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Speakers: James Atkinson, John Michael Durr, Captain Mark Phillips, Morgan Rowsell

Join this impressive panel who will discuss the future of cross-country course design, frangible technology, and risk management.

Course Designers/Builders Open Forum
Friday, December 7, 5:00 pm. – 6:00 p.m.
Speakers: Derek di Grazia and Morgan Rowsell

Bring all of 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 recent developments in frangible technology as well as other key factors relating to the design and building of cross-country courses. Discussion will be led by co-chairs of the Course Designers/Builders Committee, Derek di Grazia and Morgan Rowsell.

Eventing Affiliates Open Forum
Friday, December 7, 6:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.
Moderator: Janet Gunn

The USEA Affiliates (Combined Training Associations, Eventing Associations, etc.) are the grass roots of eventing – it is where we find the people who are just starting eventing and who compete at the unrecognized level, as well riders who have been competing at USEA recognized events for decades. Come to the Eventing Affiliates Open Forum and share ideas about how to attract and retain members, provide fun and educational activities and safely introduce people to eventing. Also, share your ideas about how the USEA can provide useful benefits to the Affiliates.

Safety Committee Open Forum
Saturday, December 8, 8:00 a.m. – 9:00 a.m.
Moderators: Jonathan Holling, Sarah Broussard, Max Corcoran, Dr. Jennifer Miller

In 2017 the USEA Board of Governors officially reorganized the USEA Safety Committee by splitting it into three separate subcommittees; the Rider Safety Subcommittee, the Equine Safety and Welfare Subcommittee, and the Cross-Country Safety Subcommittee. The reorganization has allowed for the USEA to better utilize its volunteer leaders in safety, add new expertise to each of those areas of risk assessment, and to better focus its efforts on important safety topics. This open forum will consist of updates from each of the subcommittees as well as an open forum session allowing for convention attendees to ask questions.

American Horse Trials Foundation
Saturday, December 8, 9:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.
Speakers: Jodi Mort, Dave Emmons, Jim Graham, Cathy Weischhoff

The American Horse Trials Foundation is a non-profit corporation established to assist event riders and organizers in raising tax-deductible financial support for national and international competition. 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. Perhaps they can fund your dream, too!

Emergency Injury Management in Eventing: Science vs. Attitudes
Saturday, December 8, 10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.
Speaker: Kelly Daniels

The presentation is on the Medical Supervisor Model and utilizing the athletic trainer. It will review statistics on catastrophic injuries across sports with and without using athletic trainers, emergency action planning, benefits to reducing risk and liability issues, and other recommendations for medical care provided at events compiled by a team of athletic trainers. The target audience for this session is event organizers, Safety Committee members, technical delegates, riders, and their loved ones.

SafeSport Update
Saturday, December 8, 3:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Speaker: Sonja Keating

US Equestrian is committed to creating and maintaining an equestrian community free of all forms of emotional, physical and sexual misconduct. US Equestrian members and participants have a mandatory duty to report suspected sexual misconduct to the U.S. Center for SafeSport. Leaders of the United States Equestrian will provide valuable information about the SafeSport program during this open session.

Young Riders Open Forum
Saturday, December 8, 4:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.
Moderators: Diane Snow, Vicki Howard-Fine
The Young Riders Open Forum provides an opportunity for all Young Riders to share ideas, make suggestions, and learn what is happening nationally in the program.

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.