United States Eventing Association

The Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event is just over a week away, and a slew of USEA Young Event Horse (YEH) Program Graduates are slated to make the trip to the Bluegrass State to compete in what is looking like an epic weekend of sport. Between the Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event CCI5*-L and the Cosequin Lexington CCI4*-S divisions, a total of 24 former YEH participants are set to go down centerline in the Rolex Arena next week. With the Paris Olympics quickly approaching, and the event serving as one of the final selection trials for team spots, the entry lists for both divisions are full of star-studded combinations setting their sights on big goals in 2024.

Bec Braitling was 23 when she tackled her first four-star, now five-star, level competition at Adelaide in East Park Lands, Australia.

Veterans and young riders shined at the Twin Rivers Spring International in Paso Robles, California, during the event from April 11-14. The weekend's competition featured the largest field for the international levels of eventing in the history of Twin Rivers with a total of 70 FEI level entries.

To chip or not to chip? That won’t exactly be the question anymore as of Dec. 1, 2025. In order to help prepare USEA members for this upcoming rule change, which was approved in December of 2023 by the United States Equestrian Federation (USEF), we have dedicated this edition of Rule Refresher to the topic of microchips.

Kelly O’Brien has her eye on a prize. “Pretty much the rest of this season will be targeted towards getting fired up for the AEC,” says O’Brien, 54. She and B E Never Say Never, a 19-year-old Dutch Warmblood, have qualified for the 2024 USEA American Eventing Championships (AEC) presented by Nutrena Feeds already, thanks to decisively winning all three of their 2024 outings thus far.

When aiming to compete in a United States Eventing Association (USEA) recognized competition (national competition or international competition), licensed or endorsed by the United States Equestrian Federation (USEF), understanding and fulfilling the specific requirements for entry forms and liability waivers is crucial.

The United States Eventing Association, Inc. (USEA) is gearing up for another exciting year of Classic Series competition, which means it is the perfect time to review the qualification requirements for participation in these nostalgic events. In 2023, the Classic Three-Day Event Task Force successfully updated the qualification requirements for competing in all levels of the Classic Series to allow more members to experience the thrill of the chase. Keep reading if you are interested in entering one of seven Classic Three-Days offered across the country this year!

In this week's episode, Russell chats with New Zealand riders Matthew Grayling and Monica Spencer, both of whom have spent the start of the year competing in the U.S. in preparations for Kentucky. Hear all about how Grayling balances a dairy operation and his eventing goals at the age of 60, why Spencer is now calling the U.S. her home base, and so much more in our Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event preview episode!

The 2024 USEA Intercollegiate and Interscholastic Eventing Championships are fast approaching, and time is running out for program members to secure their spot at this epic event. For the first time, the Intercollegiate and inaugural IEL Championships will be hosted on the same weekend at the Stable View Local Charities H.T. in Aiken, South Carolina, on May 4-5, and the organizers are pulling out every stop to make this an unforgettable experience for all involved! The event has a maximum capacity of 400 entries, so don’t wait to add your name to the list of confirmed competitors.

Alyssa Phillips (USA) of Fort Worth, Texas, won the Galati Yacht Sales CCI4*-S at The Event at TerraNova, presented by B&D Builders, at TerraNova Equestrian Center on Saturday aboard Oskar (Coriando x Nicole), a 15-year-old Holsteiner gelding. She also won the Open Preliminary division with Keep Calm (Biscayo x Beauty), a 9-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding, and placed third in The Estates at TerraNova CCI3*-S with Cornelius Bo (Concours Complet x Charlotte), a 10-year-old Hanoverian gelding. Phillips owns all three horses.