United States Eventing Association

Morgan Rowsell had just wrapped up organizing a successful Essex H.T. in Far Hills, New Jersey, on June 4, but as he turned his attention to his next show two weeks later, he was faced with challenges presented by the effects that wildfires from Canada are now having on equestrian sports in the Northeast. “The very next day, the smoke came in,” he said. “It looks like a warm, humid, hazy day, but it’s not humid, it’s not warm, it’s actually quite cool. There’s no air. There’s very little breeze. There’s a northeast wind coming out of Canada that is bringing all the Novia Scotia and Quebec smoke to us, and it smells like smoke.”

The United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) Eventing Watch List ("Watch List”) program has undergone a review and, as a result, the process has been updated. The Watch List is comprised of USEF and/or USEA members competing in the U.S. who have been identified as displaying potentially dangerous or unsafe riding during warm-up or any phase at a USEF Eventing Licensed Competition, received an FEI Eventing Recorded Warning or Yellow Card for Dangerous Riding at any FEI event, been penalized at a national competition for Dangerous Riding, or received a Yellow Warning card for Dangerous Riding at a national competition. The goal of the Watch List is to improve rider safety and provide licensed officials (Technical Delegates and Ground Jury) the opportunity to observe athletes at future events.

Daina Kaugars and her fiancé, James Kersey, have embraced the challenges of what goes into running a USEA-recognized horse trial on their farm in Fort Collins, Colorado. “I’ve always wanted to do it; that’s why we bought the farm [in 2017],” Kaugars. “We found this property and said, ‘Well, this one has the terrain to do it.’ So, we basically purpose-bought it to run a horse trial. Then, the boarding facility was my way of making it work.”

Members of the United States Eventing Association’s (USEA) Adult Rider Program are invited to a five-star experience at the Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event in 2023 by joining Derek di Grazia on a walk of the CCI5*-L cross-country course he’s designed. The USEA-hosted event will take place at 9 a.m. EST on Thursday, April 27.

The United States Eventing Association’s Area X of Arizona, Nevada, and New Mexico will kick off its 2023 calendar of USEA-recognized horse trials in March with the vision of growing the SAzEA Horse Trials and returning the Coconino Horse Trials to their profile as a destination event following the effects of COVID-19 and then wildfires in the area.

The United States Equestrian Federation is pleased to announce it is now accepting applications for 2023 licensed official development grants.

USEF members who meet the eligibility requirements and have an active licensed official application may apply, whether they are interested in obtaining their first USEF license or seeking a promotion in their respective breed or discipline.

Annemarie Cochrane is a USEF "r" eventing judge who resides in Elverson, Pennsylvania. She recently attended the 2022 USEA East Coast Continuing Education Clinic (CEC) & "R" and "S" Promotion Training Program hosted by Chattahoochee Hills in Fairburn, Georgia. Read her account of the two-day seminar below!

The key to eventing’s success lies heavily in the organizers who put on our events. The USEA is proud to recognize each year the organizers who have made contributions to the sport through their organizational efforts. For 2021, the USEA Organizers Appreciation Honor Roll of Names honors nearly 200 organizers for five to 25+ years of service. The Blue Ribbon is awarded to those organizers with five to nine years of service, the Bronze Medal recognizes organizers with 10-14 years of service, organizers who have contributed 15-19 years of service are awarded the Silver Medal, those with 20-24 years of service will receive the Gold Medal, and a select few with 25 years or more of service as organizers are bestowed the title of Platinum Medal organizers.

This year, the 2021 USEA Annual Meeting & Convention will host a full-day educational show jumping design clinic on Wednesday, December 8 in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Led by the well-known show jumping course designer, Chris Barnard, this seminar will be educational for any USEA member interested in learning more about the show jumping courses. Read below for more information.

Do you have dreams to become a licensed eventing judge, technical delegate, cross-country course designer, or eventing show jump course designer? One of the goals of the USEA Eventing Licensed Officials Committee (ELOC) is to encourage and educate the next generation of officials. You can be part of the next generation of officials. Get involved and get licensed!