United States Eventing Association

US Equestrian is pleased to announce the kick-off of the USEF Helmet Research Safety Fund, a fundraising effort to further the safety of equestrian athletes across all breeds and disciplines. The fund will support further research into U.S. helmet safety standards and the creation of an equestrian-specific rating system, providing riders insight into how helmet models compare when looking at safety and protection.

Going into 2020, we in High Performance had a clear plan on how to be best prepared for the Tokyo Olympic Games. When the selection trials in Kentucky, Badminton, and Jersey Fresh were all canceled, we had to swiftly develop a plan for our final selection event.

We are nearly two full months into a return to competition. While we are all grateful for the opportunity to enjoy competing again, the challenges and risks posed by the COVID-19 pandemic remain part of our daily lives. Governors are beginning to pull back or even reverse reopening initiatives in several states as positivity rates are increasing.

The CHIO Aachen Digital Champion of Champions will take place on August 7-8 through the EquiRatings Eventing Manager. The USEA will be teaming up with Eventing Manager for this upcoming event to encourage USEA members to play. The USEA will have its own league within the CHIO Aachen Digital Champion of Champions named the "USEVENTING" league.

Yesterday’s CCI2*-S victor Elisabeth Halliday-Sharp capped off a winning week at Virginia Horse Trials (VHT) International with a first- and second-place finish in the CCI2*-L. Halliday-Sharp and Cooley Be Cool, owned by The Monster Partnership and Ocala Horse Properties, led from start to finish, ultimately adding 0.4 time penalties in show jumping to win on 25.1.

The health of our competitors, spectators, officials, volunteers, and everyone else involved in the Ocala Jockey Club Three-Day Event production is very important to us. We announced on May 24, 2020 that we felt confident in OJC’s ability to run the 2020 Event and the accompanying USEF CCI4*-L National Championships as scheduled.

Susan Lynn Canole, wife of Ray and mother to William and Emily, left us too soon. Susan was an active member of the dressage and eventing community and spent time volunteering for multiple organizations. Her passion for horses and her desire to help the community found the perfect outlet when the Richland Park Horse Trials organizers accepted her offer to help with PR.

It was a good day at the office for Elisabeth Halliday-Sharp, who won the CCI2*-S and holds the top two placings after cross-country in the CCI2*-L at the Virginia Horse Trials (VHT) International.

Applications for the 2020 Adequan® USEF Futures Team Challenge are open beginning on August 3. The Futures Team Challenge, part of USEF’s Eventing Pathway Program, was established in 2019 to prepare future senior team athletes by providing an opportunity to experience competing as part of a team and working with the U.S. team coaches. All eventing athletes are invited to apply.

Boyd Martin came to Virginia Horse Trials (VHT) International to get himself and his horses back into the swing of competing, and he picked up an international win along the way. Leading from start to finish, Martin and the 9-year-old Holsteiner gelding Luke 140, owned by the Luke 140 Syndicate, won the CCI3*-S on a final score of 35.5.