United States Eventing Association

Did you know that the USEA Foundation currently administers 15 grants and scholarships designed to help event riders reach their goals? From funds used to assist juniors have access to additional training to aiding up-and-coming riders fund international competition to helping adult amateurs gain education, the current grant opportunities offered by the USEA Foundation has something for almost everyone.

Looking to up your schooling game to enhance your performances in the show ring? The certified instructors of the USEA’s Instructors Certification Program (ICP) are here to help. This month ICP instructor Jim Graham, Level V, breaks down the step-by-step process of perfecting your leg yield on a circle. While this exercise was detailed with the Training and Modified level rider in mind, it can be adapted for riders of all levels. Check back next month after you have nailed your leg yield for the next step from this exercise!

The 2022 Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event will take place April 27 to May 1, and this year has a star-studded entry list. The entries consist of the only two Rolex Grand Slam winners (Pippa Funnell and Michael Jung), the full U.S. Tokyo Olympic team riders, and 10 USEA Young Event Horse (YEH) graduate horses.

The United States Eventing Association (USEA) proudly offers three regional Future Event Horse (FEH) Championships and two regional Young Event Horse (YEH) Championships annually. Together, the FEH and YEH programs have created a pipeline for young horses to showcase their talent, while judges identify horses that will be successful at the four-star and five-star levels of eventing.

After two years of research and writing, the United States Eventing Association (USEA) is proud to officially release the USEA Eventing Handbook by the Levels to its membership. Created by members of the USEA Instructors’ Certification Program (ICP) Committee with the input of licensed officials, professional riders, rider safety experts, and many other key players in the industry, this all encompassing handbook outlines clear and consistent guidelines for riders and trainers to refer to when navigating their way through the competition levels. Featuring rider requirements, exercises, demonstrated skills, evaluation tools, and more at the Starter through Advanced levels, this highly anticipated resource is by far the most comprehensive level-by-level guide for the sport of eventing in North America.

The USEA Young Event Horse (YEH) Program and the USEA Future Event Horse (FEH) Program evaluates the potential of young horses aged 5 and under. The YEH program is eligible for 4- and 5-year-old horses and the FEH program is eligible for yearlings through 4-year-olds. Purchasing a young horse can be challenging but, four eventing professionals, who specialize in young horse training, provide advice when shopping for a young event horse.

It was eight years ago when the O’Neals first started breeding event horses, and they have been hooked ever since. “The whole process of watching them grow from foals to taking them to their first event to competing internationally for the first time is hugely rewarding. It’s also interesting for us as professional riders because if we breed and produce a horse to four years old it is a fraction of the cost of importing a 4-year-old of the same quality and it's one that we have produced and know well,” said Ellie O’Neal.

The 2016 USEA Young Event Horse (YEH) 5-year-old Championships saw over 40 competitors between the East and West Coast Championships held at the Dutta Corp. Fair Hill International in Elkton, Maryland, and the Woodside International in Woodside, California. Following 2016’s YEH finale, many of the graduating class of the 2016 USEA Young Event Horse Championships have worked their way up through the rankings to leave a mark on upper-level eventing.

The United States Eventing Association (USEA) is pleased to announce a new format has been approved for the 2022 USEA Future Event Horse (FEH) Championships 3-year-old division. This new format will remove the triangle presentation for 3-year-olds but instead will have the full presentation take place in the jump chute arena at all three Championship venues.

The second day of the USEA Instructors’ Certification Program (ICP) Symposium at BarnStaple South in Ocala, Florida focused on adapting each lesson to the rider you are teaching, especially while schooling cross-country. The morning opened up with an exceptional seminar over teaching modalities and sports psychology from Dr. Paul Haefner. The audience of over 140 attendees made up of instructors, riders, students, and parents listened intently as Dr. Haefner outlined the many different challenges eventing instructors face such as working with students of all ages, addressing the different ways each individual student learns and engaging students into becoming masters of the sport.