United States Eventing Association

With many of the USEA Classic Series Events taking place in the Fall, the USEA recently asked their social media followers if they had any questions on the USEA Classic Series. Find out the answers to some of their questions below.

The Waredaca Classic Three-Day Event is pleased to announce the Preliminary Classic Jackpot. Currently the Jackpot is $2,000, with potential to go higher. The winner of the Waredaca Classic Three-Day at the Preliminary level will be awarded 50% of the Jackpot, second place will be awarded 30%, and third place will be awarded 20%. The top three winners will be awarded a minimum of $1000/$600/$400 respectively.

In every USEA Classic Series Event, there are two formal horse inspections that take place over the weekend. The first horse inspection occurs before dressage and the second horse inspection occurs on Sunday morning before the show jumping phase.

The Event at Rebecca Farm took place from July 21-25, 2021, in Kalispell, MT. Thirty-three horse-and-rider combinations entered the Training Three-Day division, while the Novice Three-Day saw 25 entries.

Shelby Murray and Reverie GWF (Rotspon x Chatari), owned by Laurel Ritter, took home the top prize in the Training Three-Day with 30.7 penalties. Second place honors were awarded to Kristen Davignon aboard her own Fürst Floid. The pair received 31.1 penalties. Avery Hughes and her own Faya rounded out the top three with 31.7 penalties.

The thrill of the chase is a fan favorite among the USEA Classic Series competitors. The adrenaline-pumping phase of steeplechase is offered at every USEA Classic Series Event from Beginner Novice through the Preliminary level. While the long format was removed from the upper levels of eventing in the late 2000s, it still lives on in the USEA Classic Series. So, what makes steeplechase so special? We asked our social media followers and wanted to share some of our top picks of favorite steeplechase memories!

IEA Horse Trial in Edinburgh, Indiana, hosted the year’s first USEA Classic Series Three-Day Event on June 3-6, 2021. Offering Training Three-Day and Novice Three-Day divisions, the event drew a total of 37 entries – 13 in the Training Three-Day and 24 in the Novice Three-Day.

The Training Three-Day welcomed a victory for Brooke Kahl and Nata Montada SCF, her own eight-year-old Belgian Warmblood gelding (Baldev x Whinny II), with 31.9 penalties. Second went to Sarah Younger and her own Power Trip, who were sitting in sixth place after dressage but finished with a score of 33.9. Third went to Hannah Maloney riding her own Phoenyx to 35.8.

The first USEA Classic Series event of 2021 will kick off later this week at the IEA Horse Trials on June 3-6 in Edinburgh, Indiana. The USEA Classic Series offers the long format at the Beginner Novice through Preliminary level. Instead of cross-country, a Classic Series Event offers four phases on Endurance Day (two roads and tracks, steeplechase, and cross-country). Understanding what to expect is the key to success for a Classic Series first-timer.

We are pleased to announce the return of the Waredaca Classic Road to the Three-Day Challenge for 2021!

The Waredaca Classic Three-Day is fortunate to be supported by a group of organizers in Area II who believe firmly in the importance of the Classic Format of eventing. These organizers in coordination with Waredaca have put together a Waredaca Classic Road to the Three-Day Challenge. The Road to the Three-Day is paved with preparation, and these six events offer an ideal path to success at the Waredaca Classic Three-Day:

“I wouldn’t trade it for anything, it was an amazing experience.” Twenty-five years ago, Kerry Millikin and her off-the-track Thoroughbred gelding, Out and About (who was only 8 years old at the time) won the individual Olympic bronze medal at the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games, making her one of five females to have earned an individual Olympic medal for the U.S.

In the early 2000s, eventing shifted away from the traditional long format events with roads and tracks and steeplechase on endurance day at the highest levels of the sport, opting for the modern short format event we see today. In an effort to preserve the history, tradition, and horsemanship of the long format three-day event, the USEA Classic Series was formed.