United States Eventing Association

The Professional Horseman's Council (PHC) is composed of active members of the United States Eventing Association (USEA) who are professionals in all aspects of the sport of eventing. The purpose of the Council is to facilitate communications between the professionals and the eventing community, including the governing body, officials, organizers and competitors and to assist in the further development, growth, and safety of our sport.

As the incoming chair of the Professional Horseman’s Council, I would like to take this opportunity to introduce myself and the Council and talk about what some of our goals are for the upcoming season.

Last month, John Michael Durr shared some pros and cons for those contemplating a migration south for the winter. Making the decision to head to Florida or South Carolina is exciting, and a big move for any sized business. It also triggers about a thousand other smaller decisions that need to be made. Will you take all of your horses, or leave some behind?

There is a new face on the Florida event scene this winter – 27-year-old Swiss eventer, Felix Vogg, who is based in Radolfzell, Germany – just north of the German-Swiss border. Vogg is no stranger to international eventing having competed at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games, 2014 World Equestrian Games, and multiple European Championships, but Rocking Horse Winter II in Ocala, Florida was his first foray into U.S. eventing.

As I write this article my weather app lists the current temperature at 5 degrees Fahrenheit. My Facebook newsfeed is inundated with photos of horses munching on their bran mash and tucked into the heaviest blankets their owners have on hand. Snow and ice have schools shutdown, and riding without an indoor, preferably a heated one? Probably not going to happen.

The USEA is excited to announce that The Event College at Rolex Kentucky, presented by the Professional Horseman’s Council, will be taking place at the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event (Lexington, Ky.) next week.

As a competitor, horse owner, trainer, and aspiring U.S. team rider, the competitions that I compete in are so important. I have been competing on the West Coast since I was eight years old and have watched the eventing scene evolve to the international level. Copper Meadows in Ramona, California has been a venue that has run since 2000, bringing another event to the West Coast. However, the recent changes made to the venue for the spring horse trials are second to none! Knowing that they have stepped up their game, I found a new desire to compete at every Copper Meadows event.

Chris Stafford has interviewed USEA Board of Governor member, and CCI4* eventer Jonathan Holling about his long term as Chairman of the USEA Professional Horseman's Council and reviews what he feels has been achieved during his tenure and what the PHC will be focused on in the future.

When I thought about writing an update on the rider rep program I wondered how I could get everyone’s attention. I tried writing a genuinely interesting piece, but when I finished I was not certain I had accomplished the task. My wife Jenn suggested the title for this article, and I hope it does the trick, so listen up people.

I have had the privilege to serve as the chair of the Professional Horseman’s Council for the past three years. It has been a time consuming but exceptionally rewarding position. We, as a group, have worked on what we consider to be very important issues. Two years ago, we put forward a revision of how the warm-up should be changed for both cross-country and show jumping.