Dear USEA Members and Supporters,
By this time I am sure that you have received the news that the 2020 USEA American Eventing Championships presented by Nutrena Feeds (AEC) has been canceled. I sincerely apologize for the difficulty this has caused everyone involved. I want to commend the USEA Board of Governors for making an extremely hard decision.
We also would like to thank our partners at Equestrian Events Inc. (EEI), as well as Mary Fike, all the contractors, our sponsors, officials, and volunteers of the AEC. This is heartbreaking for all of us.
I also want to give a special thank you to the Kentucky Horse Park for their support. I want the public to know that we have been assured by the leadership of the Park that it remains open for business. The geographic pull and large starter numbers of the AEC were the major factors in the decision to cancel. We urge those who are able to please continue to support the Kentucky Horse Park and all of our amazing eventing competitions across the country. They need your support now more than ever!
As our President Max Corcoran stated last night “not hosting the AEC will be a financial hit for both the USEA and EEI, but in the end, it is the right decision ethically for the staff, volunteers, officials, and competitors.” Refunds to entrants who have paid for their entries and are due those refunds will be made shortly by the organizers (EEI). Once those refunds are made, our Association, and all other businesses, will continue to be faced with some incredibly hard decisions to ensure that our sport remains viable through the impact of this pandemic on our global economy.
Thank you for being a USEA member or eventing fan. Your support during these trying times means a lot. I look forward to seeing all of you back at the Kentucky Horse Park for the 2021 AEC!
Sincerely,
Rob Burk, USEA CEO
What’s a Hunter Pace? The Sherwood Forest Equestrian Center's Hunter Pace is a cross-country-style course around Sherwood Forest over various natural obstacles/terrain. The course ends with a final treat for riders to take in stunning views of Mt. Hood with a loop through the old Far Hill Farms field. The beginning of the course will first start with a warm-up loop around show jumping obstacles in the outdoor ring at Sherwood Forest and then riders will continue directly onto the course. Sign up as a solo rider, pair, or team.
Claire Allen remembers when she was 11 years old, having just made the switch from the hunter/jumper ring to three-day eventing. She told her new eventing trainer that her goal was to one day compete in the United States Equestrian Federation’s Eventing Young Rider Championships.
As he was finishing tacking up his horse in preparation to navigate the cross-country course at the 2024 Twin Rivers Summer Horse Trials, James Alliston expressed concern about navigating the 101 Freeway. That’s because as soon as he crossed the finish line aboard Intermediate level winner Addyson (Ampere x Nickerbocker) at 10:38 a.m. on Saturday—his fifth cross-country round of the morning with three at Preliminary and two at Intermediate—the West Coast-based five-star rider had to drive 185 miles on the 101 Freeway from Twin Rivers Ranch in Paso Robles, California, to San Francisco International Airport to catch a 4:35 p.m. flight to Frankfurt, Germany.
There is so much more to proper grooming than keeping your horse picture-perfect for the horse inspection. Good grooming practices are critical to proper horse management, no matter if you are planning for your next FEI appearance or your Starter level debut. To help you maximize your knowledge of grooming practices, we opened up the opportunity for USEA members to submit any questions they might have on our Instagram and Facebook stories. In this week's episode, Host Nicole Brown sits down with three of the highest-regarded grooms in this industry, Max Corcoran, Emma Ford, and Stephanie Simpson, and asks them all of your questions and more to help you perfect the art of grooming.