United States Eventing Association

The U.S. Olympic Eventing Team had their Mandatory Outing this past weekend at the Stable View Summer H.T. in Aiken, South Carolina. All team members, including the direct reserve horses, and all of the alternates, minus Will Faudree and Jennifer Mosing and Sterling Silver Stables' 13-year-old Hanoverian gelding Mama's Magic Way, were in attendance and competed in the Advanced division under the guidance of Chef d’Equipe Bobby Costello.

Upon completion of the flatwork session during the first day of the USEA Emerging Athletes U21 (EA21) Central Clinic, EA21 coach Bec Braitling allowed the 12 participants to play a heavy hand in designing the show jumping course for day two.

Each of the twelve riders selected to participate in the 2024 USEA Emerging Athlete U21 (EA21) Central Regional Clinic comes from different backgrounds. Some have begun their FEI careers, while others are gearing up for a Modified move up, some are on experienced schoolmasters, while others are on catch rides or greener horses. EA21 Coach Bec Braitling took that into account when brainstorming what the lesson plan for flatwork day at the Central Clinic might look like.

One of the best parts of summer is the return of the USEA Emerging Athletes U21 Program (EA21) Regional Clinics! This will be the third year that the USEA is offering these two-day educational sessions for the chosen applicants. There are five clinics taking place across the U.S. over the course of the summer. A USEA Eventing Coaches Program (ECP) certified instructor will guide 12 hand-selected applicants at each clinic.

Emily Graeser just chuckles when someone asks her if she has considered switching to straight dressage now that she is 84 years young. “I think to myself, yeah right,” she said with a laugh. “Eventing is an addiction; once you start, you can’t do anything else.”

Daija Sams always jokes that the biggest mistake her parents made was signing her up for an equestrian summer camp. “I was 7 or 8, and my parents loved to put my brother and I in random summer camps to get us out of their hair a little bit and let us try new things,” reflected the now 23-year-old Aiken, South Carolina, resident. “And of course, horses were the one thing I stuck with and I just ran with it.”

It’s that time of year again! Time to start counting down the days until the 2024 FEI WBFSH Eventing World Breeding Championships for Young Horses at Mondial du Lion in Le Lion d’Angers, France. This year’s 6-year-old CCI2*-L and 7-year-old CCI3*-L divisions will take place October 12-20.

You’ve made it to your event, your trailer is unloaded, your tack room is set, and your horse is settled—time for a little bit of schooling the day before the competition begins! Did you know there are rules around schooling under section EV111 of the U.S. Equestrian Federation (USEF) Rules for Eventing? Brush up on your knowledge before your next event to make sure that you are compliant before your next competition!

Janice Binkley might have 35 years of coaching experience under her belt, but that hasn’t stopped her from working towards a new goal—becoming certified through the USEA Eventing Coaches Program (ECP). “I want to support the program,” said Binkley. “I believe in the program. I really feel like we need to be like the British Horse Society with their certification program, or like the Germans—they know how to do it right.”

The USEA is saddened to report the passing of Abigail Gille at the age of 75. Gille was a lifelong equestrian who was deeply dedicated to eventing and the United States Pony Club.