Are you an Adult Rider interested in setting new competitions goals for 2024? Would you like the opportunity to compete in a team environment and meet new friends with similar life experiences? Consider competing in a USEA Adult Team Challenge this year! Start building team camaraderie and get valuable competition experience at your Area’s Adult Team Challenges and consider setting your sights on the pinnacle competition of the year, the Adult Team Championships (ATC) at the USEA American Eventing Championships (AEC).
For many years, the Adult Team Challenges were held annually in different locations (Eastern, Central, and Western) around the United States, but in an effort to re-energize the program, the membership of the USEA voted to change the overall model. Starting in 2014, every Area was encouraged to hold Adult Team Challenges to offer adult riders the opportunity to compete in team competitions leading up to the USEA Adult Team Championships, the capstone event for the USEA Area Adult Team Challenges. As a result, Adult Team Challenges were no longer isolated to the three challenges around the country.
The Adult Team Championships will again be hosted at the USEA American Eventing Championships presented by Nutrena Feeds at the Kentucky Horse Park on Aug. 27–Sept. 1, 2024. This year, Beginner Novice, Novice, Training, Modified, and Preliminary divisions will be offered at the Adult Team Championships. The ATC is a great opportunity to meet new members in your Area and form relationships with likeminded competitors! For a full list of qualifications and procedures for the ATC, click here. Adult Riders will be expected to submit a Letter of Intent to compete in the ATC, and more information on this process will be released in the coming weeks.
View the list of Adult Team Challenges below to see what is being offered in your area this year! Keep in mind that the calendar is a tentative list of events hosting Adult Team Challenges that is subject to change. New challenges may be added regularly, so members are encouraged to reach out to their favorite local events to invite them to apply to host a team challenge. Please continue to check here for any updates throughout the year.
2024 USEA Adult Team Challenges Calendar
Area |
Event |
Dates |
Adult Rider Contact |
Phone |
I |
June 1-2, 2024 |
Amy Winnen |
617-733-9221 |
|
August 17-18, 2024 |
Amy Winnen |
617-733-9221 |
||
II |
March 9-10, 2024 |
Donna Bottner |
301-503-8549 |
|
June 15-16, 2024 |
Donna Bottner |
301-503-8549 |
||
July 30, 2024 |
Donna Bottner |
301-503-8549 |
||
October 4-5, 2024 |
Donna Bottner |
301-503-8549 |
||
November 10, 2024 |
Donna Bottner |
301-503-8549 |
||
III |
March 29-31, 2024 |
Cindy Kennedy |
770-307-7240 |
|
Apr 13-14, 2024 |
Cindy Kennedy |
770-307-7240 |
||
Jun 1-2, 2024 |
Cindy Kennedy |
770-307-7240 |
||
IV |
September 27-29, 2024 |
Julie Simmons |
804-754-5263 |
|
V |
May 4-5, 2024 |
Alissa McKinney |
817-271-5878 |
|
VI |
Apr 11-14, 2024 |
Sharl Talan Kari Scoggins |
805-551-4743 858-336-5115 |
|
VII |
June 28-30, 2024 |
Maggie Rikard |
253-569-1287 |
|
VIII |
Adult Team Championship at the 2024 USEA American Eventing Championships presented by Nutrena Feeds |
August 27 – September 1, 2024 |
Contact your Area’s Adult Rider Coordinator to participate. |
Link |
Oct 16-20, 2024 |
Shannon Risner |
513-284-6522 |
||
X | Summer Coconino H.T. I | June 28-30, 2024 | Deirdre Orcelleto | 602-568-4660 |
The 2024 Adult Team Challenges in Area IX are still pending. Please reach out to Area IX Adult Rider Coordinator Becca Caulfield at 719-313-1927 for more information.
Are you interested in hosting an Adult Team Challenge? Learn more about the program here, and contact Kate Lokey at [email protected] to inquire.
For more information on the Adult Rider Program and Adult Team Challenges in your area, please contact your Adult Rider Coordinator, or visit the Adult Rider homepage to learn more.
About the USEA Adult Team Championships
The USEA Adult Team Championships, which debuted in 2014, is the capstone event for the USEA Area Adult Team Challenges, providing adults the chance to compete as a team and represent their Area of the country in a friendly and fun environment. Historically, adult riders had three regional Team Challenges in which to compete with fellow adults in a team environment, with the locations changing each year. In 2013, the USEA Adult Rider Coordinators voted to move to support Adult Team Challenges taking place in all 10 Areas across the country, with the finale being the ATC at the USEA American Eventing Championships presented by Nutrena Feeds. Each Area can send up to eight teams from Beginner Novice through Preliminary level to the ATC. Adult Riders know how to have a good time, and there is no doubt that they bring an increased level of excitement and camaraderie to the AEC! Click here to learn more about the Adult Team Championships.
The USEA would like to thank The Chronicle of the Horse, Equilab, Kerrits, Nutrena Feeds, Shires Equestrian Products, and SmartPak for sponsoring the USEA Adult Team Championships.
About the USEA Adult Rider Program
The USEA Adult Rider Program is open to all adults, professional or amateur, aged 22 years and older. The program aims to unite adults across all skill and experience levels in a supportive program that promotes education, communication, recognition, and fun! The goal of the Adult Rider program is to continue to encourage participation in the sport of eventing beyond one’s junior years by providing educational programs, support to Area Adult Rider programs, funding opportunities, and the Adult Team Championships (ATC) at the USEA American Eventing Championships, presented by Nutrena Feeds. Click here to learn more about the Adult Rider Program.
With the start of the New Year just days away, now is the time to consider how your actions can have a positive impact on the sport of eventing in 2025. Each and every member of the eventing community has an important role to play in ensuring the sport continues to grow and thrive. From fostering educational opportunities to supporting grassroots initiatives and participating at all levels of the sport, there are so many ways to get involved.
Ride iQ’s popular “Ask An Expert” series features professional advice and tips from all areas of the horse industry. One of the most-downloaded episodes is an expert session with Peter Gray, an accomplished dressage judge and Olympic eventer. He has recently judged at events like the five-star at the Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event, and he served on the ground jury at the 2022 FEI World Eventing Championships in Pratoni, Italy. His background as a competitor in the Olympic Games riding for Bermuda and as a coach and selector for the Canadian eventing team adds depth to his understanding of the sport.
With a total of 382 volunteer hours in 2024, Catherine “Cathy” Hale not only topped the USEA Area III VIP Volunteer leaderboard, but she also ranked fourth out of all eventing volunteers across the country. Hale (The Villages, Florida) has worked as a travel agent for over 30 years, a career that suits her love of travel nicely. At the time of being interviewed for this article, Hale was passing the equator on a cruise to Tahiti, New Zealand, and Australia.
The USEA office will close at 5:00 p.m. EST on Friday, Dec. 20, 2024, and will reopen again on Thursday, Jan. 2, 2025. The USEA staff will return emails and phone calls when the office re-opens on Thursday, Jan. 2, 2025 or at their earliest convenience.