Aug 17, 2011

Competitor Representative (Rider Rep) Rule Change – EV 119

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. The changes we requested were in fact not major. We as professionals in the sport simply wanted an extra show jump in the warm-up for both phases and a solid cross-country jump for that warm-up. At the time this rule was put forward there were some very concerned people. Many people wondered if this extra jump would be only for “pros” and their students. They also wondered if the requirement of a solid fence in the cross-country warm-up would be too much for smaller events to handle. While every concern brought forward was legitimate and deserved consideration, I must say that since the rule has been in place the warm-up for both jumping phases is in fact much improved. It allows for better, safer warm-ups for everyone.

Last year we asked for another revision of an existing rule. I state it this way because I think it is important to note that we did not add another rule to the already tedious rule book we all compete under. What we did was rewrite the existing competitor representative (rider rep) rule. There were two big problems we saw with the previous rider rep program. First, too often competitors would arrive at a competition ready to school their horse only to be asked to be rider rep at the last minute. Of course most people would say yes to the request, but were they really able to do a good job? If you show up to an event on Friday at three o’clock with a plan to ride your horse that evening and maybe even help out a student or two, how can you walk the courses and communicate with the officials properly? Not to mention giving the officials, organizers, and designers the time to consider your input. The second problem we saw with the program was accountability of the rider rep. Because there was a lack of structure to the program, and also because riders are generally no good at paper work, most reps would agree to the job and then not follow up on their end of the deal. We saw that an important part of the program was to create a form for the rep to fill out so that they could document their review of the event. This form will be added to the official paper work that is reviewed by the events committee. Believe me when I tell you that this is a very big step in the credibility of the program.

As we worked through the new proposal we consistently came back to one conclusion. The revised rule had to put more pressure on the rider reps. At the same time, it had to be a program that put little or no additional strain on organizers or officials. The paper work involved is 100 percent the representative’s responsibility to find and fill out. We hope that organizers will be willing to help out reminding reps to fill out the required paper work, but in the end it is the rider’s responsibility. After all, the form can be found on the USEA website and takes literally ten minutes to fill out. Even I can manage that! The officials do legitimately have one additional task which is to walk around with the reps. This sounds tough, but I have participated as a rider and an organizer with the new format this year. It really takes about thirty to forty five minutes to drive around the appropriate tracks with the officials.

There are those who have just realized that this rule has been rewritten. They have raised some very legitimate, but very late questions. The concerned parties are members of our association who know and understand the rules process. They were all given ample opportunity to review and comment on the proposal. The basic message the PHC wants to put out is this: We worked exceptionally hard on this program with as many different groups as we could. The rule was revised no less than 12 times. It truly was a collaborative effort. Add to the above due diligence the rule change process that was followed and it is hard to believe anyone can be surprised this rule will be coming into effect next year. Those who claim that they had no idea this rule was changed have simply not been paying attention. We must never forget that we are all in this sport because of our love of horses. It is this common passion that brings us all together. The riders have shown that they are willing to step up and take on more responsibility at the competitions. Now we are asking for our officials to respect our request and allow us the opportunity to make this rule work. We all have so much to gain by increasing our communication with each other.

Apr 22, 2025 News

In Memoriam: Dr. Timothy Holekamp (1946-2025)

The USEA is saddened to hear of the sudden passing of Dr. Timothy “Tim” Holekamp on April 19. He was 79.

Apr 22, 2025

Shop New USEA Merchandise at the Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event

While we all attend the Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event for the competition, the next best thing about the event is definitely the shopping! The USEA is excited to be back on-site at the Kentucky Horse Park for the competition this year and to debut some all-new apparel items for the 2025 season. Here is a sneak preview of what you can expect to see at our booth, located just behind the Rolex Stadium next to the large Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event booth, this year.

Apr 22, 2025 Competitions

Fast Facts: 2025 Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event

They don't call it the "Best Weekend All Year" for no reason! If you love the sport of eventing (or just horses in general) the Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event is most likely a staple on your calendar or a must-see on your bucket list. This week, thousands of eventing lovers will flock to the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, Kentucky, for one of two U.S.-based five-stars that takes place each year, as well as top-shelf CCI4*-S competition and two nights of spectacular show jumping.

Apr 22, 2025 Adult Riders

USEA Adult Riders Program to Host Course Walk with Derek di Grazia at 2025 #K3DE

Will you be at the Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event this year? Are you a member of the USEA Adult Rider Program? Then you will not want to miss out on this exciting opportunity to join cross-country course designer Derek di Grazia on a walk of the CCI5*-L cross-country course. The USEA-hosted event will take place at 8:30 a.m. EST on Thursday, April 24.

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