United States Eventing Association

Fast Facts: 2024 USEA Intercollegiate & Interscholastic Eventing Championships

The "happiest horse trial on Earth" is set to kick off this evening at Stable View in Aiken, South Carolina, where 18 colleges and universities and eight Interscholastic Eventing League (IEL) Clubs will parade their teams through the main arena to mark the official start of the 2024 USEA Intercollegiate & Interscholastic Eventing Championships!

This epic event marks a record number of entries for the eighth edition of the USEA Intercollegiate Eventing Championship, and the first year-end goal for members of the USEA Interscholastic Eventing League (IEL) to strive towards. Keep reading for all you need to know about the incredible 192 horse and rider combinations that are set to trot down centerline in the hopes of adding their names to the history books as champions, whether it be in the competition or the coveted Spirit Award contest, at this year's event.

USEA Intercollegiate Eventing Championship

• The University of Kentucky will again secure the title of "School with the Most Teams" by fielding nine teams comprised of 35 of their members entered this week.
• Not only will the five students from Otterbein University be making history by being the first team to represent their school at this year's Championship, but they also have the longest trek to make it to the event. A 9.5-hour drive stands between their college town of Westerville, Ohio, and the venue in Aiken.
• In addition to Otterbein University, the University of Pittsburgh will also make their debut at this year's Intercollegiate Eventing Championship. All other schools in attendance have competed in at least one Championship previously.
• Auburn University, Clemson University, University of Georgia, and University of Kentucky have had representatives at every championship since the inaugural event in 2016.
• The USEA will recognize an astounding 38 seniors at the Championship this year for their collegiate achievements during the Opening Ceremony on Friday, May 3 at 5:00 p.m.
• All five schools that have previously won the Championship title are entered to compete this year: the University of Georgia (2016), Clemson University (2017), Auburn University (2018, 2019, 2022), University of Kentucky (2021), and University of South Carolina - Aiken, our defending Champions from 2023.
• Auburn University is still the only school to win the Championship consecutively in 2018 and 2019, and they are also the only school that holds more than one title, as they have three wins to their name after securing the 2022 Championship.
• For the first time, one team will have a "hometown advantage," as Stable View is nestled less than 10 miles from the University of South Carolina - Aiken campus. Will this be an advantage to the defending champions?
• While the Championship title is the ultimate goal, the Spirit Award is just as highly regarded, if not more, by the teams! Two-time winners Auburn University and our 2023 defending Spirit Champion, the University of Kentucky, will be on the hunt to make it a three-peat for their schools, while the inaugural winners from 2016, the University of Georgia, will also attempt to take back their win. If these powerhouse programs don't secure the victory, we will be adding a new name to the perpetual Intercollegiate Spirit Award trophy from one of the other 15 eligible schools in contention. Click here to learn more about this year’s Spirit Award criteria.

USEA Interscholastic Eventing League Championship

• Of the 55 IEL Clubs currently registered with the USEA, eight will make the trip to Aiken to represent the program in the inaugural championship: Aiken County Pony Club, A2 Developing Riders, East Coast Eventers, GWIF Groupies, The Flying Potatoes, River Mist Eventing Team, River Run Eventing, and Willow South Eventing.
• Of those eight clubs, four will field two teams per Club, three will send one team, and the final team will be a scramble of members from the East Coast Eventers and the River Mist Eventing Team.
• All the clubs hail from Areas II or III.
• Similar to the University of South Carolina - Aiken, the Aiken County Pony Club will be the hometown favorites for the IEL.
• In 2023, several of the clubs represented this week were champions at IEL Team Challenges throughout the season:
  • The A2 Developing Riders collected the most team challenge wins last year, fielding champion teams at the Stable View Aiken Opener H.T., Plantation Field May H.T., MCTA H.T. at Shawan Downs, and Virginia Horse Center Eventing Fall, as well as scrambling with the East Coast Eventers for additional wins at Virginia Horse Center Eventing Spring and the Full Moon Farms H.T.
  • In addition to their scramble wins, the East Coast Eventers collected independent wins at the Waredaca May H.T. and the Fair Hill International Spring Recognized H.T. team challenges.
  • The GWIF Groupies had members represented on victorious teams at the Sporting Days Farm March H.T. II, Poplar Place April H.T., Stable View Oktoberfest 2/3/4* and H.T., and the Poplar Place Farm October H.T. team challenges.
  • The Flying Potatoes scrambled with members of the Iron Bridge Hunt and Pony Club to win the Waredaca Classic Three-Day Event & H.T.
  • Finally, Willow South Eventing members won the Stable View Local Charities H.T., which bodes well for them as they look to make it a repeat at the event this week.

• This is Aiken County Pony Club and River Mist Eventing Team's first season in the IEL.

The Facts

• The 2024 USEA Intercollegiate & Interscholastic Eventing Championships will offer divisions from the Starter through Advanced levels.
• All levels will complete their dressage tests on Saturday, May 4. In addition, the upper levels (A, I, P, M, T) will complete their show jumping tests, while Novice and Beginner Novice riders will head to the cross-country course. On Sunday, May 5, the upper levels will go out on cross-country, while Novice and Beginner Novice finish their competitions in the show jumping arena. Unlike any of the other levels, Starter competitors will complete their show jumping and cross-country phases on Sunday.
• As usual, teams are encouraged to set up tents and decorate their stabling area with their school’s colors, banners, and gear to show their school pride. Nails, screws, and staples are not allowed for fastening decorations this year, so please come prepared with substitutes, such as command strips, tape or string.
• New for 2024, teams will also have the opportunity to decorate a window in the upstairs of Stable View's Pavilion, each of which will be approximately 60"x 34" in size and should be decorated using window paint or markers, plastic decorations, and window clings.
• There are no qualifications necessary to compete in the Championships, but there are two entry requirements. All Intercollegiate Program entrants must be registered as Collegiate Members of the USEA and enrolled as an undergraduate student at their college or university. All IEL entrants must be registered as a Junior Members of the USEA and enrolled in 5th through 12th grade at a public, private, home or online school. Also, all Intercollegiate Schools and IEL Clubs must have an up-to-date registration as an Affiliate of the USEA.
• The USEA would like to thank this year's Intercollegiate & Interscholastic Eventing Championships sponsors: Bates Saddles, Horse & Country, Kerrits, Nunn Finer, Sidelines Magazine, U.S. Equestrian, WeRideTogether, and World Equestrian Brands.
• Click here to watch all the Show Jumping action at this weekend's event on Horse & Country.
• Click here to “Meet the 2024 IEL Championship Teams."
• Click here to "Meet the 2024 Intercollegiate Eventing Championship Teams."
• Click here to view the official event program.

Event Schedule

Friday, May 3

3:00 p.m. – Cross-country course open

4:30 p.m. – Teams gather at the Main Arena to prepare for Opening Ceremonies

5:00 p.m. – Opening Ceremonies in the Main Arena: Parade of Teams and Intercollegiate Senior Awards

6:00 - 8:00 p.m. – Graze and Gaze Party at the Pavilion. IEL Members are welcome on the second floor of the Pavilion, and Intercollegiate members can congregate on the first floor for food and drinks.

Saturday, May 4

7:30 a.m. - 5:15 p.m. – Dressage for All Levels (Starter - Advanced)

• 7:30 - 7:45 a.m. – Advanced/Intermediate
• 7:30 - 11:15 a.m. – Novice
• 7:45 - 8:00 a.m. – Advanced CT
• 8:00 - 10:00 a.m. – Intermediate
  
• 9:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. – Preliminary
  
• 10:45 a.m. - 1:45 p.m. – Modified
• 11:00 a.m. - 4:45 p.m. – Training
• 12:00 - 3:45 p.m. – Beginner Novice
  
• 3:15 - 5:15 p.m. – Starter

9:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. – Cross-Country for N/BN

• 9:30 a.m. - 1:45 p.m. – Novice
• 2:00 - 5:00 p.m. – Beginner Novice

10:45 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. – Show Jumping for A/I/P/M/T

• 10:45 - 11:00 a.m. – Advanced
• 11:15 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. – Intermediate
  
• 12:00 - 1:30 p.m. – Preliminary
• 2:00 - 3:30 p.m. – Modified
• 3:45 - 6:00 p.m. – Training

6:00 - 8:00 p.m. – Graze and Gaze Party, featuring the Hobby Horse Jumping Contest and the Mechanical Bull Riding Contest. IEL Members are welcome on the second floor of the Pavilion, and Intercollegiate members can congregate on the first floor for food and drinks.

Sunday, May 5

7:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. – Show Jumping for N/BN/S

• 7:30 - 11:30 a.m. – Novice
• 12:00 - 2:00 p.m. – Starter
• 2:15 - 5:00 p.m. – Beginner Novice

8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. – Cross-Country for I/P/M/T/S

• 8:00 - 9:15 a.m. – Modified
• 9:30 - 10:45 a.m. – Intermediate
  
• 11:00 a.m. - 12:15 p.m. – Preliminary
• 12:30 - 2:30 p.m. – Training
• 3:00 - 5:00 p.m. – Starter

45 Minutes after Final Scores are Posted (Approx. 5:45 p.m.) – Championship Awards Ceremony

**NOTE: Competition times are approximated and subject to change based on final ride time assignments. Please check the Stable View Show Center on Event Entries to confirm exact times throughout the event.

Helpful Links:

• Intercollegiate Championship Coverage
• IEL Championship Coverage
• Stable View Website
• Live Scores
• Ride Times
• Digital Event Program
• Meet the 2024 Intercollegiate Eventing Championship Teams
• Meet the 2024 IEL Championship Teams

Don't forget to follow the USEA’s event coverage on social media!

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About the USEA Intercollegiate Eventing Program

The USEA Intercollegiate Eventing Program was established in 2014 to provide a framework within which eventing teams and individual competitors could flourish at universities and colleges across the country. The USEA offers a discount of $25 on annual USEA memberships for current students at universities and colleges registered as Affiliates with the USEA. Many events across the country offer Intercollegiate Team Challenges where collegiate eventers can compete individually or on teams with their fellow students. In Intercollegiate Team Challenges, each rider’s score is multiplied by a coefficient appropriate for their level to account for differences in level difficulty, and then the individual scores are added together to determine the team score. The USEA Intercollegiate Eventing Championship is a capstone event for the program, which is held annually in the spring. The 2024 USEA Intercollegiate Eventing Championship will be held at Stable View in Aiken, South Carolina, on May 4-5. Click here to learn more about the Intercollegiate Eventing Program.

The USEA would like to thank Bates Saddles, Horse & Country, Kerrits, Nunn Finer, Sidelines, U.S. Equestrian, WeRideTogether, and World Equestrian Brands for sponsoring the USEA Intercollegiate Eventing Program.

About the USEA Interscholastic Eventing League (IEL)

In August 2020, the USEA Board of Governors approved the creation of the USEA Interscholastic Eventing League (IEL) as an official program of the USEA. The mission of IEL is to unite junior riders who are in the 5th—12th grade and provide a supportive community through which students can continue to pursue their riding interests. A group of junior members in the 5th—12th grade who share a common bond, such as the same barn, school, Pony Club, or other connection, can register with the USEA as an IEL Affiliate. The USEA Board of Governors recently approved an inaugural IEL Championship to kick-off in 2024 at Stable View in Aiken, South Carolina, which will be held in conjunction with the USEA Intercollegiate Eventing Championships on May 4-5, 2024. Click here to learn more about the Interscholastic Eventing League.

The USEA would like to thank Bates Saddles, Horse & Country, Kerrits, Nunn Finer, Sidelines, U.S. Equestrian, WeRideTogether, and World Equestrian Brands for sponsoring the USEA Interscholastic Eventing League.