Nov 10, 2024

Final Countdown to the 2024 USEA Annual Meeting & Convention

By Kaleigh Collett - USEA Staff | Press Release
Rachel Jones Media photo

In just one month, USEA members from near and far will converge on Seattle, Washington for the 2024 USEA Annual Meeting & Convention at The Westin Seattle on December 12-15. The Convention Schedule is already overflowing with exciting educational sessions and thought-provoking presentations, there is still more to come in the weeks ahead. Don’t miss your chance to register for this can’t-miss end-of-year event!

Accommodations

The holidays can be a high-spending season for most, so who wouldn’t love to save a bit of money? USEA Members have less than two weeks left to reserve a room at The Westin Seattle through the USEA room block. After November 19, the USEA room block rate will expire and rates will increase. Availability is limited, so click here to reserve your room at the discounted $179 rate today. This is over $50 in savings compared to regular booking sites, and prices will continue to increase as the event approaches.

Registration

Click here to register for the 2024 USEA Annual Meeting & Convention today. The most cost-effective registration option for this year’s convention, which gives you access to all open meetings Thursday through Saturday and includes one ticket to the Annual Meeting of Members Luncheon on Saturday, is a full convention pass. Full convention passes are $275 per person for Full or Life USEA members or $150 per person for Junior and Collegiate USEA members if purchased during the early-bird window, which closes on December 11. On December 12, prices will increase to $290 for Full or Life members or $175 for Junior and Collegiate members, so don’t wait to submit your registration!

If you can’t make it for the whole event, single day passes are also available for purchase. On Thursday and Friday, single day passes are $150 per day, while a Saturday pass can be purchased for $175. Are you interested in attending Chris Barnard’s Show Jumping Course Design Seminar on Thursday? Individual tickets to this seminar can be purchased separately for $50 per person.

NEW: Hoof Dreams Screening

A new evening activity has been added to the schedule for Saturday, December 14, that is free for all convention attendees enjoy. Emmy-nominated filmmaker, Jessie Deeter, will join us to present her film Hoof Dreams, which was filmed over the three years leading up to and at the Tokyo Olympics, and follows Germany’s gifted Julia Krajewski, America’s relentless Tamie Smith, and Puerto Rico’s resilient Lauren Billys. The movie highlights these three incredible female athletes’ battle for respect and equality in this fiercely competitive sport and celebrates the intrepid women daring to disrupt the status quo. The screening will be hosted in Grand Ballroom III starting at 6:30 p.m. PT.

To view the official schedule for the 2024 USEA Annual Meeting & Convention, click here. This page includes information on each presentation, speaker biographies, and more. *Please note that some meetings may shift, so we recommend that you continue to check the schedule regularly for updates.

Special Events & Activities

Open to All

  • Thursday, Dec. 12 at 3:00 p.m. – USEA Board of Governors Opening Meeting
  • Thursday, Dec. 12 at 6:00 p.m. – USEA Board of Governors Welcome Reception
  • Friday, Dec. 13 at 6:30 p.m. – Area VII Welcome Reception & Poker Tournament
  • Saturday, Dec. 14 at 6:30 p.m. – Hoof Dreams Screening with Producer Jessie Deeter
  • Sunday, Dec. 15 at 9:00 a.m. – USEA Board of Governors Closing Meeting

Tickets are available for purchase for the following functions and may be purchased here:

  • Friday, Dec. 13 at 12:00 p.m. – USEA Year End Awards Luncheon - A single awards lunch ticket is $100. For those interested in attending with a group, a table for 8 people is $800 or a table for 10 people is $1,000.
  • Friday, Dec. 13 at 6:30 p.m. – Poker Tournament during the Area VII Welcome Reception – Buy-in for the tournament is $125 per person and additional chips can be purchased in $25 increments.
  • Saturday, Dec. 14 at 12:00 p.m. – USEA Annual Meeting of Members Luncheon and Keynote Presentation by Tik Maynard – One ticket is included in each Full Registration. Additional tickets can be purchased for $75 per person.

Awards and Grants

At the Year End Awards Luncheon and the Annual Meeting of Members Luncheon, the USEA will honor the great achievements our members have accomplished this past year. The presentations will include the USEA leaderboard of champions presented by Nunn Finer, the overall leaderboard champions, appreciation awards, and the USEA Foundation grants:

  • Leaderboard Champions presented by Nunn Finer (Starter through Advanced)
  • World Equestrian Brands USEA Rider of the Year
  • Bates USEA Lady Rider of the Year
  • RevitaVet USEA Young Rider of the Year
  • USEA Adult Amateur of the Year
  • Standlee USEA Horse of the Year
  • Bates USEA Mare of the Year
  • SmartPak USEA Stallion of the Year
  • SmartPak USEA Pony of the Year
  • USEA Classic Series Modified Three-Day Winner presented by Bates Saddles
  • USEA Classic Series Training Three-Day Winner presented by D.G. Stackhouse & Ellis
  • USEA Classic Series Novice Three-Day Winner presented by D.G. Stackhouse & Ellis
  • USEA Classic Series Beginner Novice Three-Day Winner presented by Bates Saddles
  • USEA Volunteer of the Year
  • ERAofNA As You Like It Above and Beyond Owners' Award
  • ERAofNA Above & Beyond Event Personnel Award
  • ERAofNA Amateur Impact Award
  • Liz Cochran Memorial Groom's Award
  • USEA Foundation Grants
  • Governor's Cups
  • Wofford Cup
  • Cornerstone Instructors Award
  • Andrew H. Popiel Memorial Trophy
  • Vintage Cup
  • Courtney C. Reeves Memorial Trophy

Is your company interested in being a vendor at this year’s convention? Download the vendor application here, or email Jennifer Hardwick at [email protected] for more information.

Don’t forget to take advantage of your USEA Member Rewards Program by signing up and using TripPlanet for your next travel booking. Login or create your account today at app.tripplanet.com/enrollment/invite/USEA to start saving! Additional travel reward options available through the USEA Member Rewards program can be found here.

If you have any questions about the 2024 USEA Annual Meeting & Convention in Seattle, WA on December 12-15, please contact Jennifer Hardwick, by email at [email protected] or by phone (703) 779-0440, ext. 3003.

About the USEA Annual Meeting & Convention

The USEA Annual Meeting & Convention takes place each December and brings together a large group of dedicated USEA members and supporters to discuss, learn, and enjoy being surrounded by other eventing enthusiasts. The USEA organizes multiple seminars in addition to committee meetings, open forums, and tons of fun! The 2024 USEA Annual Meeting & Convention will take place in Seattle, Washington, on Dec. 12—15. Click here to learn more about the USEA Annual Meeting & Convention.

The USEA would like to thank the USEA Annual Meeting & Convention Sponsors: Adequan, ARMA, Bates Saddles, D.G. Stackhouse & Ellis, Gallops Saddlery, Horse & Country, Kerrits, Mrs. Pastures Cookies for Horses, Nunn Finer, Nutrena, Parker Equine Insurance, PulseVet Shock Wave, Rebecca Farm, RevitaVet, Ride iQ, Schneiders Saddlery, SmartPak, Standlee, and World Equestrian Brands.

Jan 20, 2025 News

Echoing the Dream: Small Acts of Kindness in Eventing

Today, we pause to honor the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and reflect on the powerful moment in 1963 when he stood on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial and shared his vision for a better future. Dr. King's "I Have a Dream" speech was more than just words; it was a call to action that transcended time, culture, and boundaries—a beacon of hope that continues to inspire.

Jan 19, 2025

That “Forward” State of Mind

We’ve all been there—on the horse who pokes his way around the warm-up ring, needs leg, leg, leg coming into the combination, or brings up the rear on every trail ride. None of us wants each and every ride to be a lower-body squeezefest, nor do we wish to do anything with our crop except maybe wave it at that annoying deerfly. In this excerpt from his book The Sport Horse Problem Solver, former international eventer Eric Smiley explains the essential quality of forwardness and how to prepare the horse to expect you to look for it in all that you do together.

Jan 18, 2025 Interscholastic

Stars of the Interscholastic Eventing League Shot to the Top of the 2024 Leaderboards

The inaugural USEA Interscholastic Eventing League (IEL) Championships may have been the pinnacle for program members of the IEL last year, but that’s not the only exciting achievement that occurred in 2024. A total of 41 events offered IEL Team Challenges for over 360 program members, and in the end, a year-end leaderboard champion was named at every level from Starter through Intermediate. The following IEL members worked tirelessly with their clubs and on their own competitive journeys in 2024 to earn the title of Interscholastic Rider of the Year at their respective level. Join us in congratulating these up-and-coming eventers on their success!

Jan 17, 2025 Volunteers

2024 USEA Volunteer of the Year Susan Hart Makes USEA History with Gold Medal Achievement

Veterinary pathologist Susan Hart has been trapped in an “always the bridesmaid, never the bride” loop on the USEA Volunteer Incentive Program (VIP) Volunteer Leaderboard since 2022. After two years of chipping away at the leaderboard, 2024 was finally her year to proverbially walk down the aisle. With a total of 691 and a half hours, Hart topped the leaderboard to become the 2024 USEA Volunteer of the Year, sponsored by Mrs. Pastures, and win the first gold medal in USEA VIP history, which is awarded for achieving over 2,000 lifetime volunteer hours.

Official Corporate Sponsors of the USEA

Official Joint Therapy Treatment of the USEA

Official Feed of the USEA

Official Saddle of the USEA

Official Equine Insurance of the USEA

Official Forage of the USEA

Official Supplement Feeding System of the USEA

Official Competition & Training Apparel of the USEA

Official Horse Boot of the USEA

Official Shockwave of the USEA

Official Horse Wear of the USEA