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