United States Eventing Association

We are two weeks away from the West Coast Instructor Certification Program's (ICP) Annual Symposium! These symposiums are wonderful educational opportunities for ICP Instructors, riders, or someone looking to become ICP certified. All are welcome - You do not have to be an ICP Instructor to attend. Everyone has something to gain from this high-caliber instruction.

Our West Coast Symposium will be hosted by Galway Downs January 20-21, 2016. David O’Connor and Shannon Thompson will be the featured clinicians. O’Connor will be discussing the Progression of Training for the Horse & Rider. Thompson, A Mental Performance Specialist, will lead a Transformative Leadership/Coaching Session to work on "Developing a Winning Culture."

Longwood Farm South will host the East Coast Symposium February 15-16, 2016. David O’Connor will again be featured at this Symposium along with Show Jumping Coach to the U.S. Eventing Team, Silvio Mazzoni. O’Connor will work with demo riders on their flatwork on February 15th, and the following day Mazzoni will be teaching show jumping. Both clinicians will be working with riders from the lower through upper levels.

Time is running out to reserve your spot, so register today!

For more information on either Symposium or to pre-register, please contact Nancy Knight – 703-669-9997 Or click here for the registration forms:

East Coast/Ocala Registration Form

West Coast/Galway Downs Registration Form

You can also register online through USEA Online Services.

Click here for Online Services East Coast Registration

Click here for Online Services West Coast Registration.

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Should you wish to be a demo rider at either symposium, please contact the following:

East Coast: Sue Hershey. Also fill out the East Coast Rider Demo Form.

West Coast: Wendy Wergeles. Also fill out the West Coast Rider Demo Form.

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About David O’Connor

David O’Connor is one of the most famous names in U.S. Eventing. Throughout his career, he had top placings both nationally and internationally, representing the U.S. on numerous occasions. O’Connor won a Team Silver medal at the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games, a Team Bronze medal at the 1998 FEI World Equestrian Games, and Team Gold and Individual Silver medals at the 1999 Pan American Games, all with his legendary mount Giltedge. At the 2000 Sydney Olympics Games, O’Connor won Individual Gold with Custom Made, as well as a Team Bronze medal with Giltedge. At the 2002 FEI World Equestrian Games, he and Giltedge won a Team Gold medal. O’Connor retired from international competition in 2004.

O’Connor made the switch from being an international competitor to being a leader of equestrian sport. He served as the USEF president from 2004-2012. O’Connor also served as the International Technical Advisor to the Canadian Eventing Team from 2006-2012, coaching Canada to Individual Gold and Team Silver medals at the 2011 Pan American Games, as well as Team Silver medals at the 2007 Pan American Games and the 2010 Alltech/FEI World Equestrian Games. He took over as the U.S. Eventing Chef d'Equipe/Techincal Advisor in 2013. He has led the U.S. team to top placings at international competitions, including Team Gold at the 2015 Pan American Games.

With his wife, legendary eventer Karen O’Connor, he runs a premier eventing training facility, teaching some of the best horses and riders in the country.

About Shannon Thompson

My approach to performance psychology is largely derived from the field of positive psychology. Positive psychology is a science based field of research and practice that focuses on the factors that cultivate high achievement and thriving. Positive psychology incorporates numerous branches of expertise that range from the study of grit (passion and perseverance for long-term goals) and resilience (as taught in Master Army Resilience Training), to the identification and utilization of creative genius. The application of these aspects to athlete performance is a natural fit.

My life has centered around sport since I was a small child. Horses, and an aspiration to compete them internationally, captured me early and became my focus. I reached an elite level in my teens, and have since competed throughout North America and England for the past 15 years. I have been listed to the Canadian Team, and have won and placed well at major events. I continue to train and compete, with plans to return to the top levels in time. Since 2002, I have coached equestrians of all ages and levels in the sport of Three-Day Eventing. My students have enjoyed considerable success, and I greatly value my time with them.

I am an avid distance runner, and compete in races from 800m to half marathons. I also enjoy trail running and racing.

Throughout my sporting and coaching career, sports psychology has been of great interest to me. I have experienced most aspects imaginable, as one does through a lifetime in sport. I have enjoyed sweet success (hence the “sweet” in Sweet Performance), and satisfaction, struggle, progress, pain and countless other gifts and lessons that sport provides. I am intimately familiar with the precise focus required of an elite athlete in a technical sport; I am also thoroughly familiar with the challenges of a more physical and fitness oriented sport, no matter what the level.

Through my studies and real-life experiences, I have been able to help athletes in several different sports improve their performance. Performance psychology continues to captivate me, and gives me exciting tools with which to support others on their path to excellence. I hold a Bachelor of Arts degree (psychology major) from Thompson Rivers University, and a Masters degree in Applied Positive Psychology from the University of Pennsylvania.

About Silvio Mazzoni

In 2014 Silvio was named the U.S. Eventing Team’s Show Jumping Coach.

Mazzoni, of Reddick, Florida, has great depth of knowledge in both Eventing and jumping having participated in both disciplines as a competitor and trainer. Originally from Argentina, he was a member of the Argentinian Eventing team at the 1998 FEI World Equestrian Games in Rome, Italy. Mazzoni also has a wealth of experience in the jumping discipline where he has earned top finishes in multiple Grand Prix competitions as well as operating a successful training and sales business.

The USEA would like to thank its ICP Symposium sponsor, Event Clinics.

About Event Clinics

Event Clinics Inc. was launched in May 2015 to enable Riders to easily find and register for clinics with the world’s top riders, as well as premier schooling opportunities. Use of Premier Registrar Service platform reduces a rider’s discovery, registration and payment effort from an hour or days to less than two minutes. Organizers have instant access to registration details, documents, & funds. The EC Instant Pay feature enables up to five custom recipients to receive payment for each registration. With unique proprietary software and a scalable database, the Event Clinics system is able to support thousands of rider registration transactions annually with associated document storage. To learn more about Event Clinics, visit: www.eventclinics.com