How competitive have your Preliminary results been, where do you stand among your peers, and what scores should you be aiming for if a top finish is your goal? EquiRatings takes a statistical look at the USEA Preliminary level to help you evaluate your game. Stay tuned for the rest of the levels as they are released monthly!
Our first go-to is Zone Analysis. Zone Analysis is a great way to see how people are scoring, both overall and per-phase. Use these graphs to evaluate how you’ve been scoring relative to your Preliminary peers. We get you started with a few bullet-point takeaways below.
Finishing Score Zones
Per-Phase Zones
Note: The Show Jumping Zones and the Cross-Country Zones include time and jumping penalties.
We all know that eventing is about putting all three phases together to finish strong, but what is a strong finish? What does it take to earn a top placing and how does a performance in a single phase affect your overall competitiveness? Here we show you the results achieved by first and third place finishers so you know what a top performance looks like.
What does a strong start look like at the Preliminary level?
Final Position |
Average |
Started as |
Started 10 Marks or Less from Dressage Leader |
Started More Than 10 Marks From Dressage Leader |
Winner |
30.0 |
37.0% |
60.6% |
2.4% |
3rd Place |
32.9 |
8.0% |
77.8% |
14.2% |
Using 2017 – 2019 Prelim data.
Can you afford to knock a pole?
Final Position |
0 Show Jumping Penalties |
1 to 4 Show Jumping Penalties |
5 or More Show Jumping Penalties |
Winner |
73.0% |
19.3% |
7.7% |
3rd Place |
50.7% |
30.8% |
18.5% |
Using 2017 – 2019 Preliminary data. This table includes show jumping time penalties and jumping penalties.
Final Position |
Clear Inside the Time |
Average Cross-Country Time Penalties |
Winner |
54% |
2.2 |
3rd Place |
33% |
4.7 |
Using 2017 – 2019 Preliminary data.
Lastly, we have pulled the 2019 Preliminary record dressage scores and record finishing scores. There are some recognizable names on these lists but also some combinations who may not always make the eventing headlines. Take a look – these numbers might be your reach goals!
Looking at these types of peer analyses allows you to gain clarity and set measurable targets. Measurable targets are so valuable! They help you purposefully improve by working toward a concrete target and gauging your progress toward the bullseye. Of course, long-term goal-setting is not about comparison; you have to stay in your lane or risk being robbed of fulfillment. But these comparison metrics do help you locate yourself among your peers so you know where you stand. From there, you can set realistic targets that can serve as rewarding stepping stones in your journey.
The United States Eventing Association (USEA) is pleased to have renewed our partnership with Equilume for the 2022 USEA American Eventing Championships presented by Nutrena Feeds (AEC). Equilume will join once more as a Bronze Level Sponsor and will provide four gift certificates for an Equilume Cashel Light Mask. The four gift certificates will be awarded to the Champions of the Advanced Final, the Preliminary Amateur, the Junior Young Rider Preliminary, and the Training Amateur divisions. This year’s AEC will be held August 30-September 4 at Rebecca Farm in Kalispell, Montana.
There are so many things to love about the USEA Classic Series: the way the conditioning and preparation strengthens your bond with your horse, the educational opportunities to enhance your skills as a rider, and, of course, your chance to experience the rush of the classic long format three-day event. There are eight Classic Series events taking place across the U.S. in the 2022 season and they are a great goal for many horse and rider pairs to work towards. Featuring the traditional long-format phases of roads and tracks and steeplechase in addition to the three regular phases of a horse trial, a USEA Classic Series event puts partnerships to the ultimate test. For riders who have already ticked off completing a long-format event from their bucket list, looking back on the thrill of steeplechase before heading out on cross-country often comes with fond memories. Check out what these USEA riders had to say about their favorite steeplechase moments!
After traveling the world last year and campaigning on the East Coast to start this year, Julianne Guariglia’s 11-year-old Argentine Sport Horse mare Solaguayre California (Casparo x Solaguayre Calandria) returned to competition in the home state of her rider, Tamie Smith, to win the Advanced level at the Twin Rivers Summer Horse Trials held over Fourth of July Weekend in Paso Robles, California.
The USEA Member Rewards Program has been rewarding USEA members since 2016 with offers ranging from car rentals to hotel stays. Now there are two more exciting offers available for USEA Rewards members. Introducing eHealth and TripPlanet!