Intercollegiate Program Counts Down to Championship
Formed in 2014, the United States Eventing Association’s (USEA) Intercollegiate Eventing Program has united students through their involvement with the sport. Over 30 colleges and universities have affiliated with the USEA to show their support, and that number is constantly growing. These affiliated schools compete against one another year round at collegiate team challenges hosted by horse trials across the country.
The Intercollegiate Program has been met by students with such enthusiasm that the USEA announced earlier this year that an Inaugural Intercollegiate Championship would take place this summer. The championship will be hosted by the Virginia Horse Trials the weekend of May 26-29, 2016 in Lexington, Va. The event opens today, and we’re only six weeks away from the competition!
Collegiate Competitors at Poplar Place Farm. Photo Courtesy of UGA Eventing.
Competitors of all levels are encouraged to attend. The event holds Beginner Novice through Intermediate levels as well as CCI1* and CCI2*divisions.
Each team in the collegiate championship will consist of three or four members, and the top three scores from each team will count towards a collective team score. Teams can be made up of riders at different levels, and schools are permitted to send multiple teams. If necessary, mixed teams between schools can also be created.
To make scores comparable for all students even at different levels, a coefficient system has been put in place. A rider’s score is multiplied by its appropriate coefficient in an effort to account for differences in level difficulty. (i.e. Beginner Novice has a coefficient of 1.1 and Intermediate has a coefficient of .75). The team with the lowest collective score wins.
The coefficient system is as follows:
Beginner Novice: 1.1
Novice: 1
Training: 0.9
Preliminary: 0.85
Intermediate: 0.75
CCI*: 0.75
CCI**:0.75
There are no individual qualification requirements for the Intercollegiate Championship, besides that each school must be a registered affiliate of the USEA’s Intercollegiate Program. Registration for the program is currently free and you can click here for more information.
Collegiate Competitors at Chattahoochee Hills. Photo Courtesy of UGA Eventing.
The USEA has teamed up with Andy Bowles, the organizer for the Virginia Horse Trials, to put on a big event. Banners, flags and school decorations are encouraged; the more school spirit the better! Top teams will be recognized and presented with prizes in a collegiate awards ceremony at the conclusion of the competition.
The event opens today, April 12, 2016, so get your entries in to reserve your spot! Students should mark their respective school in the “stable nearby” box. Affiliate representatives can send a roster of their school’s competitors to the show secretary closer to the event date. The closing date is May 10, 2016 – enter now to be a part of collegiate eventing history!
Omnibus Listing | Affiliated Schools
About the USEA Intercollegiate Program
In 2014, the USEA Board of Governors approved the creation of the Intercollegiate Eventing Program as an official program of the USEA. Originally proposed with input from the Intercollegiate Eventing League, the program was established to provide a framework on which Eventing teams and individual competition could flourish at universities and colleges across the country. Click here to see if your school is an University Affiliate.
Don’t forget if you have not yet renewed your membership with the USEA – Collegiate members get a $25 discount! Log onto your Online Services Account to renew, and a $25 refund will be issued after the USEA has received proof of enrollment.
About the Virginia Horse Trials
The Virginia Horse Trials has been a premier Eventing destination for over 25 years. Situated on 600 acres, the Virginia Horse Center is a first-class venue. Brian and Penny Ross founded the Virginia Horse Trials in 1989, and organized the Event through its 25th Anniversary in 2014. Andy Bowles took over the organization of the Virginia Horse Trials in 2015 and looks forward to maintaining it as a destination for east coast eventers in the years to come.
Click here for the omnibus listing.
If you have questions about the USEA Intercollegiate Program, e-mail Programs ManagerKate Lokey.
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