Within two months, the USEA Interscholastic Eventing League (IEL) has welcomed 67 teams from across the country. These teams are located in almost every USEA Area, and with the growing popularity nationwide, more teams are expected to sign up. The mission of the IEL is to bring together junior riders who are in 7th through 12th grade and provide a supportive community through which students can continue to pursue their riding interests. Several teams who align with the program’s mission shared their excitement about this new program as they look forward to 2021.
The IEL team named, The Flying Potatoes are delighted at the opportunity to compete as a team at interscholastic team challenges. Arianna Almeida, the team representative, shared, “We love the idea of supporting each other as well as having team practices and team spirit wear. Our goal is to eventually travel and compete together at a [future] IEL Championships. Another goal is to give the younger students at the barn a fun team to look forward to being a part of.”
Sabrina Miller, The Riding Academy’s team representative, said “The Riding Academy is excited for the chance to compete together as a team that includes a diversity of ages and levels.” In 2021, Miller’s team hopes “to help each other participate in every interscholastic team challenge available, the USEA American Eventing Championships presented by Nutrena Feeds, Woodside, Galway Downs, and Rebecca Farm.”
Claire Shioutakon and Addison Kasley, the two team captains for The Good Counsel Eventing Team, consider their IEL team to be one big family. They shared, “We want to support and celebrate each other. We are most excited to compete together and build a community of eventers within our school. One of our goals is to have a ton of fun, and a lot of team spirit!”
The team representative for ASGO Eventing Team, Grace Spencer, said, “ASGO Eventing Team is super excited for the 2021 season and the new IEL program! We are really looking forward to being able to compete as a team as well as meet new people from other teams. Our [team] goals for the 2021 season are to grow close and form a team bond, place well in the team challenges, and most importantly to have fun making life-long memories!”
Team Trinity is looking forward to the added team camaraderie that the IEL program will bring to their barn. "Especially due to the fact that the program allows multiple levels of riders to compete on the same team," said Kim Merz, the team representative. "Our Trinity Barn is already very close, but one of our goals is to create more connection and fun for our team members. Eventing, being a mostly individual sport, can sometimes be quite intense. Being part of a team with friends can be a 'safety net' and support crew."
Like many IEL teams, the Jill Thomas Eventing Team is eager to compete in a team environment. In 2021, they hope to, “have fun, ride safely, and learn lots!” said Jill Thomas.
Currently, 10 events have signed up to host interscholastic team challenges for 2021. For anyone who is interested in hosting an interscholastic team challenge alongside their horse trials, please email Claire Kelley at [email protected].
Please remember every team representative has to be SafeSport certified.
Interested in your IEL team being featured in a USEA article? Please email [email protected].
For more information on the USEA Interscholastic Eventing League, please visit the IEL page on the USEA website.
This afternoon, USEA President Louise “Lou” Leslie welcomed U.S. Eventing Association (USEA) Board of Governors members, USEA staff, and USEA Annual Meeting & Convention attendees to the first of two Board meetings which will take place during this year’s Convention in St. Louis, Missouri, with the teaser that 2024 is going to be full of initiatives for more opportunities to access the eventing experience, some of which attendees might get first wind of during this year’s gathering. The 2023 USEA Annual Meeting & Convention takes place Dec. 7-10 at the Marriott St. Louis Grand Hotel.
Welcome to the Show Me state and to Area IV USEA members! The 2023 USEA Annual Meeting & Convention kicks of tomorrow and features four full days of educational seminars, committee meetings, and social gatherings all with one aim—to bring the eventing community together to continue to improve upon and celebrate the sport that we all love. This year’s Convention takes place in St. Louis, Missouri, at the Marriott St. Louis Grand in downtown St. Louis from Dec. 7-10, and we have rounded up everything you need to know to make the most of your time in the heartland.
To accompany the 2023 USEA Annual Meeting & Convention, USEA Educational Partner STRIDER has prepared Digital Resources to Maximize Education & Access for the Eventing Community. In keeping with the USEA’s mission to expand the sport of eventing, this webinar outlines ways in which digital tools can be leveraged to increase access and education across equestrian opportunities. As part of STRIDER’s popular Professional Development Webinar Series, this presentation aims to provide a quick overview of best practices and digital tools used across the equestrian industry to boost growth.
Every horse who participated this year in the USEA Young Event Horse (YEH) program has a story—a background that involves a breeder who labored over bloodlines, veterinary care, initial training, and so much more. This year’s highest-placing U.S.-bred horse in the 5-year-old division at the Dutta Corp./USEA Young Event Horse Championships, Arden Augustus, is no exception. His breeder and owner, Anita Antenucci of Arden Farms in Upperville, Virginia, started her program nine years ago and said that the Warmblood gelding was a more emotionally driven breeding for her than others due to his connections with Antenucci’s long-time friend Sharon White.