United States Eventing Association

Meet the Clinicians of the 2019 USEA Educational Symposium

Six highly respected clinicians from all parts of the world will come together on February 18-21 at the Grand Oaks Resort in Weirsdale, Florida to bring a week of education to the USEA Educational Symposium. With the symposium only a month away, it’s time to get to know the six stars who will present valuable information for the upcoming competition year. The Frenchman Maxime Livio will be the featured clinician for the USEA Instructors’ Certification Program (ICP) and USEA Young Event Horse (YEH) portions on February 18-20. Marilyn Payne will also be assisting Livio in the YEH portion on February 20. For the USEA Future Event Horse (FEH) portion on February 21, Robin Walker and Peter Gray will be the featured clinicians with Holly Simensen and Matthias Hollberg as guest clinicians.

About Maxime Livio

Currently ranked 20^th in the FEI Eventing World Athlete Rankings, Livio has over 20 international wins, and recently finished 11^th individually and won team bronze at the 2018 FEI World Equestrian Games in Tryon, North Carolina. Livio caught the attention of many Americans' eyes when he made one of his first memorable appearances in the states in 2017 where he finished second with Qalao Des Mers in the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event. From top finishes at the Le Lion d’Angers Young Horse Championships to top finishes at the FEI World Equestrian Games, Livio will bring a wealth of knowledge to the attendees of the ICP and YEH portions of the Symposium.

Livio will focus on training and movements for the dressage day on Monday, February 18. Tuesday, February 19, Livio will focus on riding related fence lines in show jumping and cross-country. On Wednesday, February 20, Livio will focus on how to identify a five-star horse in its five-year-old year based on five components: conformation, movement, behavior, evidence of rideability, and evidence of trainability.

About Marilyn Payne

Marilyn Payne is a FEI 4* Eventing Judge and a USEF “S” Dressage Judge. She was the President of the Ground Jury at the 2016 Olympics in Brazil, the 2010 World Equestrian Games, and judged at the 2008 Olympics in Hong Kong and each of the six four-stars in the world. Marilyn is also a distinguished trainer, competitor, one of the founders of the USEA YEH program, and co-chair of the YEH Committee. Marilyn frequently teaches judges seminars in the U.S. and overseas for USEF, FEI, and YEH judges. She resides with her husband Dick at their Applewood Farm in Oldwick, N.J. In her downtime, she can be found cheering on her children, Holly and Doug, who are prominent four-star competitors and trainers.

About Robin Walker

Robin Walker began his riding life in England and prior to moving to the U.S. had ridden at the Advanced and international levels. Since then, Robin has continued to ride at the upper levels in eventing and also show jumps successfully at the Grand Prix level. In addition, he is highly involved in the FEH program as he is one of the founders of the program, a co-chair of the FEH committee, and has been a FEH Championship judge for numerous years, including the 2017 and 2018 FEH Championships. Walker is also an ICP faculty member and co-chair of the ICP Committee. Walker has a successful breeding and training program which is based at Maute House Farm in Grass Lake, Michigan. Walker winters in Ocala, Florida, and continues to find success with horses at every age and level of eventing.

About Peter Gray

One of the most well-known eventing judges in the country, Gray has years of experience judging dressage at both national and international levels. Originally from Bermuda, Gray became the first Bermudian rider to compete at an international level in 1980. Gray became a Canadian citizen in 1995 and now resides in Ocala, Florida. Gray has competed in three Olympic Games, Badminton, Burghley, and two World Equestrian Games. A USEF ‘R’ Dressage Judge, a certified USEA YEH and FEH judge, and co-owner Equiventures LLC, Gray is extremely active in the eventing world. As a member of the FEH committee, Gray worked alongside Robin Walker as a 2018 FEH Championship judge.

About Holly Simensen

For over 30 years Simensen has found success as a breeder of sport horses for eventing and dressage. Simensen is a specialist in conformation and the only approved U.S. inspector of young horses for the German Oledenburger Pferde Verband. Originally from Hampton, New Brunswick in Canada, Simensen currently resides in West Palm Beach, Florida. Simensen’s expertise was recognized at the German Oldenburg Horse Breeders’ Society as she received the Golden Badge of Honor in 2016. Simensen is the wife of the late Dr. A. Martin "Marty" Simensen, who was the USET Team Veterinarian for over 22 years and 2018 USEA's Eventing Hall of Fame inductee.

About Matthias Hollberg

Originally from Brandenburg, Germany, Matthias Hollberg has years of experience show jumping at the Grand Prix level in both Europe and the United States. Hollberg has trained under notables including Ludger Beerbaum, Peter Weinberg, and Rod Brown. With numerous top placings and wins in the grand prix circuit, Hollberg is an expert at developing young horses and producing them up to the highest levels of jumping. With an emphasis on patience and optimism, Hollberg operates his successful training program, Hollberg Equestrian with his wife Thaisa Erwin in Middleburg, Virginia.

The USEA has booked a hotel block at the Towneplace Suites by Marriott in The Villages, Florida. Use the code USEG while booking the reservation to receive the discounted rate of $105/night before January 31, 2019. Visit the Towneplace Suites by Marriott website or call (352) 753-8686 to reserve a room.

For more information on clinicians, registration, and accommodations please visit Everything You Need to Know About the 2019 USEA Educational Symposium. Keep up to date with Symposium details by following the USEA Educational Symposium Facebook Event page.

The USEA would like to thank Educational Symposium sponsor EquiAppraisal for the support of the Symposium. Alison Gay from EquiAppraisal will be sponsoring lunches for the FEH/YEH attendees, as well as supporting the Educational Symposium as a whole.

The USEA would also like to thank ICP Symposium sponsor Stable Secretary for their support of the program and the Educational Symposium. Stable Secretary offers 50 percent off their Stable Secretary subscription to all USEA ICP instructors in their first subscription year and 25 percent off their second year of subscription.