The United States Eventing Association (USEA), which was founded in September 1959, is a non-profit 501(c)(3) educational organization committed to providing eventing enthusiasts with a competitive level suited to their individual skills. By assisting and educating competitors, event organizers, and officials; maintaining responsible safety standards; and registering qualified competitions and clinics, the USEA offers strong and continuous training opportunities for an ever-expanding field of world-class competitors. Just as importantly, the USEA provides a means for all riders, regardless of age or ability, to experience the thrill of eventing.
While the USEA’s home office is based in Leesburg, Virginia, many of the small staff of 17 professionals that work to fulfill the duties and mission of the Association work semi or fully remote to accomplish their individual responsibilities. To better help the USEA members communicate with and get to know the team behind the USEA, the USEA will be featuring a Meet the Staff article once a month to help you identify which members of the team might best assist you with your individual needs. This month the USEA is proud to introduce you to the powerful team that manages the Media and Communications Team.
Two of the USEA staff members make up the small, but mighty USEA Media and Communications Team: Meagan DeLisle, Media and Communications Manager and Lindsay Berreth, Media and Communications Coordinator. All of the public-facing content that the USEA membership enjoy such as news articles on useventing.com, social media, the Eventing USA magazine, and more are a result of this team’s hard work each day.
DeLisle recently celebrated her two-year anniversary with the USEA after years in the equestrian journalism, marketing, and public relations field. You might recognize her as one of the USEA Media Team members who always has her camera in hand at USEA events or who has tracked you down for a quote or two after your rides. DeLisle manages the overall ongoings of the Media and Communications team and serves as the Managing Editor for the Eventing USA magazine. She coordinates the team’s travel and coverage schedule and oversees the creation of content schedules that are both informative and educational for the USEA membership.
“I have my dream job,” stated DeLisle. “Whenever I was a kid people always asked me what I wanted to do for a living, and I knew I loved writing and riding, so to have found a career where I can combine those two passions feels surreal at times. I love sharing the untold stories of our members, putting together educational content in all forms of media that can help fellow eventers reach their 'ah-ha moment,' and getting to travel all over to see some of the most beautiful horse trials our country has to offer.”
DeLisle took a break from eventing after the birth of her son Whit but couldn’t shake the horse bug. She now enjoys showing on the AQHA Ranch Riding circuit in her free time, always with her supportive horse show husband, Wayne, and little family in tow. As one of the USEA’s fully remote staff, DeLisle is enjoying raising her growing family on the family ranch she grew up on in Missouri. She and her husband will welcome their second child, daughter Mattie Jane, at the end of April/early May. Fittingly enough, Mattie Jane is looking like she might make her big arrival the week of the Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event.
“It’s a busy job, and we are often behind the scenes for the most part,” DeLisle said. “But nothing brings me more joy than reading the positive and uplifting comments from our members when we share an interest or educational piece that resonates with them. Our team strives to create unique content that truly represents the USEA membership as a whole. As a lower-level eventer on hiatus myself, it is so much fun getting to shine the spotlight on the diverse community of individuals that make up this sport from top to bottom. That is what brings me the most joy in my everyday work and what fuels me to keep going when the days at the horse show feel long!”
Berreth’s name is not a new one to the world of equestrian journalism, especially in eventing. Many will recognize Berreth from her long-standing career at The Chronicle of the Horse. She joined the USEA team at the start of 2023 and has brought with her years of journalistic integrity which the USEA is excited to tap into. From event coverage, photojournalism, creative storytelling, and more, Berreth brings a wide variety of extremely important skills to the Media team at the USEA.
“I’ve loved eventing since I was 10 years old,” shared Berreth, “so to be able to work for the USEA to combine my passion with my job is really amazing. I love writing about the hard-working adult amateur as much as the Olympic-level rider, and I can always find some way to connect to whoever I’m writing about because we all share a love for this sport and for our horses.”
Berreth loves getting to travel the country reporting on the latest and greatest eventing action and capturing the best moments from behind the camera. This year, she is very much looking forward to reporting at the Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event for the USEA, after having attended the event in the past as both a fan and a credentialed media member for The Chronicle of the Horse.
Berreth’s passion for eventing carries on into her personal life as well. When she's not behind the camera for the USEA, you can probably find her at the barn. Berreth previously competed through the Preliminary level and earned her USDF bronze medal on her heart horse Oh So Extreme, who unfortunately passed away in 2021. In June 2022, she partnered with her new 6-year-old off-the-track Thoroughbred gelding Guising, or “Gus.”
“He keeps me pretty busy,” she joked, "and I’m hoping to make our eventing debut later this summer.”
The USEA is proud to employ some of the best of the best in the country to support the needs of our members. Be on the lookout for more staff profiles to better help put faces to the names of the team behind the USEA and to help point you in the right direction of which staff member can best assist you in the future.
The USEA is saddened to share the passing of Sara Kozumplik’s five-star partner As You Like It at the age of 34. The gelding died in his sleep at his retirement home at Kozumplik's parents' residence.
The 2024 USEA Emerging Athletes U21 (EA21) National Camp is just a little over a month away and all over the country, young riders are preparing for their trip to Ocala, Florida, to participate in this year's prestigious week-long academy led by U.S. eventing legend David O'Connor. This year's camp takes place Dec. 31, 2024, through Jan. 4, 2025, and will feature classroom sessions, guest lecturers, and in the saddle work as a group to help strengthen the foundation of each rider selected to participate.
Bringing along a young horse is such a special process for everyone involved. The USEA is excited to dedicate an episode to celebrating some of the special young horses in the United States that have risen to the occasion. Joining USEA Podcast Host Nicole Brown in this episode are Tommy Greengard, the rider and co-owner of this year's Holekamp/Turner Grant Recipient That's Me Z who represented the U.S. at Le Lion this year, and Kaylawna Smith-Cook, who piloted Bonner Carpenter's Only-Else to the highest national score in the Dutta Corp. USEA Young Event Horse 5-Year-Old Championships.
Cornelia Fletcher (USA) and Daytona Beach 8 were the only pair to jump double clear in the B&D Builders CCI4*-L at The Event at TerraNova, claiming the win with a final score of 41.4 penalties.