We recently asked our members on social media to tell us about their 2024 successes. Amateur rider Alyssa Schaefer (Petaluma, California) wrote in about her year with her 16-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding Fuego (Furst Romancier x Stanzie).
Success in eventing isn’t just about standing atop the podium or achieving personal bests. It’s about enduring long enough to reach those moments. The road is rarely smooth—it’s filled with setbacks, challenges, and lessons that demand grit and resilience from both horse and rider.
For Fuego and me, 2024 marked a decade of partnership—a milestone I treasure deeply. Over these 10 years, Fuego has faced trials that many believed would end his career, but time and again, he’s proven that setbacks are just steppingstones for comebacks. His story is one of unwavering determination, and this year was a testament to his indomitable spirit.
In 2020, we discovered Fuego had a tendon injury. The rehabilitation process lasted an entire year—where at times hope only seemed like a theory taught in books. At the time, we had just reached the Intermediate level, a pinnacle of achievement for us both. Then, seemingly overnight, it was ripped away. Any horse person will tell you: when our horses are hurt, we hurt too. The road to recovery was long and uncertain, and few believed we could overcome it.
Fast forward to now, and Fuego has far exceeded expectations. In 2022, he finished fourth in a CCI3*-S, and our growth has continued ever since. This year, a standout moment was our third-place finish in our first-ever Advanced Intermediate—a culmination of years of training, trust, and incremental progress. That result reignited our aspirations to tackle Advanced next year, a goal that once felt distant and daunting.
However, eventing has a way of humbling you even in moments you feel prepared. Just one show later, an early mistake on cross-country left me face-first in the dirt, sporting my first-ever black eye and a fat, bloody lip. Those bruises weren’t just physical—they were colorful reminders of the patience, resilience, and hours of hard work it takes to master this sport.
We ended the season on a high note with a victory at Intermediate at Aspen Farms in Washington—a competition I wholeheartedly rate five-stars for its challenging courses and breathtaking scenery.
Through all the highs and lows, one thing remains constant: the reward of seeing hard work come to fruition. Fuego and I have poured countless hours into this journey—not just in the saddle but also in his rehabilitation. Over the years, Fuego has faced injuries and setbacks that tested both his body and spirit. Yet, every time, he has come back stronger, teaching me lessons about perseverance that extend far beyond the arena.
What makes Fuego’s story truly special isn’t just the ribbons or results. It’s the unwavering partnership we’ve built over 10 years—the longest I’ve ever had in this sport. It’s the way he meets challenges with courage, even when the odds seem insurmountable. He inspires me, every day, to be better for him.
To anyone navigating a setback with their horse right now, know that you're not alone. I understand the frustration, the doubts, and the fear of an uncertain future. But keep your head up—there is so much joy in seeing your horse return stronger than ever.
Riders in both the Cosequin Lexington CCI4*-S and the Defender Kentucky CCI5*-L are sharing similar sentiments about this year's cross-country courses: course designer Derek di Grazia didn't play around this year. Here is what some of the riders across both divisions had to say about the tracks they will aim to conquer on Saturday.
Off The Record decided not to let Michael Jung be the only record-breaking entry at the Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event this week and delivered a career-best score in the Cosequin Lexington CCI4*-S on Friday morning. He and Will Coleman delivered a test that received a score of 21.8, not only marking a personal best for the horse but also securing their position at the top of the leaderboard going into cross-country tomorrow.
Boyd Martin and the 12-year-old Holsteiner gelding Commando 3 were the last pair to go in the Defender Kentucky CCI5*-L field on Friday afternoon and were warmly greeted to the bluegrass with an impressive downpour that outshined anything the other horse and rider pairs had to combat throughout the day. But that didn’t stop this pair from putting their best foot forward and impressing the judges enough to earn them a score of 26.0, just 0.2 points ahead of second-place pair Tom McEwen (GBR) and Brookfield Quality.
Please always remain vigilant when it comes to sending any personal communications via email or text. Every year we receive reports of members and leaders of our sport receiving phishing attempts both online and by phone. These are often communications disguised as being sent from USEA staff or other leaders. As the years go on, the phishing attempts appear to be more directed and tailored.