At the 2018 USEA Annual Meeting & Convention held in New Orleans, Louisiana last weekend, the USEA Foundation awarded the 2019 grants at the 2018 Year End Awards Ceremony, including the $45,000 Wilton Fair Grant, the $10,000 Rebecca Broussard National Developing Rider Grant, and the $50,000 Rebecca Broussard International Developing Rider Grant. This week on the USEA Podcast, we checked in with the grant winners about their plans for the grants. This year, Savannah Fulton received the $45,000 Wilton Fair Grant, Andrea Baxter received the "Little Becky" $10,000 Rebecca Broussard National Developing Rider Grant, and Frankie Thieriot Stutes $50,000 received the "Big Becky" Rebecca Broussard International Developing Rider Grant.
Then, stay tuned to hear from the new members of the 2018 USEA's Eventing Hall of Fame who were inducted at the 2018 USEA Annual Meeting & Convention Hall of Fame Gala on Saturday night. The 7th USEA's Eventing Hall of Fame honored Karen O'Connor, Dr. A. Martin "Marty" Simensen, Out and About, Howard Simpson, Nina and Tim Gardner, and Captain Mark Phillips. The USEA will also be releasing videos from the induction ceremony on U.S. Eventing TV.
Karma is developing into one of the fastest and most-reliable cross-country horses in the West. The 9-year-old bay Oldenburg mare and James Alliston won their third-straight blue ribbon together at either the four-star or Advanced level in the CCI4*-S at the Twin Rivers Fall International in Paso Robles, California, with the only double-clear cross-country round on Saturday.
Most couples share a kiss and part ways at 8:00 a.m. as they head off to their own work days, but eventing power couple James and Helen Alliston do it all together. We gave our USEA members the opportunity to submit their questions for this West Coast-based couple, and USEA Podcast host Nicole Brown gets them to share all on many topics: eventing in the U.S. versus the U.K., who is the most competitive of the two, dealing with warmer temperatures, why James likes to drive illegally slow, and so much more!
The Plantation Field International CCI4*-S concluded today with the cross-country phase, and the final standings were nearly a matter of “last one standing.” As Tropical Storm Ophelia brought a torrential downpour to the area, a number of riders decided to opt out: of 39 competitors, only six completed, and 17 withdrew before the start of cross-country.
After 15 years of successfully cultivating and establishing the Future Event Horse (FEH) program for eventing breeders and owners, the United States Eventing Association (USEA) has merged the FEH program with the Young Horse Show Series (YHS). The updated YHS allows for a more comprehensive show series for sport horses in the U.S., as the YHS is now open to young talent with a future in eventing, as well as hunters, jumpers, and dressage.