The United States Eventing Association (USEA) is pleased to announce a new partnership with the Retired Racehorse Project (RRP), aimed at educating the trainers of young event horses and Thoroughbred ex-racehorses.
RRP’s Thoroughbred Makeover and USEA’s new Young Event Horse Professional Trainer Certification both seek to improve and evaluate the skills of trainers. The largest sport in RRP’s Thoroughbred Makeover is eventing, and the most heavily represented breed in the Young Event Horse program is the Thoroughbred.
According to RRP President Steuart Pittman, “RRP was thrilled to learn that USEA is embarking on a program to educate and certify trainers of young event horses, as well as instructors of those trainers through its highly successful Instructor Certification Program. Young professional trainers in the sport of eventing have always relied on off-track Thoroughbreds as an affordable entry into the business. We want to continue that tradition and strengthen it by driving Thoroughbred Makeover trainers into the new Young Event Horse Professional Trainer Certification.”
USEA’s ICP Symposium in Ocala, Florida next week includes sessions on young event horse training, led by Australia’s Chris Burton. All attendees are invited to a Tuesday evening gathering at Ocala Jockey Club where this collaboration will be discussed further. Tickets may be purchased at this link.
During the Thoroughbred Makeover and National Symposium at Kentucky Horse Park on the first weekend of October, USEA will present a seminar on the Young Event Horse (YEH) Instructor and YEH Professional Trainer Certification. RRP will promote the certification program to its members and acknowledge those who get certified in its Retired Racehorse Resource Directory.
“We have been watching the growth and development of the Retired Racehorse Project with great interest since its creation in 2010,” said USEA CEO Rob Burk. “Thoroughbreds are so integral to success in our sport that all other horses used for eventing are evaluated for how much of their ‘blood’ derives from this important breed. This relationship between the USEA and RRP marks a new step in our mutual efforts to find careers for these amazing retired racehorses and we are extremely excited for the future! We believe that the Young Event Horse program represents a fabulous way to introduce these horses to eventing and evaluate their individual potential in the sport in an educational environment.”
Retired Racehorse Project (RRP) works to facilitate placement of Thoroughbred ex-racehorses in second careers by increasing demand for them in the marketplace and inspiring equestrians to provide the training that secures their futures. RRP offers online directories, educational resources, and publishes Off-Track Thoroughbred Magazine. Its popular Thoroughbred Makeover and National Symposium is scheduled for October 5-8, 2017 at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, KY. http://www.retiredracehorseproject.org
The United States Eventing Association (USEA) 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 a strong and continuous training opportunity 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. http://useventing.com/
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.