United States Eventing Association

Rule Refresher: Changes to the USEF Rules for Eventing in 2021

US Equestrian (USEF) has released the updated USEF Rules for Eventing for the 2021 season which will go into effect on December 1, 2020. Changes this year include relaxed dress requirements, riders will no longer be required to wear a medical armband (unless they have a relevant medical condition), activating a frangible device will now carry a penalty of 11 points, and this coming year we will see the addition of the new Modified Three-Day Event!

Changes to the USEF Rules for Eventing that take effect on December 1, 2020 are marked in bold italics below. View the complete rulebook here - rules for eventing begin on page 653.

EV 113 Medical Requirements

3. MEDICAL CARDS/MEDICAL BRACELETS

To ensure that vital information is available to medical personnel in the case of emergency, competitors must comply with the following:

a. It is mandatory that competitors include the telephone number of an emergency contact on the entry form.

b. Declaration of medical condition. Competitors with medical conditions that may be relevant in case of a medical emergency are responsible for wearing either a medical data carrier (Medical data carrier: a small emblem or tag worn on a bracelet, neck chain, or on the clothing, intended to alert medical personnel/physicians that the wearer has an important medical condition) or a medical armband at every event while riding. Alternatively (and at minimum) a medical armband can be used. Conditions that are relevant include recent head injury, serious past injuries/surgery, chronic health problems such as diabetes, long-term medications, and allergies. If in doubt, the competitor should discuss this with his/her own treating physician.

EV 114 Dress

5. Dressage Test

a. Horse Trials (Beginner Novice through Preliminary)—protective headgear—any color helmet will be allowed; tasteful and discreet accents, such as a different color or modest piping or crystal decorations, are acceptable, including national flags; Coat—any single color jacket will be allowed, including tweeds and pinstripes; tasteful and discreet accents, such as a collar, cuff, lapel, piping, of any color, or crystal decorations are acceptable. Tailcoats are not permitted; Shirt—any color and design; tasteful and discreet accents, such as a collar, cuff, piping, are acceptable with stock and pin, or choker, or tie; Gloves (if worn)—dark color, tan, beige or white; Jodhpurs, Breeches—light color or white; Boots— black, brown, or other dark hue, modest piping of a different color is permitted, field, jodhpur or a black or brown full grain smooth leather leg piece and matching leather boots. Chaps and/or half-chaps are not allowed. Members of armed and police forces, service dress, regulation headgear and spurs in accordance with EV114.

b. Competitors at Beginner Novice through Modified may compete without a jacket. In such cases, shirt - long- or short-sleeved with collar and without neckwear, any color and design; tasteful and discreet accents, such as a collar, cuff, piping, is acceptable, neatly tucked into riding breeches.

c. Horse Trials (Intermediate and Advanced) As above, with the exception gloves and coats required. Tailcoats permitted. Members of armed and police forces, service dress with gloves, regulation headgear and spurs in accordance with EV114.

6. CROSS-COUNTRY TEST

Light-weight clothing is appropriate for this test, a shirt (any color) with sleeves must be worn. Protective Headgear in accordance with paragraph 1 above. This headgear may be any color. Breeches or jodhpurs may be any color; Gloves (if worn) may be any color; Boots—black, brown, or any dark hue, modest piping of a different color is permitted, field, jodhpur or a black or brown full grain smooth leather leg piece and matching leather boots. Chaps or half-chaps are not allowed.

7. JUMPING TEST

Protective headgear, any color helmet will be allowed; tasteful and discreet accents, such as a different color or modest piping or crystal decorations, are acceptable, including national flags. Gloves (if worn)—dark color, tan, beige or white; Jodhpurs, Breeches—light color or white; Boots—black, brown, or other dark hue, modest piping of a different color is permitted, field, jodhpur or a black or brown full grain smooth leather leg piece and matching leather boots. Chaps or half-chaps are not allowed. Member of armed and police forces, as in EV114.5.b. Coat (if worn)—any single colored jacket will be allowed, including tweeds and pinstripes; tasteful and discreet accents, such as a collar, cuff, lapel, piping of any color or crystal decorations, are acceptable. Shirt—of any color and design; tasteful and discreet accents, such as a collar, cuff, piping, is acceptable, stock with pin, choker or tie. Eventing Tests, Beginner Novice through Modified at any horse trial format: Competitors may compete without a jacket. In such cases, shirt – long- or short-sleeved with collar and without neckwear, any color and design; tasteful and discreet accents, such as a collar, cuff, piping, is acceptable, neatly tucked into riding breeches.

8. At the Preliminary, Intermediate, and Advanced levels when all three phases of a Horse Trials are contested over one day, competitors may compete without a jacket. Protective headgear, protective vests, and clothing as above.

10. EXTREME WEATHER

At temperatures above 85°F, a heat index above 85°, or at the discretion of the Ground Jury or the Organizer, competitors in preliminary, intermediate, and advanced levels will be permitted to compete without jackets, in the dressage and/or jumping tests. In such cases, competitors must wear either a long or short sleeved shirt of any color and design; tasteful and discreet accents, such as a collar, cuff, piping is acceptable without neckwear; members of the armed forces and police units may ride in their summer uniforms. In inclement weather competitors may wear a windbreaker jacket or raincoat over their clothing; their number must be visible.

EV 140 Cross-Country Obstacles

6. NUMBER OF JUMPING EFFORTS

c. At the Beginner Novice and Novice levels, water crossings will be flagged and numbered and subject to penalties but will not be counted in the number of jumping efforts.

EV 141 Cross-Country Scoring

1. FAULTS AT OBSTACLES

a. Disobediences -
6. Activating a frangible fence 11 penalties

EV 155 Three-Day Events – Introduction

3. LEVELS

The levels of Three-Day Events are indicated by stars. The seven levels of Three-Day are:

1. Training Three-Day Event - An educational introduction to the Three-Day Event at the Training Level
2. Modified Three-Day Event – An educational introduction to the Three-Day Event at the Modified Level
3. Preliminary Three-Day Event – An educational introduction to the Three-Day Event at the Preliminary Level
4. One Star (*)
5. Two Star (**)—An introduction to the Three-Day Event for competitors and horses.
6. Three Star (***)—For competitors with some experience in Three-Day Events on horses just beginning International competition. Four Star (****)—For competitors and horses with some International experience.
7. Five Star (*****)— For experienced and successful combinations of International competitors and horses

EV 156 Three-Day Events – Rules

2. NATIONAL THREE-DAY EVENTS

These competitions are conducted in accordance with the USEF Rules for Eventing and the additions and exceptions noted below. Guidance and clarifications of procedure may be found in the USEA Classic Series Guidelines.

Preliminary Three-Day Events, Training Three-Day Events, and Modified Three-Day Events are conducted under the same rules as National Three-Day Events and include a central emphasis on education of horse and rider, including permitting organizer designated supervised schooling over parts of the steeplechase course prior to the start of the test.

Appendix 3 – Participation in Horse Trials

3. Levels of Horse Trials and Classic Events

3.7 MODIFIED THREE-DAY EVENT- Open to competitors of any age, on horses five years of age or older. Both the competitor and the horse as a combination must have obtained MERs at three horse trials at the Training level or higher, plus an additional MER at Modified level or higher with no jumping penalties at obstacles on the Cross-Country test. A competitor established at the Preliminary level may compete on a horse that has obtained two MERs at the Training level or higher. Qualifying competitions must be completed within a 24-month period of the start of the Classic Competition.

A competitor and/or a horse may be entered in a Horse Trial without having fulfilled the qualifications noted below, provided the qualifications have been fulfilled at least 10 days before the Cross-Country Test of the competition for which it is needed if the MER (MINIMUM ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS) has been achieved at a Horse Trial or CCI-S or at least 24 days if the MER has been achieved at a CCI-L. For Preliminary, Modified, and Training Classic Three-Day Events, qualifying competitions must be completed within a 24-month period of the start of the competition. At the CCI* level and above, at least one MER must be obtained in the 12-month period prior to the competition. e.g. a horse and/or rider who have achieved a MER at a CCI4* level of competition and who have not competed for over 12 months must first achieve a MER at the next lowest height level.

	Modified
Dressage	Modified 3D test to be written and approved once classic three-day level approved
Phase A
• Distance	2640-3960 meters
• Speed	220 meters per minutes
• Time	12-18 minutes
Phase B
• Distance	1650-1925 meters
• Speed	550 meters per minute
• Speed Fault	n/a
• Time	3 or 3.5 minutes
• Jumping Efforts	5-7, 4’1” maximum brush height
Phase A
• Distance	2880-6160 meters
• Speed	160 or 220 meters per minutes
• Time	18-28 minutes
Phase B
• Distance	2695-3675 meters
• Speed	490 meters per minute
• Speed Fault	n/a
• Time	5.5-7.5 minutes
• Jumping Efforts	24-30, no more than one effort commenced per 130 meters.
Show Jumping
• Distance	600 meters
• Speed	325 meters per minute
• Jumping Efforts	10-13
• Height	1.05 meters (3’5”)
• Overall Spread of Oxers	1.25 meters (4’1”)
• Overall Spread of Triple Bars	1.45 meters (4’9”)

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