United States Eventing Association

The 2021 USEA Annual Meeting & Convention is right around the corner and there is a packed schedule of educational seminars that will be presented this year in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Brush up on your horsemanship skills, prepare yourself for your next event, tackle some hot-topic conversations, and so much more while attending this year’s convention. Take a peek at six seminars being offered on this year’s schedule, preview the rest of the convention schedule, and don’t forget to register to attend!

Equine Syndication 101: Everything You Wanted to Know, but Were Afraid to Ask!

Friday, December 10 | 8:00 a.m. - 9:00 a.m.
Speaker: Yvonne Ocrant

Ever considered a syndicate but did not know where to start? Yvonne C. Ocrant, a fellow eventer, and equine law attorney understands that syndication agreements, like horses, come in all shapes and sizes. Yvonne has organized over 260 syndicates over the last 10 years and can introduce you to the concept and get you going on your way to organizing your own syndicate. Whether you are a rider, horse owner, or simply a generous supporter wanting to get involved, Yvonne will provide a detailed understanding of her syndicate program and walk you through how to get started. Yvonne will provide a checklist of terms for any syndication agreement and help you answer each one for your specific syndicate. Do not miss this opportunity to learn everything you wanted to know about syndication, but were afraid to ask. As a convention attendee, Yvonne will provide you with a free initial consultation and provide your syndication services at a reduced convention special flat fee rate you will not find anywhere else from such an experienced attorney in the equine industry.

Flow State in Elite Eventers

Friday, December 10 | 11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Speaker: Ashley Johnson

In the spring of 2021, Ashley Johnson conducted research for her master’s thesis on the influence of performance strategies and baseline resilience levels on the thresholds of flow state that elite eventers experienced during competition. This was an original study that she conceived of because she thought eventing is a fascinating and challenging sport mentally, and event riders are truly a breed of their own! Unlike many other sports, eventing is a high-risk sport that encompasses both male and female athletes from a variety of nationalities and age levels, yet in the realm of performance psychology, virtually no research has been done on eventers. For her study, Johnson was able to collect data from athletes competing at every FEI competition in the United States from the beginning of the year through the Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event. In this talk, she will discuss her findings.

The Perceived Need for Speed

Friday, December 10 | 3:00 - 4:00 p.m.
Speaker: John Staples

Speed: How it is influenced by course design and how it has changed over the years! John Staples is a USEA ICP Certified Level III Instructor as well as an Advanced level competitor. Staples was long-listed for the 1992 and 1996 Olympic Teams and was named as an alternate for the 1988 Olympic Team. Staples helped initiate the Cross-Country Speed Study, which is investigating the rate at which horse/rider pairs negotiate cross-country obstacles and the impact on safety. Staples has also served on the USEF Safety Committee.

Making Strides for Equality and Growing the Sport

Saturday, December 11 | 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m.
Speaker: Dr. Anastasia Curwood and Heather Gillette

What does eventing have to do with equality in our nation and the world? Join the co-chairs of the USEA Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee and the co-founders of Strides for Equality Equestrians (SEE) to find out. They will explain how Equestrians of Color are a vital part of our sport and how others can be their allies.

Competing in Thermally Challenging Climates (Virtual Session)

Saturday, December 11 | 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.
Speaker: Dr. David Marlin

The Atlanta 1996 Olympics marked a turning point in the equestrian world’s approach to competing in challenging thermal climates, particularly with respect to the Summer Olympics where there is no option to schedule to avoid hot months of the year due to the fixed calendar. The U.S. equestrian community and researchers, supported by the USEF and USEA, played a major role in the FEI’s International collaborative research effort aimed at creating a knowledge base on equine thermoregulation and travel. Dr. Marlin was fortunate to be closely involved with both UK and U.S. groups of researchers and that research output and experience has facilitated his role as the FEI’s Climate Mitigation Advisor at Athens 2004, Beijing 2008, and Tokyo 2020. The FEI’s priorities for managing competitions in thermally challenging climates are first, horse and rider safety and welfare, and secondly, that no competitor should be disadvantaged by the conditions. In this talk, Dr. Marlin will explain how our experience since Atlanta 1996 has grown and how this was implemented in Tokyo 2020 to run a safe and successful Olympic Games.

Eventing’s Evolving: 3 Top Riders Predict What’s Next

Saturday, December 11 | 2:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Speaker: Lauren Nicholson, Kyle Carter, and Jon Holling

Join Lauren Nicholson, Kyle Carter, and Jon Holling as they discuss the future of the sport in the U.S. and globally. They'll reflect on the sport as it is today and their hopes and predictions for the future.

The speakers will cover the following questions and take questions from the audience throughout the discussion:

• Where is the greatest need for innovation in the industry?
• What efforts or programs will make the US the most competitive country in the world?
• What safety measures are most effective and what (if any) new safety measures would be helpful?
• If you could change anything about the sport today, what would it be?
• How have the demands at each level changed in recent years, and how do you expect/hope that continues to evolve?
• The sport has changed significantly in the past 10 years. Which of those changes do you think was most beneficial?
• Will professional athletes' business models shift?

The discussion will be moderated by Ride iQ Co-Founders Kinsey and Jessa Lux.

Details about these sessions and more are available on the USEA Convention website.

Registration is now open! Click here to register.

Reserve a room at the Hyatt Regency Albuquerque by clicking here to receive the special USEA rate.

For more information about the 2021 USEA Annual Meeting & Convention, click here or contact [email protected].

About the USEA Annual Meeting & Convention

The USEA Annual Meeting & Convention takes place each December and brings together a large group of dedicated USEA members and supporters to discuss, learn, and enjoy being surrounded by other eventing enthusiasts. The USEA organizes multiple seminars in addition to committee meetings, open forums, and tons of fun! The 2021 USEA Annual Meeting & Convention is taking place at the Hyatt Regency Albuquerque Hotel in Albuquerque, New Mexico, December 9-12, 2021. Click here to learn more about the USEA Annual Meeting & Convention.

The USEA would like to thank the USEA Annual Meeting & Convention Sponsors: Adequan, Bates Saddles, Mountain Horse USA, Nunn Finer, Nutrena, Parker Equine Insurance, RevitaVet, Rebecca Farm, SmartPak Equine, Standlee Premium Western Forage, Stackhouse Saddles, Sunsprite Sporthorses, World Equestrian Brands, and Saratoga Horseworks.