United States Eventing Association

Lexington, VA, May 5, 2016 - Free entries and team prizes will be awarded at the inaugural USEA Intercollegiate Eventing Team Championship May 26-29, 2016 at the Virginia Horse Center. Colleges from around the East Coast are expected to travel to Lexington, Va. and compete for the title of 2016 Intercollegiate Champion and show their school spirit.

“The excitement surrounding the upcoming USEA Intercollegiate Eventing Team Championships is evident across the country,” said USEA CEO Rob Burk. “College and University students have been reaching out to us for months in anticipation of the event at the Virginia Horse Trials. The competition hosts are working hard to ensure that our riders have a memorable experience with a strong emphasis on team camaraderie.”

All college competitors will be stabled together in “College Town” which will be located in a large stabling complex with an indoor arena. Riders stabled in College Town will have a dedicated scoreboard to keep up with the college team standings and championship announcements.

Each team is encouraged to set up gazebos and tents in College Town and decorate their stabling area with their school colors, banners and gear to show their school pride. The team with the best decorations that show the most school spirit will win the “Spirit Award” and be awarded with free entries for the team. Additional criteria for the Spirit Award will be available soon.

Schools may send multiple teams, and each team may consist of riders competing at different levels. Each team in the Championship will consist of three or four members from Beginner Novice through Advanced/Intermediate as well as CCI* and CIC2*.

To account for differences in level difficulty, each rider’s score is multiplied by a coefficient appropriate for their level and then the individual scores are added together to determine the team score. Only the best three individual scores will count towards the team score, so teams of four will have one “drop” score.

The team with the lowest score at the end of three phases will be named the 2016 Intercollegiate Champion. Team ribbons and prizes will be awarded through fourth place.

“Virginia Horse Trials is delighted to be hosting the inaugural Intercollegiate Team championship,” said organizer Andy Bowles. “The increased development of eventing programs within colleges is both great for our sport and the participating riders and we are proud to be involved.”

To participate in the Championship, schools must be affiliated with the USEA. For more information, contact Kate Lokey at [email protected] or (703) 779-9897.

This event closes next Tuesday, May 10, so get those entires in! Click here for the omnibus listing.

About the USEA Intercollegiate Program

In 2014, the USEA Board of Governors approved the creation of the Intercollegiate Eventing Program as an official program of the USEA. Originally proposed with input from the Intercollegiate Eventing League, the program was established to provide a framework on which Eventing teams and individual competition could flourish at universities and colleges across the country. Click here to see if your school is an University Affiliate.

Don’t forget if you have not yet renewed your membership with the USEA – Collegiate members get a $25 discount! Log onto your Online Services Account to renew, and a $25 refund will be issued after the USEA has received proof of enrollment.

About the Virginia Horse Trials

The Virginia Horse Trials has been a premier Eventing destination for over 25 years. Situated on 600 acres, the Virginia Horse Center is a first-class venue. Brian and Penny Ross founded the Virginia Horse Trials in 1989, and organized the Event through its 25th Anniversary in 2014. Andy Bowles took over the organization of the Virginia Horse Trials in 2015 and looks forward to maintaining it as a destination for east coast eventers in the years to come.