The 2021 USEA Intercollegiate Eventing Championships have officially begun as the first intercollegiate activity took place this evening, Friday, May 28. Thirteen schools lined up for the opening ceremony at 6:00 p.m. in the coliseum at the Virginia Horse Center.
Each school entered the coliseum at the Virginia Horse Center and showed their best school spirit complete with team mascots, school chants, banners, flags, and dogs sporting their best outfits.
"This year was the best opening ceremony we've ever had at Championships," said Leslie Threlkeld, the USEA Intercollegiate Committee Chair and the Championship organizer since the first USEA Intercollegiate Eventing Championships in 2016.
New this year to the opening ceremony was the recognition of the competing Seniors from the class of 2020 and 2021. The USEA President Max Corcoran and Leslie Threlkeld presented 20 Seniors with an engraved plaque that acknowledges their participation in the USEA Intercollegiate Eventing Program.
The opening ceremony was followed by a dinner in college town for the Championship competitors. The dinner was generously provided by Andy Bowles and the Virginia Horse Trials.
The USEA would like to thank the following Seniors listed below for their participation in the USEA Intercollegiate Eventing Program.
About the USEA Intercollegiate Eventing Program
The USEA Intercollegiate Eventing Program was established in 2014 to provide a framework within which eventing teams and individual competitors could flourish at universities and colleges across the country. The USEA offers a discount of $25 on annual USEA memberships for current students of universities and colleges registered as Affiliates with the USEA. Many events across the country now offer Intercollegiate Team Challenges where collegiate eventers can compete individually as well as on teams with their fellow students. In Intercollegiate Team Challenges, each rider’s score is multiplied by a coefficient appropriate for their level to account for differences in level difficulty, and then the individual scores are added together to determine the team score. Click here to learn more about the Intercollegiate Eventing Program.
The USEA would like to thank Saratoga Horseworks, Bates Saddles, FITS, World Equestrian Brands,EQuine AMerica Magazine, Revitavet, Kerrits, R&J Equine Unlimited, LLC, and US Equestrian for sponsoring the Intercollegiate Eventing Program.
Hannah Warner wears many hats: student at the University of Kentucky, UK Eventing Team President, competitor, and head groom for Alexa Ehlers. Fitting in all of her roles and responsibilities into her day-to-day life can be a challenge, but it is a challenge that Warner finds rewarding. The college senior is working towards a business degree through UK's online business program, so Warner is able to get creative with her schedule to pursue all of her academic and eventing related goals.
The Area III Championships kicked off the 2022 USEA Area Championship season June 24-26 at the Stable View Summer H.T. in Aiken, South Carolina. Offering 12 different championship divisions from Intermediate to Beginner Novice, the championships were highly contested as riders from all across Area III put in a gallant effort in hopes of being deemed division champion. The USEA caught up with many of the individual champions to look back on their performances in Aiken that helped them bring home the top prize.
The United States Eventing Association (USEA) is pleased to announce the athletes selected for the 2022 USEA Emerging Athlete 21 (EA21) Program. USEA Young Rider program members aged 21 and under are eligible for the program, which aims to creates a pipeline for potential U.S. team riders by identifying and developing young talent, improving horsemanship and riding skills, and training and improving skills and consistency.
The USEA American Eventing Championships (AEC) presented by Nutrena Feeds are just two months away. The AEC moves to the mountains this year, taking place at Rebecca Farm in Kalispell, Montana across a long Labor Day weekend.