United States Eventing Association

Sporting Spirit at the 2021 USEA Intercollegiate Eventing Championships Opening Ceremony

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.

• Hannah Miller (Auburn University)
• Katie Sullivan(Auburn University)
• Emily Martin (Clemson University)
• Kelly Waters (Clemson University)
• Meghan Cleary (James Madison University)
• Alayna Newsome (James Madison University)
• Ariana Freeman (James Madison University)
• Sydney Guy (Randolph-Macon College)
• Kaley Rak (University of Florida)
• Audrey Utley (University of Georgia)
• Jackie LeMastus (University of Kentucky)
• Madeleine Richards(University of Kentucky)
• Lillian Dobat (University of Kentucky)
• Macy Clark (University of Kentucky)
• Ashley Will (University of Louisville)
• Jessica Wymbs (University of South Carolina-Aiken)
• Madeleine Ix (University of Virginia)
• Arden Stephens (University of Virginia)
• Abigail Winfree (Virginia Tech)
• Mackenzie Krason (Virginia Tech)
  

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.