United States Eventing Association

The United States Eventing Association, Inc. (USEA) is proud to announce several exciting updates to the guidelines for the USEA Classic Series Beginner Novice and Novice Classic Three-Day events for the 2023 competition season. As of May 1, 2023, new qualification requirements for competing in the Beginner Novice and Novice Classic Three-Day divisions, as well as new dressage tests specific to these Classic levels, will go into effect. Continue reading for a full breakdown on how this will affect your road to a Beginner Novice or Novice Classic Three-Day Event this year!

When super groom Max Corcoran mentioned in 2005 that it would be fun to participate in a USEA Classic Series event, her employer and eventing legend Karen O’Connor took that to heart. “I did a lot of grooming for the classic format when Kentucky and all those other competitions were proper long format,” Corcoran shared. “When Gretchen [Butts] started offering the Classic Series at Waredaca [Gaithersburg, Maryland,] she asked if I would come up and do some lectures to help people understand what the 10-minute box was and how to pack for it. I did that a few times and said to Karen, ‘Man, it would be so fun to do one of these.’ And so Karen's like, 'You want to do one? Yeah, you're gonna do one next year.'”

The United States Eventing Association’s Area X of Arizona, Nevada, and New Mexico will kick off its 2023 calendar of USEA-recognized horse trials in March with the vision of growing the SAzEA Horse Trials and returning the Coconino Horse Trials to their profile as a destination event following the effects of COVID-19 and then wildfires in the area.

Experience the thrill of traditional long format three-day eventing by competing in a USEA Classic Series event in 2023! The United States Eventing Association (USEA) is pleased to announce that the 2023 Classic Series calendar is now available.

The USEA is so incredibly proud to allow the thrill of the 'chase to live on for those who want to experience the unforgettable rush of the classic long format three-day event through our USEA Classic Series events. Long-format events from the Beginner Novice to Preliminary levels are still a reality with the USEA Classic Series and include roads and tracks, steeplechase, and cross-country on "endurance day," as well as horse inspections. In addition, educational activities are offered at the USEA Classic Series Events to help prepare competitors, especially those who are contesting their first-ever long format event.

In the final USEA Classic Series event of 2022, three horse and rider pairs rode their way to the top of the podium in the Training, Novice, and Beginner Novice 3-Day divisions offered during the Ram Tap Horse Park Horse Trials which took place November 18-20 in Fresno, California.

One of the most valuable awards at the Waredaca Classic Three-Day Event on October 21-23, 2022, were the prizes for the Road to the Three-Day Challenge. The Challenge started in July and ended at the Waredaca Classic in October. Novice and Training level riders had to compete in at least three of the events in the Challenge and Beginner Novice riders had to compete in at least two of the events, in addition to completing the Waredaca Classic.

Nearly 100 horse and rider pairs traveled to Laytsonville, Maryland to compete in the four USEA Classic Series divisions offered at the Waredaca Three-Day Event and Horse Trials held October 21-23, 2022, but only four new Three-Day Champions were crowned. Meet the Champions of the Waredaca Preliminary, Training, Novice, and Beginner Novice Three-Day Events!

Professional rider Ashley Kehoe has been eventing since she was 13. The former hunter/jumper rider who got her start at the early age of nine had the opportunity to attend the Radnor Hunt Three-Day event on endurance day and was bitten by the eventing bug.

Three new USEA Classic Series champions were crowned during the Spokane Sport Horse Farm Horse Trials in Spokane, Washington which were held September 29 through October 2nd. Three Classic Series divisions were offered at the Training, Novice, and Beginner Novice levels.