United States Eventing Association

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.

There is still time to experience the long format of three-day eventing this year, by competing in a fall USEA Classic Series Event! The USEA Classic Series offers long-format eventing at the Beginner Novice, Novice, Training, Modified, and Preliminary levels, and there are still a few left on the fall calendar in various Areas.

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to compete in a traditional long format Three-Day Event? Can you imagine the thrill of three additional phases leading into cross-country? In the early 2000s, eventing began to shift away from long format events and toward modern short-format competitions. Not all is lost though! The United States Eventing Association (USEA) created the USEA Classic Series to give riders a taste of the old school experience. These competitions preserve eventing’s history and allow riders at the Beginner Novice through Preliminary levels to take on the challenge of traditional long format events.

The Event at Rebecca Farm, which took place July 20 -24, was host to the third USEA Classic Series event of 2022, offering both Training Three-Day (T3D) and Novice Three-Day (N3D) divisions. Traveling from Wilton, California, it was Marissa Nielsen who emerged victorious in the T3D with Black DiAmond Partner’s 6-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding Ozzie (Well Done x Zina), while the Kirkland, Washington native, Raquel Egdes brought home the win in the N3D aboard her own 6-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding Ardeo Refined (Numero Cruise x Mountain Beauty).

There are so many things to love about the USEA Classic Series: the way the conditioning and preparation strengthens your bond with your horse, the educational opportunities to enhance your skills as a rider, and, of course, your chance to experience the rush of the classic long format three-day event. There are eight Classic Series events taking place across the U.S. in the 2022 season and they are a great goal for many horse and rider pairs to work towards. Featuring the traditional long-format phases of roads and tracks and steeplechase in addition to the three regular phases of a horse trial, a USEA Classic Series event puts partnerships to the ultimate test. For riders who have already ticked off completing a long-format event from their bucket list, looking back on the thrill of steeplechase before heading out on cross-country often comes with fond memories. Check out what these USEA riders had to say about their favorite steeplechase moments!

Join USEA Podcast Host Nicole Brown as she chats with technical delegate, judge, steward, instructor, USEA committee and task-force member, and all-around eventing extraordinaire Gretchen Butts about the proper preparations to set you up for success when aiming for a USEA Classic Series event.

The USEA Classic Series offers the long format of three-day eventing at the Beginner Novice through Preliminary level. It’s a fan favorite among adult amateur and junior members who want to experience the thrill of steeplechase but, it can also be beneficial to professionals as well.