The United States Eventing Association’s (USEA) Professional Horseman’s Council (PHC) will be hosting The Event College at the Nutrena USEA American Eventing Championships presented by VTO Saddlery again this year. The Event College is a special series designed to educate competitors as well as the general public about the sport of Eventing, and classes will take place Thursday, Friday and Saturday during the competition.
Everyone is also welcome to join in on the PRO Coursewalks, which will be held Thursday and Friday.
A tentative schedule for the Event College is as follows: *Look for the Event College sign at the meeting spots
Thursday, September 24, 2015
12:30 PM – Meet Tamra Smith in the Advanced dressage warm-up (next to Ring 1) to discuss rider warm-up techniques
5:00 PM – Meet Cathy Wieschhoff and Angela Gryzwinski at the South end of the Rose Barn to learn about after cross-country care for the Event horse
Friday, September 25, 2015
2:30 PM – Meet cross-country course designer Captain Mark Phillips at the main water complex for course design and commentary during the Intermediate cross-country division
3:50 PM – Meet Cathy Wieschhoff at the main water complex for commentary during the Advanced cross-country
Saturday, September 26, 2015
12:00 PM – Meet Mike Huber by the VIP tent to learn about owning and/or sponsoring an Event horse
4:30 PM – Meet with Mike Huber and Rebecca Brown in Advanced Show Jump warm-up to discuss warm-up tactics before entering the show ring
The PRO Coursewalk schedule is as follows: (meet at the cross-country startbox for all)
Preliminary - Jonathan Holling on Thursday at 4:45 PM
Training - Buck Davidson on Thursday at 5:00 PM
Novice - Joe Meyer on Friday at 5:00 PM
Beginner Novice - Tamra Smith on Friday at 5:15 PM
About The Event College
The Event College was created by the USEA and the Professional Horseman’s Council to generate awareness of the sport of Eventing. The College aims to educate spectators, interested parties and the general public on the goals and function of each phase (dressage, cross-country and show jumping) and the complexity and value of the sport. High profile Eventing experts will act as “professors” and host casual, interactive dialogue with “students” of The Event College. Anyone interested in the sport of Eventing can be a student, and the opportunity is free of charge.
About PRO
The Professional Riders Organization (PRO) was founded in 2009 by accomplished Event riders. These Founding Members recognize that professional riders have an obligation to strengthen, promote and contribute to the growth of the sport in North America as well as working to promote horse and rider safety. In 2010, PRO was reorganized and incorporated as a non-profit member organization.
Since its inception in 2009, PRO has worked with event organizers to bring more spectator activities to its destination venues. PRO provides organizers with feedback after each competition to ensure that each venue is focusing on qualities that will add to the overall rider, patron, spectator and corporate partner experience.
About the AEC
The Nutrena USEA American Eventing Championships presented by VTO Saddlery is the annual American championship for every level of the Olympic equestrian sport of Eventing, from Beginner Novice to Advanced. This year the AEC is being held from September 24-27 at the Texas Rose Horse Park in Tyler, Texas.
The USEA would like to thank all the generous sponsors of the 2015 AEC including:Nutrena, VTO Saddlery, Adequan, Merial, Professional’s Choice, Broadstone,Devoucoux, Priefert, Standlee Hay, Charles Owen, Merck Animal Health, Pyranha Fly and Insect Control, Practical Horseman, DG Stackhouse, Animals to Wear, Fleeceworks, The Chronicle of the Horse, FLAIR, SmartPak, CWD, Brody Robertson Show Jumps, Point Two Air Jackets, Equine Art by Julie, Ovation, Eventing Training Online, Auburn Laboratories, Sunsprite Warmbloods, Back on Track, FITS,The Jockey Club, GumBits, NTEA, Schneiders Tack, Greenwood Farm, Pro View Global Digital Surveillance, The Scoring Chix, C4 Belts, Horse Hydrator, Kastel Denmark, SportsBrainUSA, Nature’s Select, EasyCare Inc, Likit, Noble Outfitters and more!
Eventers who are new to the sport may feel a little overwhelmed by the often-misunderstood world of saddle fitting. Riders are often bombarded with information from peers online or self-described experts, putting them at risk of following bad advice related to equipment that impacts horse welfare perhaps more than any other piece of tack. Finding a qualified expert to answer these questions is crucial. Who better to turn to than both a qualified Master Saddle Fitter and a fourth-generation saddle designer to answer some of these questions?
Did you know that the USEA Foundation awards over 150 grants each year to deserving individuals who are involved in the sport of eventing? With grants that assist riders with accomplishing their competition goals, grants geared toward licensed officials, grants that are specific to continuing education for coaches, grants that assist competitions with obtaining frangible technology, and so much more, there really is a grant opportunity available to almost anyone!
With the start of the New Year just days away, now is the time to consider how your actions can have a positive impact on the sport of eventing in 2025. Each and every member of the eventing community has an important role to play in ensuring the sport continues to grow and thrive. From fostering educational opportunities to supporting grassroots initiatives and participating at all levels of the sport, there are so many ways to get involved.
Ride iQ’s popular “Ask An Expert” series features professional advice and tips from all areas of the horse industry. One of the most-downloaded episodes is an expert session with Peter Gray, an accomplished dressage judge and Olympic eventer. He has recently judged at events like the five-star at the Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event, and he served on the ground jury at the 2022 FEI World Eventing Championships in Pratoni, Italy. His background as a competitor in the Olympic Games riding for Bermuda and as a coach and selector for the Canadian eventing team adds depth to his understanding of the sport.