The Eventing Championships at Galway Downs on November 4-7, 2027, to Host First USEA Intercollegiate & IEL Championships in the Western U.S.
In June, the United States Eventing Association, Inc. (USEA) contacted all members of the Intercollegiate Eventing Program and Interscholastic Eventing League (IEL) that currently reside in Areas VI, VII, IX, or X to provide a survey to determine the ideal date for the debut 2027 USEA Intercollegiate & IEL Championships in the Western U.S. at Galway Downs in Temecula, California. Following a review by both programs, the future Host Venue, and the USEA Board of Governors, the USEA is proud to announce that the inaugural event will be hosted during The Eventing Championships at Galway Downs on November 4-7, 2027.
Feedback from our Intercollegiate and IEL members showed a clear favor towards a fall championships date, considering many factors like the start and end dates of the eventing season in Western Areas, school calendars, event preferences, and more. Discussion within the Intercollegiate Eventing Committee, IEL Task Force, and Board of Governors meetings confirmed the memberships’ decision, noting that the established success of The Eventing Championships at Galway Downs will lend to increased visibility and participation in the first Intercollegiate and IEL Championships in the area.
This event will provide another opportunity for program members to compete with their peers, in addition to the existing USEA Intercollegiate & IEL Championships at Stable View in Aiken, South Carolina on May 7-9, 2027. The Intercollegiate and IEL programs have seen great success in recent years at the Championships at Stable View, which received over 260 entries this year, supporting the expansion of the event to new areas across the U.S.
With the help of the team at Galway Downs, the camaraderie and traditions that make the Intercollegiate & IEL Championships so special will be introduced to West Coast competitors at next year's event. Intercollegiate and IEL members that participate in 2027 will have the chance to compete as a team with fellow school-aged eventers for top honors and duel for bragging rights in the coveted Spirit Award competition. Galway Downs is sure to be a fantastic setting for this electric event.
Interested Intercollegiate Teams and IEL Clubs are encouraged to participate in the Intercollegiate and IEL Team Challenges that will be hosted at The 2026 Eventing Championships at Galway Downs this October 28 – November 1. Galway Downs will host these team challenges as a pilot run for next year’s event, meaning your participation will help set the tone for the year to come, and gives you and your teammates the chance to practice working together before the big event.
If you are interested in participating in the Intercollegiate or IEL Team Challenges at Galway Downs this fall, please contact USEA Staff Liaison, Kaleigh Collett, at [email protected]. Team rosters will be accepted through Monday, October 26 at 12:00 p.m. PT.
Not an Intercollegiate or IEL Member yet? Submit your Collegiate Team Applications or IEL Application Forms, along with an official roster, to Jennifer Hardwick, USEA Senior Director of Membership Services, at [email protected] to get involved!
All collegiate participants must be enrolled as undergraduate students, or with their school’s approval, be no more than 6 months past the completion of their undergraduate education, allowing December graduates to compete in the May championships on the East Coast and May graduates to compete in the November Championships on the West Coast. Collegiate participants are also required to hold an active USEA Membership, and if they intend to compete in the Championship, they must hold a Full or Life membership. If you attend an accredited university or college that isn’t currently listed on the Intercollegiate Eventing Program List, consider starting a new team by reviewing the program information here and submitting a Collegiate Team Application.
All IEL participants must be enrolled in 5th through 12th grade at a public school, private school, online school or homeschool program. Unlike the Intercollegiate Eventing Program, IEL Clubs can be made up of any group of junior riders who share a common bond – like riding at the same barn, competing with the same trainer, attending the same school or being a part of the same Pony Club. For a list of the current Interscholastic Eventing Clubs, please click here. All Interscholastic participants are also required to hold an active USEA Membership, and if they intend to compete in the Championship, they must hold a Full or Life membership. If you are interested in starting a new IEL Club, click here to learn more about the program and submit an IEL Application Form today.
Any questions regarding the Intercollegiate Eventing Program or Interscholastic Eventing League, or the 2027 Championships can be directed to USEA Staff Liaison, Kaleigh Collett, at [email protected]. To learn more about Galway Downs, please visit galwaydownsequestrian.com. The USEA will continue to keep the membership informed as planning progresses for this exciting event.
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. Many events across the country offer Intercollegiate Team Challenges where collegiate eventers can compete individually or in 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. The USEA Intercollegiate Eventing Championship is a capstone event for the program, which is held annually in the spring. The 2026 USEA Intercollegiate & IEL Championships will be held at Stable View in Aiken, South Carolina, on May 15-17. Click here to learn more about the Intercollegiate Eventing Program.
The USEA would like to thank Bates Saddles, Gallagher’s Water, Kerrits, PulseVet, Schneiders Saddlery, Aiken Saddlery, AllStar Tents & Events, Horse & Country, Meybohm Realtors – Deirdre Stoker Vaillancourt, Powell Asset Protection Agency, Sidelines, U.S. Equestrian, Wendel Mobile Equine, WeRideTogether, World Equestrian Brands, Young Rider Magazine, and 100xEquine for sponsoring the USEA Intercollegiate Eventing Program.
About the USEA Interscholastic Eventing League (IEL)
In August 2020, the USEA Board of Governors approved the creation of the USEA Interscholastic Eventing League (IEL) as an official program of the USEA. The mission of IEL is to unite junior riders who are in the 5th—12th grade and provide a supportive community through which students can continue to pursue their riding interests. A group of junior members in the 5th—12th grade who share a common bond, such as the same barn, school, Pony Club, or other connection, can register with the USEA as an IEL Club. The 2026 USEA Intercollegiate & IEL Championships will be held at Stable View in Aiken, South Carolina, on May 15-17. Click here to learn more about the Interscholastic Eventing League.
The USEA would like to thank Bates Saddles, Gallagher’s Water, Kerrits, PulseVet, Schneiders Saddlery, Aiken Saddlery, AllStar Tents & Events, Horse & Country, Meybohm Realtors – Deirdre Stoker Vaillancourt, Powell Asset Protection Agency, Sidelines, U.S. Equestrian, Wendel Mobile Equine, WeRideTogether, World Equestrian Brands, Young Rider Magazine, and 100xEquine for sponsoring the USEA Intercollegiate Eventing Program.
Related Articles
Begin with a Solid Foundation: A Forage-Based Approach to Feeding the Performance Horse
When feeding a performance horse, it is tempting to begin with what goes into the feed bucket. Which feed supplies the best fuel? What supplements are needed to maximize performance?
Those are reasonable questions, but they are not a good starting point.
U.S. Clinches Bronze and Coleman Individual Fourth at FEI World Eventing Championship
The United States sat just 5.8 penalties away from a podium finish at the FEI World Eventing Championship in Aachen, Germany, after yesterday’s cross-country, and the three riders who moved on to show jumping this morning were able to clinch team bronze with three clear jumping rounds. Individual...
Road to the AEC: Mia Boglione Is Working Hard for Her AEC Dream
I had a little bit of a late start to riding compared to most. I finally convinced my parents at 12 years old and began riding at a small hunter barn after watching lessons of a close friend for about a year or so. I stayed at that barn up until about a year and a half ago in December of 2024, wh...
