Jun 06, 2021

The First Silver Medal is Earned in the USEA Volunteer Medal Program

By Claire Kelley - USEA Staff
Diane and her husband Art Bird.

Launched in 2020, the USEA Volunteer Medal Program recognizes the volunteers who consistently volunteer year after year. Hours earned are cumulative over a lifetime of volunteer service. To earn a bronze medal, volunteers must record 500 volunteer hours; to earn a silver medal, volunteers must record 1,000 volunteer hours; and to earn a gold medal, volunteers must record 2,000 volunteer hours eventingvolunteers.com.

Diane Bird recently clocked in her 1,000th volunteer hour at Stable View Spring H.T., making her the first volunteer to earn a silver medal in the USEA Volunteer Medal Program. Since Dec. 1, 2016, Bird has recorded 1,009 volunteer hours and 19 minutes and is the leading volunteer featured on the Volunteer Medal Program leaderboard.

Bird has recorded over 100 volunteer hours every year since 2017. She was the 2019 USEA Volunteer of the Year presented by Sunsprite Warmbloods, and in the last three years, she has always been ranked in the top five on the National Volunteer leaderboard. Get to know more about Diane Bird by clicking here.

Diane Bird’s path to a silver medal:

  • 2021: 161 hours and 58 minutes
  • 2020: 222 hours and 43 minutes
  • 2019: 307 hours and 31 minutes
  • 2018: 213 hours and 40 minutes
  • 2017: 103 hours and 27 minutes

Seven volunteers earned their bronze medal in 2020, and this year, five more volunteers have joined the group of bronze medal volunteers. These newly minted bronze medal volunteers include John Bandrofchak, David Slagle, Dick Owen, James B Newman, and Joan Harper, who have recorded over 500 volunteer hours.

**These volunteers will be receiving their bronze medal and silver medal awards at the end of the year.

The USEA would like to thank all eventing volunteers for their tireless efforts.

About the USEA Volunteer Incentive Program

Volunteers are the lifeblood of our sport, the unsung heroes, and the people who make it possible to keep the sport alive. In efforts to recognize the dedication, commitment, and hard work that volunteers put into eventing, USEA formed the Volunteer Incentive Program (VIP) in 2015. In 2017, an online management portal was designed for volunteers, organizers, and volunteer coordinators at EventingVolunteers.com (available as an app for iOS and Android).

Volunteer incentives include national and area recognition, year-end awards with ribbons, cash prizes, and trophies, a top ten USEA Volunteer leaderboard, and a Volunteer of the Year award, which is given to the volunteer who tops the leaderboard by accumulating the most volunteer hours over the USEA competition year. Click here to learn more about the USEA Volunteer Incentive Program.

The USEA would like to thank Sunsprite Warmbloods for sponsoring the Volunteer Incentive Program.

Sep 28, 2023 Awards

Nominations for 2023 USEA Appreciation Awards Now Open through October 29

The United States Eventing Association (USEA) has opened nominations for the annual appreciation awards through Oct. 29. This is an opportunity for the sport to recognize those horses and riders who excelled in eventing throughout the year. It is also an opportunity to recognize and honor the very important people who have served the sport tirelessly both in a non-riding capacity and riding capacity during their golden years.

Sep 28, 2023 Interscholastic

Stable View is Ramping Up for the 2024 Intercollegiate & IEL Championships

Anticipation for the 2024 USEA Intercollegiate Eventing Championship and inaugural USEA Interscholastic Eventing League (IEL) Championship is growing, and the host venue, Stable View, is up for the task of making both events an unforgettable experience for all involved. For the first time, the Intercollegiate and IEL program championships will be hosted on the same weekend at the Stable View H.T. in Aiken, South Carolina, on May 4-5, 2024, creating greater unity between the programs and demonstrating a clear pipeline of participation in the sport from grade school through college and beyond.

Sep 27, 2023 Rules

New Eventing Rule Changes Going into Effect October 1, 2023

The United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) has made five rule changes which will go into effect October 1, 2023. Familiarize yourself with these rule changes below to make sure you are in compliance before heading out for your next event.

Sep 27, 2023 Competitions

Fast Facts: 2023 USEF/USEA Developing Horse Eventing National Championships

With the goal of creating a pathway for young horses in the U.S. and participants of the USEA Young Event Horse (YEH) Program, earlier this year the United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) and USEA joined forces to launch the USEF/USEA Developing Horse Eventing National Championships for 6- and 7-year-olds.

Official Corporate Sponsors of the USEA

Official Joint Therapy Treatment of the USEA

Official Feed of the USEA

Official Saddle of the USEA

Official Real Estate Partner of the USEA

Official Equine Insurance of the USEA

Official Forage of the USEA

Official Supplement Feeding System of the USEA

Official Competition & Training Apparel of the USEA