United States Eventing Association

The USEA Convention Daily: Thursday

It’s here! The 2019 USEA Annual Meeting & Convention has finally arrived. Eventers from all over the country have flocked to the Sheraton Boston Hotel in Boston, Massachusetts, for four days of educational sessions, open forums, and special events celebrating the sport of eventing.

For those in attendance at Convention, Thursday is packed full of educational sessions, including a four-part Horsemanship Series presided over by Max Corcoran, a session on the importance of rider responsibility, training your brain for a confident ride, and more.

The open forums begin today with the intercollegiate open forum. Get ready to jump in on the conversation and have your voice be heard!

Thursday is also the day of the first of two Board of Governors meetings, which all are welcome to attend. The Board will discuss reports from the USEA Committees and general business of the Association.

For the full Convention schedule, click here.

Following along from home? Here’s what you need to know.

The USEA will be livestreaming select content from Convention on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. You can check out the full schedule and watch the livestream here.

There are two separate feeds of the 2019 USEA Annual Meeting & Convention available for viewing. The "Open Stream" feed provides livestream content that is free and available for all to watch, while the "Member Stream" feed is available for viewing free to USEA members who have joined or renewed their membership for the 2020 competition season. Members who haven’t yet renewed for 2020 or those who wish to join the USEA for the first time may choose from several membership options including a full competing membership or a supporting membership. Click here to join or renew your membership now in order to gain access to the member-restricted content.

Here are some highlights from today’s schedule:

Track A

Training: Become a Cross-Country Controller
Thursday, December 12 | 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Speakers: Cyndi Kurth, Malcolm Hook
Constitution A

There's been a need for more cross-country controllers in the sport. Come join us and hear how you can help.

Having and Instilling Rider Responsibility
Thursday, December 12 | 1:00 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.
Speakers: Lesley Grant Law, Leslie Law, Shannon Lilley
Constitution A

Three world-class riders, trainers, and overall equestrians have joined together to present a discussion on the need for riders and their coaches to adequately prepare before ever even entering a competition. This will be a hard-hitting look at what questions should be asked before someone takes their first or last jump on cross-country and beyond, in other words a “big talk” on rider responsibility. Knowing when to call it a day, and teaching coaches to have these discussions on rider responsibility with their students.

Train Your Brain for a Confident Ride
Thursday, December 12 | 2:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.
Speaker: Andrea Waldo
Constitution A

Do you ever feel like your brain is working against you when you ride, making you feel stressed and anxious and unable to think clearly? Come learn how your Lizard Brain and your Rational Brain sometimes work against each other, and how to tame your Lizard Brain so that you can ride with confidence and focus.

Intercollegiate Open Forum
Thursday, December 12 | 5:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Speaker: Leslie Threlkeld
Constitution A

Join the USEA for an informative session about the growing USEA Intercollegiate Eventing Program. Listen to a representative from the USEA Committee that has helped form eventing teams at various colleges and universities and discuss ideas on how to improve on this program. Intercollegiate Eventing is thriving and the USEA is continuing steady progress to grow the program across the country and bring students together. Come learn about recent developments, committee projects, and the future of the program.

Track B

Horsemanship Series I: Helping Improve the Eventing Athlete
Thursday, December 12 | 9:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.
Speakers: Mark Revenaugh, DVM & Max Corcoran
Constitution B

This session will focus on the convergence of horsemanship and science to improve equine athletic health.

Horsemanship Series II: Practical Advice to Optimize Horse Training
Thursday, December 12 | 10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.
Speakers: Max Corcoran, Tim Worden, PhD
Constitution B

The recent boom in affordable technology is providing new opportunities to better understand horses and to optimize their training. Fitness wearables, smartphones, and new research can be combined to answer questions that were previously barriers to ensuring horses were at their best for competition. This talk will provide an overview of key training concepts and provide practical advice for monitoring the equine athlete. Some data from Dr. Tim Worden’s past work analyzing FEI jumping horses will also be discussed.

Horsemanship Series III: Effects of Shoe Modifications on Sport Horses
Thursday, December 12 | 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Speakers: Max Corcoran, Steve Teichman
Constitution B

Steve Teichman discusses techniques for managing poor quality hooves for the event horse.

Horsemanship Series IV: Round Table Discussion
Thursday, December 12 | 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Speakers: Mark Revenaugh, DVM, Steve Teichman, Tim Worden, PhD
Constitution B

A roundtable discussion featuring Steve Teichman, Tim Worden, and Mark Revenaugh.

Membership and Affiliate Open Forum
Thursday, December 12 | 5:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Speakers: Dawn Robbins, Janet Gunn, Liz Hoskinson, Rob Burk
Constitution B

Each year the USEA Membership Committee and the Affiliate Representatives hold an open forum with our members to discuss their work to date and plans for future years. During this open forum there will be a review of current USEA Affiliates, insight from our USEA members about the value of being a member, and a discussion regarding the impact of SafeSport. The USEA’s volunteer leaders have worked for years to develop programs that serve our members and provide educational enrichment for participants in the sport. These groups will use this forum to develop additional information to build on the USEA Strategic Plan.

USEA Track

Board of Governors Meeting
Thursday, December 12 | 2:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Constitution B

All are welcome to sit in and hear what is currently taking place on the USEA agenda. This meeting will focus on the reports of the USEA committees and general business of the Association.

Board of Governors Welcome Reception
Thursday, December 12 | 6:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
Speaker: Carol Kozlowski
Grand Ballroom

In the true spirit of eventing, let the good times roll with good food and good friends. The Board of Governors will be hosting a welcome reception for all Convention attendees on Thursday evening to kick off the festivities in style. Everyone is invited to enjoy a taste of Boston. Meet members of the USEA's Board of Governors and catch up with friends before heading out to enjoy Boston's nightlife. Enjoy a film about the history of Area I.

The USEA Foundation is hosting a silent auction this weekend to raise funds for the Foundation. You can check out the different items up for bid in the Grand Liberty Foyer.

Take a break from meetings and unwind with film. The USEA has created a dedicated film room (Liberty C, Second Floor) that will play archived event footage and equestrian-inspired blockbuster films each day during Convention. Take a look at today's schedule for the film room.

Thursday, December 12

10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. | Film from the 1960s – 1980s

Morning playlist [3h 20m]:

• 1968 Mexico Olympics
• 1973 Ledyard
• 1974 Burghley World Championships
• 1976 Montreal Olympics
• 1980 Fontainebleau

Afternoon playlist [2h 52m]:

• The Horse with the Flying Tail 1960 | 48 minutes
• National Velvet [G] 1944 | 2 hours 4 minutes

8:30 p.m. | International Velvet 1978 | 2h 7m

Stay tuned for more coverage from the 2019 USEA Annual Meeting & Convention!

Helpful Links

• USEA Website
• Convention Page
• USEA’s Convention Coverage
• Livestream
• Program
• Schedule
• Floor Plan
• Vendor List
• 2019 Financials
• 2018 Annual Meeting Minutes

Follow the USEA coverage on social media!

#USEAConvention | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | USEA’s Convention Coverage

About the USEA Annual Meeting & Convention

The USEA Annual Meeting & Convention takes place each December and brings together a large group of dedicated USEA members and supporters to discuss, learn, and enjoy being surrounded by other eventing enthusiasts. The USEA organizes multiple seminars in addition to committee meetings, open forums, and tons of fun! The 2019 USEA Annual Meeting & Convention is taking place at the Sheraton Boston Hotel in Boston, Massachusetts, December 12-15, 2019. Click here to learn more about the USEA Annual Meeting & Convention.