Sep 12, 2024

Tik Maynard to Give Keynote Address at 2024 USEA Annual Meeting & Convention

By Lindsay Berreth - USEA Staff | Press Release
Tik Maynard and SKM Lux Sonata. USEA/Lindsay Berreth photo

The United States Eventing Association (USEA) is thrilled to announce that eventer and horseman Tik Maynard will give the keynote address at the 2024 USEA Annual Meeting & Convention, held Dec. 12-15 in Seattle, Washington.

Maynard, who’s native to Canada, has ridden to the four-star level, most recently on his own, Sinead Maynard, and the A.C.E. Syndicate’s SKM Lux Sonata, a 12-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding (Lux Z x Garrendruig Sally).

Based in Ocala, Florida, with his wife, five-star eventer Sinead Maynard and two children, Tik is as passionate about training horses as he is competing.

This year he made history at the Road To The Horse competition in Lexington, Kentucky, where he became one of only two English riders to win. Known as the “World Championships of colt starting,” the competition pairs trainers with unstarted horses and gives them just a few days to back them and demonstrate what they’ve accomplished. Tik came in first in all three of the individual rounds to clinch the win.

Tik was able to bring home his horse, Tom Cat, and he’s hoping to continue both their educations through ground work and other kinds of western riding.

He plans to speak at the Convention on his experience at Road To The Horse and what lessons he’ll take forward from it with his own horses, his competition career, and in life in general.

“It was a highly-charged, emotionally-taxing event to do where I made a connection with a horse in three days,” he said. “Because of the circumstances, it felt like one of the most interesting, intense, profound, important connections I’ve ever made with a horse in my life. I feel like there are a lot of things I’m still processing and thinking about from that weekend, and there are a lot of lessons I hope I’m going to be able to take forward into other stuff. I really look forward to sharing them with other people, and I’m curious if they’re going to find them interesting or relatable and if they’re going to be able to take them into some of their lives with horses as well.”

Tik was inspired by last year’s Convention speaker Temple Grandin and is honored to follow in her footsteps.

“Temple Grandin is one of my big heroes,” he said. “It’s an honor and a pleasant surprise to be invited after her because I have a lot of respect for her. Sinead will be coming with me. She’s one of my heroes in eventing as well as my wife. She’s always followed who’s been the keynote speaker at the USEA Convention, and it’s really nice to be able to share that with her.”

For more information on the 2024 USEA Annual Meeting & Convention, please visit useventing.com/convention. If you have any questions about the Annual Meeting & Convention, please contact Jennifer Hardwick, Senior Director of Membership Services and Meeting Planning, at [email protected].

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 2024 USEA Annual Meeting & Convention will take place in Seattle, Washington, on Dec. 12—15. Click here to learn more about the USEA Annual Meeting & Convention.

The USEA would like to thank the USEA Annual Meeting & Convention Sponsors: Adequan, ARMA, Bates Saddles, D.G. Stackhouse & Ellis, Horse & Country, Kerrits, Nunn Finer, Nutrena, Parker Equine Insurance, PulseVet Shock Wave, Rebecca Farm, RevitaVet, Ride iQ, Schneiders Saddlery, SmartPak, Standlee, and World Equestrian Brands.

Dec 20, 2024 Sponsor

“Happy Horse Equals Happy Judge”: Ask An Expert with Dressage Judge Peter Gray, Brought to You by Ride iQ

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.

Dec 19, 2024 Volunteers

The VIP Volunteer: Cathy Hale Has A Thirst for Adventure and a Love for Volunteering

With a total of 382 volunteer hours in 2024, Catherine “Cathy” Hale not only topped the USEA Area III VIP Volunteer leaderboard, but she also ranked fourth out of all eventing volunteers across the country. Hale (The Villages, Florida) has worked as a travel agent for over 30 years, a career that suits her love of travel nicely. At the time of being interviewed for this article, Hale was passing the equator on a cruise to Tahiti, New Zealand, and Australia.

Dec 18, 2024 Association News

USEA Office Closed for Holidays

The USEA office will close at 5:00 p.m. EST on Friday, Dec. 20, 2024, and will reopen again on Thursday, Jan. 2, 2025. The USEA staff will return emails and phone calls when the office re-opens on Thursday, Jan. 2, 2025 or at their earliest convenience.

Dec 18, 2024 Interscholastic

Start Planning for the 2025 USEA Intercollegiate & Interscholastic Eventing Championships at Stable View

After the success of the first annual USEA Intercollegiate & Interscholastic Eventing Championships at Stable View in Aiken, South Carolina, members are not going to want to miss the second edition in 2025! Barry and Cyndy Olliff, owners of Stable View, and their team are gearing up for an even bigger and better event in the coming year. If you are a current or prospective member of the Intercollegiate Eventing Program or the Interscholastic Eventing League, be sure to block off the weekend of May 3-4, 2025 to attend these exciting Championships.

Official Corporate Sponsors of the USEA

Official Joint Therapy Treatment of the USEA

Official Feed of the USEA

Official Saddle 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

Official Horse Boot of the USEA

Official Shockwave of the USEA

Official Horse Wear of the USEA