United States Eventing Association

The USEA is proud to announce that Ms. Jacqueline B. Mars has put forward a challenge to everyone who loves Eventing and wants to see it thrive in the coming years. Ms. Mars has agreed to donate $25,000 in 2016 if the USEA can raise a matching amount in the next six weeks to renew the study into collapsible fence technology.

Why has Ms. Mars done this? She believes, like we do, that our riders and our horses deserve our best efforts to improve safety in the sport.

In an effort to minimize the risks of our sport to the greatest extent possible, a USEA task force set up by our president, Diane Pitts, has been undertaking a thorough review of cross-country course design and fence construction so as to identify everything that can possibly be done to reduce the incidence of horse falls. In a demonstration of the critical importance of this initiative to our sport worldwide, Eventers and technical experts from Canada and the United Kingdom volunteered to join the American members on the task force.

One of the goals of the task force in protecting our horses, riders and the sport is to renew the 2009-2010 Frangible (Collapsible) Fence Study conducted by Dr. Suzanne Smith of the University of Kentucky and supported financially by the USEA and the USEF. During the worst days of the recession, funds were not available to continue the study at the level required, and thus it was put on hiatus. Dr. Smith continued to work independently with engineers and researchers in the United Kingdom and with Mats Bjorneton (developer of the MIM system). As a result, she has become an internationally respected expert in the field. The work spearheaded by Dr. Smith has recently resulted in many new types of fences now becoming eligible for the use of the new technology. This is exciting news! In this fast paced high-tech world, who knows what will be available next month and next year?

A comprehensive study will take up to two years and estimates are that we will need to raise approximately $160,000 to cover the costs. If we are to revive this international study and take it to a new level, we need your help! We owe our horses and riders nothing less.

Thanks to Ms. Mars, one of the sport’s most loyal supporters we could be well on our way. With $50,000 in the bank by January 15, we could instruct Dr. Smith and her team of young engineers to get started on taking our sport to a whole new level of safety. We will then continue to raise funds throughout 2016 until we have the full amount covered. Mrs. Mars’ matching donation and the USEA’s compelling support just goes to show how important this study is to all of us across the sport.

Won’t you, like Ms. Mars, take a stand for safety and help us by supporting the vital study into collapsible fence technology? In doing so you will help to keep the United States at the leading edge of safety innovations in Eventing.

So please don’t delay, visit the USEA website today and click “Donate” at the top of your screen to donate online with a credit card using our secure and confidential online service. You may also mail a check for your tax deductible donation, knowing that your dollars are going to help the USEA and the USEA Foundation in their quest to make YOUR sport the best and the safest it can be for our riders and our horses.

To donate online, go here and click the "Collapsible Fence Study" in the drop down box.

Mailed Donations can be sent to:

United States Eventing Association

525 Old Waterford Rd, NW

Leesburg, VA 20176