Jan 18, 2021

USEA Podcast #275: The 2021 Preview Show

By USEA

The gang's all here! Nicole Brown is joined this week by USEA CEO Rob Burk, USEA President Max Corcoran, and Diarm Byrne of EquiRatings to take a look at some of the upcoming highlights for 2021 and make some predictions about exciting things we might see this year.

  • New in 2021 is the USEA Interscholastic Eventing League (IEL), which already has over 65 registered teams and nearly 20 team challenges on the calendar for the coming year. If you are a Junior Member of the USEA in 7th through 12th grade interested in competing in the IEL this year, check out more details about the program on the USEA website!
  • Not eligible for the IEL but still want to set a fun goal for 2021? Why not aim for the USEA American Eventing Championships presented by Nutrena Feeds (AEC)? Taking place August 31-September 5 at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, Kentucky, the 2021 USEA AEC provides an opportunity for the top riders in the country at each level to compete against each other for the national championship titles. Those who were qualified to compete in the 2020 AEC will be able to qualify for the 2021 AEC with a single MER within the time period of April 23, 2021 - August 23, 2021. Those that still need to qualify for the 2021 AEC should check out the qualification guidelines here.
  • Byrne chimes in to speak about how the uncertainty brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic has not disappeared with the start of the new year. While an exciting year lies ahead, EquiRatings is focusing on remaining flexible and not setting big, concrete goals. EquiRatings will still continue to bring exciting new challenges to Eventing Manager as well as fun event preview and review episodes to the Eventing Podcast.
  • Burk shares that we are just $12,000 away from activating the final matching donation to the Frangible Technology Fund that will put fundraising at over $500,000 for this important safety initiative.
  • #TeamTalk episodes will be back in 2021 as we're on the road to Tokyo with USEF Eventing High Performance Director Erik Duvander and USEF Managing Director for Eventing Jenni Autry. If you have questions you'd like to have asked on an upcoming #TeamTalk episode, email them to [email protected].
  • To close out this week's episode, the team takes turns making predictions about what they think might be in store for 2021. Byrne leads off with a prediction for who will emerge as the winner in the 2021 USEA Intercollegiate Eventing Championships, followed by Brown with her prediction for who will be the highest-placed U.S. combination at the 2021 Olympic Games in Tokyo (and a bonus prediction about the podium at the inaugural Maryland 5 Star at Fair Hill in the fall!) Burk makes a safety-related prediction, and Corcoran closes out with a prediction about the 2021 USEA American Eventing Championships presented by Nutrena Feeds. You'll have to listen in to hear their predictions!
  • What are your predictions for 2021? Email your predictions to [email protected] for the chance to be mentioned on our next episode of the USEA Podcast!

Subscribe to the USEA Official Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, PodBean, or Stitcher, or click below to listen in!

Dec 23, 2024 Education

Saddle Fit Simplified

Eventers who are new to the sport may feel a little overwhelmed by the often-misunderstood world of saddle fitting. Riders are often bombarded with information from peers online or self-described experts, putting them at risk of following bad advice related to equipment that impacts horse welfare perhaps more than any other piece of tack. Finding a qualified expert to answer these questions is crucial. Who better to turn to than both a qualified Master Saddle Fitter and a fourth-generation saddle designer to answer some of these questions?

Dec 22, 2024 USEA Foundation

Top Tips for Applying for a USEA Foundation Grant

Did you know that the USEA Foundation awards over 150 grants each year to deserving individuals who are involved in the sport of eventing? With grants that assist riders with accomplishing their competition goals, grants geared toward licensed officials, grants that are specific to continuing education for coaches, grants that assist competitions with obtaining frangible technology, and so much more, there really is a grant opportunity available to almost anyone!

Dec 21, 2024 Education

3 Ways to Help Eventing Thrive in 2025

With the start of the New Year just days away, now is the time to consider how your actions can have a positive impact on the sport of eventing in 2025. Each and every member of the eventing community has an important role to play in ensuring the sport continues to grow and thrive. From fostering educational opportunities to supporting grassroots initiatives and participating at all levels of the sport, there are so many ways to get involved.

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.

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