Honoring its commitment to cross-country safety innovation and technology US Equestrian (USEF) is proud to continue the Eventing Frangible Technology Grant Program. Organizers of USEF licensed eventing competitions may apply for a grant to supplement the cost of frangible devices for their cross-country courses.
Beginning in June 2008, the USEF began supplying frangible pins at no cost to organizers of licensed eventing competitions. Over the past 10 years, new frangible technologies have entered the marketplace supplementing the frangible pin, prompting the expansion of the program to different types of technology.
In 2017, a new rule (EV140.9 b) was implemented requiring organizers to include frangible technology in the construction of oxers at the Modified level and above. In an effort to minimize the financial impact of the new rule on organizers, the United States Eventing Association (USEA) awarded USEF a generous grant to ensure all who applied received a $500 grant in 2017. A portion of the USEA Grant monies remains for 2018.
“The USEA Board of Governors has been supportive of the USEF Eventing Frangible Technology Grant Program since its establishment,” said USEA CEO Rob Burk. “The decision to show that support with a financial commitment was supported unanimously by the Board in 2017. We would like to thank the competition organizers, product suppliers, course builders, and designers who have stepped up to install this safety equipment on all compatible fences. Moreover, we are appreciative of the USEF for its continued commitment to this program.”
“The USEF is committed to supporting safety in eventing, in particular on cross-country, in every way possible,” said USEF National Safety Officer Jonathan Holling. “The Frangible Technology Grant is one way we have been able to improve safety of both horses and riders in our beloved sport. We are thrilled to be supporting this program with our partners at USEA again in 2018. We are all in this together.”
Organizers of USEF-recognized eventing competitions offering divisions at the Preliminary level and above may request frangible devices by completing a Frangible Technology Order/Grant Application. To access the form:
For 2018, the USEF will allocate grants up to $500 per event property on a first come, first served basis until all USEA/USEF funding is depleted for the year. Grant monies will be applied to all orders at the time of purchase (expedite fees are not eligible for grant funding). If an organizer is ineligible because a grant has already been awarded in the same competition year, an invoice will be issued. Shipments will be made upon payment in full. The deadline for Grant Applications is November 2, 2018.
For more information about the USEF Eventing Frangible Technology Grant Program, please contact Shealagh Costello, USEF Director of Eventing, National Programs, at [email protected] or (859) 225-6923.
The United States Eventing Association, Inc. (USEA) is proud to announce the first class of USEA Young Event Horse (YEH) Judges have completed their certifications through the YEH New Judge Education Program, which was led by YEH faculty member, Marilyn Payne.
Nazila Hejazi and her 20-year-old Missouri Fox Trotter mare, Tessa, may have made for an unconventional pair at the USEA Area VI Championships, held in October at Galway Downs (Temecula, California) but they didn’t let that hold them back. It’s uncommon to see a horse in their twenties still competing in eventing, and even more rare for a gaited horse to compete in a jumping sport.
Today, we pause to honor the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and reflect on the powerful moment in 1963 when he stood on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial and shared his vision for a better future. Dr. King's "I Have a Dream" speech was more than just words; it was a call to action that transcended time, culture, and boundaries—a beacon of hope that continues to inspire.
We’ve all been there—on the horse who pokes his way around the warm-up ring, needs leg, leg, leg coming into the combination, or brings up the rear on every trail ride. None of us wants each and every ride to be a lower-body squeezefest, nor do we wish to do anything with our crop except maybe wave it at that annoying deerfly. In this excerpt from his book The Sport Horse Problem Solver, former international eventer Eric Smiley explains the essential quality of forwardness and how to prepare the horse to expect you to look for it in all that you do together.