The United States Eventing Association, Inc. (USEA) is pleased to announce #WeRideTogether is returning as an “Official Educational Partner of the USEA,” “Contributing Sponsor of the American Eventing Championships,” “Contributing Sponsor of the Intercollegiate and Interscholastic Championships,” and “Contributing Sponsor of the EA21 Program.”
#WeRideTogether is a non-profit organization committed to helping make all sports safer for youth, amateur, and professional athletes.
“We are excited to collaborate with USEA again this year as Educational Partners and support the upcoming USEA American Eventing Championships as well as the Intercollegiate and Interscholastic Eventing Championships,” said Michaela Shepherd, Executive Director, #WeRideTogether. “USEA is leading the way in its education and prevention initiatives to help keep eventing a safe, healthy, and fun environment for all participants. We commend their proactive approach and commitment to members.”
“#WeRideTogether is an exceptional partner to the USEA, and we are thrilled to have them on board again. #WeRideTogether is an outstanding organization that works tirelessly to promote positivity, safety, health, and fun in sports, including the sport of eventing. I’m so happy to have them back and look forward to all we can accomplish as a team!” stated Rob Burk, USEA CEO.
To support #WeRideTogether and help promote healthy sport, visit their website here.
About #WeRideTogether
Founded in 2021, #WeRideTogether started as an awareness campaign and educational website designed to empower, inform, and unite the equestrian community around sexual misconduct prevention and create healthy training environments for all sports. Showcasing powerful first-person interviews from sexual abuse survivors, #WeRideTogether promotes transparent dialogue around sexual misconduct, raises awareness for the many forms grooming and abuse can take, and helps diminish the stigma and fear of coming forward by giving survivors a safe platform to share their voices. The organization has since grown into a 501(c)3 and is creating a blueprint to help make all sports safer for youth, amateur, and professional athletes.
About the United States Eventing Association
The USEA is a non-profit 501(c)(3) educational organization committed to providing eventing enthusiasts with a competitive level suited to their individual skills. By assisting and educating competitors, event organizers, and officials; maintaining responsible safety standards; and registering qualified competitions and clinics, the USEA offers a strong and continuous training opportunity for an ever-expanding field of world-class competitors. Just as importantly, the USEA provides a means for all riders, regardless of age or ability, to experience the thrill of eventing. To learn more, visit www.useventing.com.
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.
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.
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.
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.