Dec 01, 2024

What Does the ECP Symposium Offer for Attendees?

By Jennifer Howlett Rousseau - ECP Faculty Member

The 2025 ECP Symposium, Hosted by Galway Downs is just over a month away, which means it is time to submit your registration for this must-attend educational event. On Jan. 14-16, interested attendees will converge on Temecula, California, for an important, impactful, and interactive experience focusing on honing the evaluation skills of coaches at all levels by identifying the correct, incremental steps of progression needed for each individual horse and rider combination.

While this may seem like an exclusive event for current and prospective USEA Eventing Coaches Program (ECP) certified coaches, there is so much more to be found for a wide range of eventing enthusiasts at the Symposium. Whether you are a competitor, parent, official, sponsor, volunteer, or supporter of the sport of eventing, there is valuable knowledge to be gained at the ECP Symposium. Check out the benefits of attendance based on your involvement in the sport below.

Who

What to expect

Coaches

  • Opportunity to provide your meaningful input into solving the challenges and issues faced by coaches in the sport of eventing
  • Involved, interactive teaching experience with peers and mentors targeting specific levels of riders and horses
  • In depth examination of foundational principles for progressing riders and horses
  • Detailed discussion around communication with students and understanding how learning occurs
  • Become a member of a growing network of local, regional, and national coaches
  • Live practice using the USEA Eventing Handbook by the Levels, not only for professional reference, but also for support of tough discussions with riders, parents, or horse owners

Riders, Competitors, & Students

  • Learn how and why coaches develop their curriculum
  • Provide real time feedback to coaches from the student’s perspective
  • Gain high level insight into the correct methods, principles and increments for progression as a rider
  • See best practices of coaching and education at work as horses and riders are evaluated and training programs implemented
  • Get familiar with the USEA Eventing Handbook by the Levels as a roadmap for progression up the levels

Parents

  • · Glean a wealth of information regarding the expectations for each level of competition, and what is required for your child to be safe and successful at each progressive level
  • · Experience how great coaching can and should have a positive impact, not only on the progression of horse and rider, but also on the rider’s knowledge and understanding of the training principles, the management of both the horse and the human as athletes, and the emotional/psychological side of competing, dealing with failure, or facing fear.
  • · Get experience using the USEA Eventing Handbook by the Levels as an invaluable resource to help guide you through your child’s journey in the sport

Officials

  • · Build an alliance with coaches by providing constructive feedback from the officials’ perspective, and by leaning into the challenges faced by coaches in today’s sport
  • Participate in an examination of the level requirements as described in the USEA Eventing Handbook by the Levels
  • Provide an important perspective to the overall theme of level requirements and progression, from the officials’ point of view

Supporters, Sponsors, & Volunteers

  • · Experience firsthand how education is the foundation for the sport of eventing
  • · Learn how you can be involved in bringing the best educational practices, correct training principles and support for developing coaches to the mainstream in your area or on a national level.

Registration for the 2025 ECP Symposium, Hosted by Galway Downs is now open! Current ECP Certified Coaches and/or USEF Licensed Officials can attend the event for the discounted daily fee of $60 per day or the full event fee of $180. The ECP Symposium serves as a continuing education clinic for current and perspective ECP Certified Coaches.

The public is also welcome to attend, and their rates are $100 per day or $300 for the full event. Boxed lunches are also available for purchase in single day or full event increments on the registration form. Advanced registration is greatly appreciated, so click here to register today.

If you have any questions about the ECP Symposium, Hosted by Galways Downs or the Eventing Coaches Program, please contact Nancy Knight, Senior Director of Education, at [email protected]. The USEA looks forward to seeing you in January!

About the USEA Eventing Coaches Program (ECP)

Coaches are essential to the training of riders and horses for safe and educated participation in the sport of eventing. The USEA Eventing Coaches Program (ECP), formerly known as the Instructors’ Certification Program (ICP), was initiated in 2002 to educate all levels of eventing coaches with crucial training principles upon which they can continue to build throughout their teaching careers. ECP offers educational workshops and assessments by which both regular coaches, Level I through Level V, Young Event Horse (YEH) coaches, and Young Event Horse professional horse trainers can become ECP certified. Additional information about ECP’s goals, benefits, workshops, and assessments as well as names and contact information for current ECP certified coaches, YEH coaches, and YEH professional horse trainers are available on the USEA website. Click here to learn more about the USEA Eventing Coaches Program.

The USEA would like to thank Galway Downs, Parker Equine Insurance, the United States Pony Clubs, and Strider for their support of the Eventing Coaches Program.

Feb 03, 2025 Interscholastic

2025 Interscholastic Eventing League Team Challenge Calendar Continues to Grow!

After a very successful inaugural year, the 2025 USEA Interscholastic Eventing League (IEL) Championship is quickly approaching. Grab your fellow barn mates, classmates, Pony Club members, and friends in grades 5th through 12th to create an IEL Club today. The best way for members to prepare for this exciting event is to participate in IEL Team Challenges held at venues across eight different USEA Areas throughout the year.

Feb 02, 2025 Interscholastic

Friday Added to 2025 USEA Intercollegiate & Interscholastic Eventing Championships Schedule on May 2-4

Due to the response at the 2024 USEA Intercollegiate & Interscholastic Eventing Championships at Stable View in Aiken, South Carolina, the decision has been made to add an extra day of competition to the 2025 event schedule. The new dates for the 2025 USEA Intercollegiate & IEL Championships are Friday, May 2 through Sunday, May 4. Click here to view the event omnibus now.

Feb 01, 2025 Sponsor

Jumpstart 2025 With a Plan

And just like that—2025 is upon us! Thinking about the year ahead can be exciting and a little overwhelming. You are not alone! Let’s talk through a few strategies I use this time of year to mentally and physically prepare for making the most out of the upcoming year.

Jan 31, 2025 AEC

Déjà Vu: Delilah’s Boy Wins SmartPak USEA Pony of the Year Twice in a Row

Spectators could be forgiven for thinking they were seeing double during the victory gallop in the Novice Junior 15 & Under division at the 2024 USEA American Eventing Championships (AEC) presented by Nutrena Feeds. Two identical flea-bitten ponies were galloping around, second- and third-place ribbons streaming in the breeze, under the command of 13-year-old Kendal Fansler of Clarksville, Maryland.

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