United States Eventing Association

The Hagyard Midsouth Three-Day Event returned this year, once again offering USEA Classic Series divisions at the Training and Novice levels at the Kentucky Horse Park (Lexington, Kentucky) on Oct. 15–19. Get to know this year’s Classic Series champions a bit more below.

Training Three-Day Winners | Christy Wood & Con Able Rfb

Christy Wood, DVM, got her start in the hunter/jumper ring but was introduced to eventing when she joined Pony Club. She has been in love with the sport ever since.

“Cross-country riding is such a rush,” she shared, “and the eventing bug has stuck with me ever since.”

Wood connected with the now 9-year-old German Sport Horse gelding (Contendro I x R Mabel) “Tito” in February of 2023. He had evented to the Novice level a handful of times prior to Wood purchasing him, and she has loved continuing to produce him through the levels.

“It’s been really fun getting to watch his personality develop and his confidence grow as we train and compete. He has such a good work ethic and a quirky, endearing demeanor that I always look forward to spending time with him on the ground or in the saddle.”

Earlier this year, Wood decided to set her sights on a three-day event.

“One of my coaches brought it up as ‘right up Tito’s alley,’ and the more she described the event and endurance day, the more hyped up we all became,” she reflected. “A good friend had competed in one a few years ago and told me I just had to go for it. Tito is one of those horses that gets better the longer he goes, and he maintains his fitness really well, so I knew endurance day would really play to his strengths with the right conditioning program.”

She believes the extra conditioning and educational opportunities were incredibly beneficial for their long-term partnership.

“Every new experience is an opportunity to grow as a horsewoman, and this week was full of firsts for us—our first formal jogs where Tito didn’t spook at the mums, which made me proud; our first steeplechase and roads and tracks; and our first vet box,” said Wood.

“The three-day education meetings with clinician Carol Kozlowski and the Hagyard veterinarians were so helpful in preparing us for the week,” she continued. “We did course walks together and practiced steeplechase speeds and positioning. I came away feeling much more prepared for the competition. Tito’s main preparation was at-home conditioning. As a vet myself, I really appreciate the emphasis the long format places on fitness and recovery of the horse.”

The entire experience was positive for Wood, but it was the camaraderie among competitors that really stood out to her.

“Everyone was wishing each other good luck and a great ride while passing on Phases A and C," she said. "I remember walking a section of Phase C, looking around at the beautiful KHP on a perfect afternoon, and thinking how grateful I was to be there—and how thankful I was for all the support I’d received along the way.”

Novice Three-Day Winners | Macy Clark & Presidential Nominee HU

Macy Clark grew up riding and has been eventing since she was 8 years old.

“I got my first event pony when I was 8, and it was all over from there,” she joked. “I rode through high school and college, with many working student positions in between, and now I have my own training program in Memphis, Tennessee.”

The 9-year-old Hanoverian gelding Presidential Nominee HU (Pikko Del Cerro HU x Noble Destiny HU) belongs to Clark’s client, Kendra Moss. Together, Clark and Moss have spent the past two years bringing “Norm” up the levels from cross rails to competing Novice in eventing, and even dabbling in dressage as well. In fact, the week before Hagyard, Moss took Norm to the GAIG/USDF Region 3 Championships, where they were named Reserve Champion in the Training Level class and won a First Level test.

“Together we have given him experience in eventing, and he’s exceeded all expectations,” Clark noted. “He’s an amazing horse who loves adventures, which is why I aimed him at the Novice Three-Day to finish the season—I knew he’d love the adventure of roads and tracks and the thrill of steeplechase.”

Clark loved getting to do the steeplechase phase with Norm.

“It is an absolute thrill and a super fun feeling of the horses settle into the rhythm and gain confidence as they go!”

She also had a similar experience to Wood when it came to the camaraderie of the eventing community participating in the traditional long-format event.

“When I was preparing, I ran into so many others doing the same, and it was the most positive, excited, helpful, and kind group of people ever!” she said. “It really felt like everyone in the three-day was in it together. Everyone cheered for each other going opposite directions on roads and tracks, helped each other when needed, and congratulated each other! It was really cool to experience such a good group of people.”

As a trainer, she thinks putting a Classic Series event on your radar as a rider is a great goal for the year.

“I would advise someone looking at doing a three-day to pick out the event they’d like to do it at and treat it like a CCI long,” she noted. “It’s the end of your season, spring or fall, and you can take all the time you need to prepare. This way, by the time the event arrives, you can just enjoy each day!”

For full results, click here.

About the USEA Classic Series

The USEA Classic Series keeps the spirit of the classic long ­format three­-day events alive for Beginner Novice through the Preliminary levels. Competitors can experience the rush of endurance day, including roads and tracks, steeplechase, the vet box, and cross­-country, as well as participate in formal veterinary inspections and educational activities with experts on the ins and outs of competing in a long ­format three-­day event. Riders who compete in a USEA Classic Three-Day Event during the year will have the chance to win a variety of prizes at the events from USEA sponsors and earn leaderboard points. Click here to learn more about the USEA Classic Series.

The USEA would like to thank bronze sponsors D.G. Stackhouse & Ellis Saddles, PulseVet, and SmartEquine, as well as contributing sponsors Bates Saddles and Schneiders Saddlery, for supporting the USEA Classic Series.