USEA Podcast

USEA Podcast #411: Who to Watch at Kentucky

Happy Kentucky week eventing fans! It's going to be a fun-filled week in the Bluegrass, but before the competition kicks off USEA CEO Rob Burk and Equiratings' Diarmuid Byrne sit down with USEA Podcast host Nicole Brown to talk about stats, personal favorites in the field, and so much more. Tune in during your travels to the Kentucky Horse Park this week to help you decide who you are rooting for! 

USEA Podcast #410: Let's Chat Cross-Country Course Design

In this episode of the USEA Podcast, we kick things off with a quick but insightful conversation with Amy Dorm of Marshall & Sterling Equine Insurance, who shares a few key tips on navigating coverage and making sure you’re set up with the right policy for your horse.

From there, we dive into the fascinating world of cross-country course design with Adri Doyle and Beth Perkins—two of the leading female designers in the U.S. They take listeners behind the scenes of what it really takes to build a course, from balancing challenge and safety to understanding how horses read questions on course. The conversation explores everything from terrain to the impact of decoration, frangible technology, and how thoughtful design can shape the entire rider experience.

Adri and Beth also share their personal journeys into course design and offer valuable advice for anyone interested in getting involved—especially women looking to make their mark in this space. It’s an engaging and eye-opening look at the creativity, strategy, and dedication that go into designing the courses we ride every weekend.

USEA Podcast #409: Understanding Equine Respiratory Health

In this episode of the USEA Podcast, veterinarian and FLAIR® Equine Nasal Strip founder Jim Chiapetta joins the conversation to discuss the importance of equine respiratory health in performance horses. He shares the story behind the development of the nasal strips and explains the science of how they help support the horse’s upper airway, allowing for more efficient breathing during exercise.

Chiapetta also highlights research-backed benefits, including reduced fatigue and quicker recovery after work, while offering practical insights for riders and owners looking to optimize their horse’s respiratory function and overall performance.

 

 

 

USEA Podcast #408: Volunteers Make Eventing Possible

Eventing couldn’t run without dedicated volunteers, and this week on the USEA Official Podcast, host Nicole Brown speaks to Caroline Greathouse, longtime volunteer at the Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event, and Liz Poole, experienced British five-star volunteer who’s now based in the U.S. They chat about how Caroline and Liz started volunteering in the sport, their tips for getting involved, and some of their favorite jobs.

If you’re interested in volunteering, this is a can’t miss episode!

 

 

If you’re interested in volunteering, this is a can’t miss episode!

USEA Episode #407: Emily Hamel Answers Your Questions

You asked, and five-star rider Emily Hamel has answered! From stories about fan-favorite event horse, the high-flying Corvett, to her competition plans for 2026, next horses in the pipeline, and so much more, Emily shares all in this rider Q&A!

USEA Podcast #406: The USEA's Big Valentine's Quiz 2026 Edition

It's that time of year again! Time for one of the favorite USEA Podcast episodes of the year - the USEA's Big Valentine's Quiz! This year, Nicole challenged U.S. eventers Ryan and Lillian Wood against New Zealand's Sam and Brayden Lissington. Which country will come out on top? Tune in to hear which couple has the strongest trivia knowledge about the sport, pop culture, and each other to claim the win! 

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USEA Podcast #405: Meeting Molly Pellegrini

In this episode of the USEA Official Podcast, Nicole Brown sits down with Molly Pellegrini, the newly appointed USEA President, to get to know the person behind the role. The conversation spans life on the West Coast and East Coast, the value of fresh perspectives in governance, and what it means to give back to the sport through service. With a clear-eyed view on sustainability, membership, and the future of eventing in the U.S., this episode offers an honest and thoughtful introduction to one of the key voices guiding the sport forward.

USEA Podcast #404: Keeping Eventing's Trust with David O'Connor

Welcome back to the USEA Official Podcast and for this New Year special, we’re taking on one of the biggest conversations in equestrian sport: social liscence. What it is, why it matters, and how every one of us plays a role in the future of eventing. Olympic champion, five-star winner, USEF Chief of Sport, and USEA EA21 Director of Coaching David O’Connor joins the show to unpack trust, education, safety, and responsibility, and how the sport can evolve while keeping its core values at the center.

USEA Podcast #403: Review of the 2025 Season

In the quiet stretch between Christmas and New Year, this episode takes a moment to pause and look back on 2025. Nicole Brown is joined by Rob Burk and Diarmuid Byrne to reflect on the moments that defined the season, from standout performances and rising depth to the stories that reminded us why this sport matters. With one eye firmly on what comes next, the conversation also begins to turn toward 2026, as the next championship cycle starts to take shape.

USEA Podcast #402: Decoding Performance with Research Insights

This episode takes you inside one of the most ambitious equine-athlete research projects in the sport, as leading veterinary clinician Dr. Cris Navas and five-star rider Jennie Brannigan unpack six years of groundbreaking work on arrhythmias, fitness tracking and performance monitoring. From the heart-rate data that reshapes conditioning plans to the real-world decisions it informs at the top level, they reveal how science and horsemanship meet to keep event horses healthier, sounder and competitive for longer. It is a rare, behind-the-scenes look at how numbers can calibrate feel, guide welfare-driven training, and give riders the confidence to make better calls for the horses they know best. Plus, Will Coleman drops in with his own perspective from inside the program.