USEA Podcast

Safety First with Rusty Lowe + Better Management for Better Results with Marcia Kulak

This week, on the first episode of the USEA Podcast in 2019, we are joined by retired Fire and EMS Captain Rusty Lowe, who volunteers his time at many events as Safety Coordinator, and Marcia Kulak, an upper-level event rider with over 25 years of international competitive experience.

While there have been many advancements in the safety technology of equipment such as helmets and protective vests and safety protocols for competitions are stronger than ever, are you prepared for an emergency at home? Lowe's focus is on educating people about the different types of safety equipment and training are available so that they are able to provide potentially life-saving aid in the event of an emergency outside of a competition setting. Lowe covers topics including the different types of training that are available, the first steps you can take towards emergency preparedness, and putting together your own plan in case of emergencies.

The start of the new year is a great time to set goals and make plans for the coming year, and that's exactly what Kulak covers in this first segment of her educational series. Sitting down and evaluating the strengths and weaknesses of the past year is an excellent way to carve out goals for the coming year, and Kulak's first piece of advice for accomplishing those goals is to assemble your team - everyone from your trainer, vet, and farrier to your saddle fitter and equine dentist plays a crucial role in the success of you and your horse. Putting a good team together and establishing strong lines of communication is essential for creating comprehensive ways to help your horse be as happy and healthy as possible, and Kulak shares her wisdom on the different ways to do this.

Looking Back and Looking Forward: Carol Kozlowski and Max Corcoran

On the final USEA Podcast of 2018, USEA President Carol Kozlowski reflects on the past two years of her presidency and what she hopes to accomplish during her third and final year as President in 2019. Then, USEA President Elect Max Corcoran, who will take over from Kozlowski in 2020, talks about her background and her vision for the future of the USEA.

2019 Grant Recipients + 2018 Hall of Fame Inductees

At the 2018 USEA Annual Meeting & Convention held in New Orleans, Louisiana last weekend, the USEA Foundation awarded the 2019 grants at the 2018 Year End Awards Ceremony, including the $45,000 Wilton Fair Grant, the $10,000 Rebecca Broussard National Developing Rider Grant, and the $50,000 Rebecca Broussard International Developing Rider Grant. This week on the USEA Podcast, we checked in with the grant winners about their plans for the grants. This year, Savannah Fulton received the $45,000 Wilton Fair Grant, Andrea Baxter received the "Little Becky" $10,000 Rebecca Broussard National Developing Rider Grant, and Frankie Thieriot Stutes $50,000 received the "Big Becky" Rebecca Broussard International Developing Rider Grant.

Then, stay tuned to hear from the new members of the 2018 USEA's Eventing Hall of Fame who were inducted at the 2018 USEA Annual Meeting & Convention Hall of Fame Gala on Saturday night. The 7th USEA's Eventing Hall of Fame honored Karen O'Connor, Dr. A. Martin "Marty" Simensen, Out and About, Howard Simpson, Nina and Tim Gardner, and Captain Mark Phillips. The USEA will also be releasing videos from the induction ceremony on U.S. Eventing TV.

Frankie Thieriot Stutes and Katherine Coleman: Fall 2018 Three-Star Champions

Frankie Thieriot Stutes and The Chatwin Group’s Chatwin (Contendro I x Oktav), a 10-year-old German Warmblood gelding, took home The Dutta Corp./USEF CCI3* Eventing National Championship title in the Fair Hill International CCI3* in mid-October on their dressage score of 27.3. On this week's USEA Podcast, Thieriot Stutes talks about what it took to travel across the country to compete at Fair Hill, what Chatwin is like in the barn, and hints at their plans for the 2019 season.

Katherine Coleman is originally from New Orleans but has been living and riding abroad in England for the last seven years. This is the second year that Coleman has wintered in Florida, and she kicked off the winter season by winning the Ocala Jockey Club International Three-Day Event’s inaugural CCI3* division earlier this month aboard Monte Classico (Monte Bellini x W-Sally), her own 9-year-old German Sport Horse gelding, on a final score of 39.5. Coleman discusses how her partnership with “Monte” has progressed during their three years together, her plans for the winter season with Monte and the rest of her string, and what she's looking towards for 2019.

Unpack the New FEI Star System + Preview the 2018 USEA Convention

CEO Rob Burk comes on this episode of the USEA Podcast first to discuss the changes to the FEI star system, which will change from a four-star system to a five-star system. There are several reasons behind this change, including risk management, inclusion in the Olympics, and making it possible for more countries to participate. Burk describes the difference between the new CCI-L and CCI-S designations, the difference between the old long format and the new short and long formats, and more. For more detailed information about the changes to the FEI star system, click here.

Next, Senior Director of Membership Services and Convention Planner Jennifer Hardwick joins us to give us a preview of what’s in store for the 2018 USEA Annual Meeting & Convention featuring the USEA’s 7^th Eventing Hall of Fame at the Sheraton New Orleans in New Orleans, Louisiana. Hardwick shares some of the exciting events that attendees have to look forward to, including the Annual Meeting of Members with Keynote Speaker Erik Duvander and the USEA’s Eventing Hall of Fame Gala. If you haven’t registered yet, Hardwick shares all the information you need to get your tickets! Click here for more information.

Young Horse Championship Round-Up

Championship season is upon us, and this week we're speaking with the winners from the USEA Young Event Horse (YEH) East and West Coast 5-year-old Championships.

But first, we hear from Elizabeth Callahan of Cool Na Grena Sporthorses, who traveled to La Mondial du Lion d'Angers to watch her homebred, Quantum Leap, compete in the FEI World Breeding Eventing Championships for Young Horses with rider Doug Payne. Quantum Leap was the recipient of the 2018 Holekamp/Turner Young Event Horse Prize and Grant as the highest-placed young horse at the 2016 USEA Young Event Horse 5-year-old Championships who was willing and qualified as a 7-year-old to compete at the FEI World Breeding Eventing Championships. Callahan comes on the show to share her experiences at the Championships, including her impression of the event and her takeaways from watching the best young horses in the world compete.

Next we hear from Tamra Smith, who won the USEA YEH East Coast 5-year-old Championship aboard MB MaiStein (Rocky Lee x High Ovation), the MB Group, LLC's Oldenburg gelding bred by Kai-Steffen Meier and his wife, Lara, at Arville Sporthorses. Smith discusses her decision to travel from California to compete in the East Coast Championship and what it has been like to produce "Rocky" from a 3-year-old. She also shared her advice on producing young horses and how she feels her young horses have benefitted from competing in YEH divisions.

Madison Temkin closes out the program by telling us about her win aboard MVP Madbum (Papa Clem x Dancing Stripes), her own off-the-track Thoroughbred mare bred by E-racing.com, in USEA YEH West Coast 5-year-old Championship. Temkin talks about how she acquired "Madbum" as a 2-year-old and the process of producing the mare herself from the ground up. She also discusses what it was like to compete aboard a full Thoroughbred in the Championship and how Madbum performed in the competition.

 

Update on the Fair Hill Five-Star

In 2017, US Equestrian (USEF) approved a recommendation to award a new CCI4* event to Fair Hill. After the FEI announced the changes to the star system in November of 2017, Fair Hill made the decision to wait until the specifications for the new five-star were finalized before moving forward with improvements to the facility. The Fair Hill four-star in 2019 is equivalent to the existing CCI3* and will be designated as a CCI4*-L. Working in partnership with the State of Maryland, Fair Hill plans to host their inaugural CCI5*-L competition in 2020. 

Ross Peddicord, Executive Director of the Maryland Horse Industry Board, joins us first to discuss how the Fair Hill five-star is situated within the wider equestrian industry in Maryland and what the prospect of hosting a major international equestrian event means for the state of Maryland. Since Peddicord joined us on the podcast last year, he explains that things have really begun to fall into place and are now moving forward rapidly. He also provides a bit of a background on how this plan came together in the first place and all the different groups that have come together to make this new event possible.

Terry Hasseltine, Executive Director of Maryland Sports and the Vice President of the Maryland Stadium Authority, comes on the show next to get into the details of the operations that are playing out at Fair Hill to build out the infrastructure necessary for the new five-star. 

Click here for a detailed explanation of the new FEI star system.

Three of a Kind: Meet the 2018 USEA FEH East, West, and Central Grand Champions

This week on the USEA Podcast, meet the three USEA Future Event Horse (FEH) Grand Champions from the East Coast, West Coast, and Central Championships.

The 2018 USEA FEH East Coast Grand Champion title went to Lauren Welsh's Oldenburg gelding Solo Hit (Sagnol x Arista GS) on a final score of 87.64. Welsh shares the story of how she came across Solo Hit, who was bred by Red Gate Sporthorses in Canada, what he's been like to work with, and the other accolades he has achieved so far. Welsh used to breed show jumping horses, so she talks a bit about what she saw in Solo's breeding that caught her eye and her philosophy in producing young horses.

In 2016 she was the Yearling Champion, then in 2017 she took the 2-year-old Championship title, and this year Cheron Laboissonniere's Holsteiner filly Hallelujah DF (Mighty Magic x Columbia BF) made it a hat trick, taking the 2018 USEA FEH West Coast Grand Championship on an impressive score of 90.19. Jennifer McFall, "Halle's" handler, talked a bit about the story behind her breeding, including how she got her name, and the potential she's seen in the mare so far. 

In addition to owning Diamond Davinity (Diamond Domini x Hyperboreas), the Dutch Warmblood who scored a 78.93 to take the 2018 USEA FEH Central Grand Champion title, Jayne Lloyd is also the organizer of the inaugural USEA FEH Central Championships. Lloyd talks about the process she went through to get the new FEH Central Championships off the ground and then shares some background about her breeding program, her experience producing young stock, and her high hopes for what "Vinny" will achieve in the future.

Quantum Leap Is on the Road to Le Lion d’Angers

Young Event Horse committee member Debbie Adams joins us on the program this week to discuss her experience with the Holekamp/Turner Young Event Horse Le Lion d’Angers Prize and Grant, which is awarded to the highest scoring horse from the USEA Young Event Horse 5-year-old East and West Championships combined that is qualified as a 7-year-old and willing to compete in the FEI World Breeding Eventing Championships for Young Horses at Le Mondial du Lion d'Angers in France. Adams’ horse D.A. Duras was the inaugural recipient of the grant in 2015, and Adams shares what it was like to have a horse compete at the Championships. She also talks about the importance of the pipeline for developing young horses, both in the United States and in Europe, and offers advice to riders, owners, and trainers who are considering participating in the Young Event Horse Program.

Next, Doug Payne comes on the show to introduce listeners to the 7-year-old Zweibrucker gelding Quantum Leap (Quite Capitol x Report to Sloopy) who is the 2018 recipient of the Holekamp/Turner Grant and will be traveling next month to compete at the FEI World Breeding Eventing Championships. Bred by Elizabeth Callahan, Payne purchased Quantum Leap as a yearling and has produced him to the two-star level. Payne recounts what it was like to bring Quantum Leap up the levels, shares what his personality is like in the barn, and talks about some of the different training techniques he employs, both with Quantum Leap and his other young horses. He also talks about what he looks for in a young horse and how he goes about producing a string of young and talented horses.

A Taste of #AEC2018

Tune in this week to hear from some of the winners from the 2018 USEA American Eventing Championships (AEC) presented by Nutrena® Feeds!

Winners of the 2018 USEA AEC Junior/Young Rider Open Preliminary division Madelyn Floyd and Clementine (Carrico x La Belle), her own 9-year-old Hanoverian mare, join us first to talk about the journey they have taken together to reach this level, how their partnership got started and how it has developed over time. Madelyn also shares how they prepared to compete at the AEC and their plans for the remainder of the season.

Erin Contino and her own Handsome Ransom (Desert Warrior x St. Casmir’s Secret), a 6-year-old Thoroughbred gelding, were the winners of the 2018 USEA AEC Novice Amateur Championship. Contino talks about how her weekend went with Handsome Ransom, what she took away from the experience of competing at the Championships and the strong season the pair have had, and what she plans to do next with her young mount.

Tamie Smith and Mai Baum (Loredano x Ramira), Alexandra and Ellen Ahearn and Eric Markell’s 12-year-old German Sport Horse gelding, took home the top prize in the 2018 Adequan USEA Gold Cup Advanced Final after a three-year hiatus from the level. Smith discusses Mai Baum’s comeback after the injury he sustained, how he felt during the competition, what it has been like to have him back competing at the highest level of the sport, and what’s coming up next for Mai Baum.

Finally, Phoebe Manders, owner of RF Scandalous, joins us on the program to complete our FEI World Equestrian Games (WEG) Preview series. Manders talks about her relationship with Kitty and what it’s like to be the owner of a team horse. She shares with us how she became involved in eventing horse ownership and what she most enjoys about being involved in the sport.