USEA Podcast

Insights from the Eventing 25 Winter Training Sessions

Listen in to this week's USEA Podcast to hear from Amanda Beale Clement, Sophie Click, and Jacob Fletcher, all members of the USEF Eventing 25 Program List who attended the winter training sessions in Ocala, Florida, January 8-11. 

First up is Amanda Beale Clement, who attended the training sessions with Canny Calypso, an 8-year-old Westphalian/Trakehner gelding. Normally based at her mother Susie Beale's Cairn O'Mount Stables South in Aiken during the winter, Amanda is currently in Tampa, Florida for some intensive dressage training with her grandfather, Jeremey Beale. Amanda discusses what she was looking to get out of the sessions, her training philosophy, how she’s developed as a rider, the season ahead, and her long-term goals for the future.

Next, we hear from Washington state native Sophie Click who is currently based out of Bridle Creek in Aiken with Lillian Heard. Sophie brought two horses with her from Washington; the 10-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding, Fernhill Rising, and the 15-year-old Paint gelding, Hot Wheels. She talks about her expectations for the training sessions, what specific aspects she worked on, how she’s planning to implement the tools she picked up at the sessions, and her plans for the 2018 show season.

Finally, three-time Eventing 25 Training List member Jacob Fletcher of North Little Rock, Arkansas returns to the show to share what he planned to focus on in the training sessions with his two horses, 10-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding, Van Gough, and 13-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding, Atlantic Domino. Jacob shares what he worked on with each horse in the sessions, what it’s like to work with USEF Developing Rider Coach Leslie Law, his biggest takeaways from the sessions, and his priorities moving forward.

Erin Sylvester: 2017 Rebecca Broussard International Developing Rider Grant Winner

Get to know Erin Sylvester, winner of the 2017 Rebecca Broussard International Developing Rider Grant. Sylvester joins us on the program this week to talk about her plans for the upcoming season, both for her upper level partners Mettraise, Paddy the Caddy, and Campground, as well as her 4- and 5-year-old youngsters. She also discusses her plans for how she’ll put the grant money to good use, her previous experience overseas with her longtime partner No Boundaries, and what she looks for in an eventing prospect. Plus, get a tip from Sylvester on how to make the most of this winter season with your horse!

21-Year-Old Madeline Backus Receives $45,000 Wilton Fair Grant

The USEA Foundation offers several different grants and scholarships, all designed to assist event riders in reaching their goals. Grant funds are designed to be used for coaching, training, and competing in the pursuit of advancing skills of horse and rider, some with the ultimate goal of representing the United States in international competition. USEA Chief Development Officer Jo Whitehouse joins us on the program this week to describe the different grants and explain the important work that is accomplished by the Foundation.

New this year is the Wilton Fair Grant. David and Cheryl Lenaburg made a very generous donation of one million dollars in memory of their great event horse Wilton Fair, and the fund allows for up to $100,000 each year to be awarded for a variety of educational opportunities for riders 29 and under who have not yet ridden for a senior team.

This year, Madeline Backus was the recipient of both the $10,000 Rebecca Broussard National Developing Rider Grant as well as $45,000 for the Wilton Fair Grant. Get to know about this talented 21-year-old rider, her string of horses, and her plans for 2018.

In the spirit of the season, we hope you will consider making a donation to the USEA Foundation before the new tax laws go into effect in 2018! Your gift will go a long way towards supporting the efforts of the Foundation as they work to make improvements within our sport and support riders as they strive to reach their goals. 

2017 #USEAConvention Roundup

USEA CEO Rob Burk joins us on the program this week to share highlights from the 2017 USEA Annual Meeting and Convention, which took place in Long Beach, California, December 6-10. This year's Convention was jam-packed with content that was split into three tracks: Events, Eventers, and Equine, each of which offered educational sessions and open forums for attendees to participate in. Over 360 members attended this year's Convention, and nearly all of those attendees came to both the Annual Meeting of Members and the Year End Awards Ceremony. There were presentations by Diarm Byrne of EquiRatings, USEF High Performance Director Erik Duvander, and Tryon International Equestrian Center among many others. Listen in to learn more!

Next year's USEA Annual Meeting and Convention will take place in New Orleans, December 5-9, 2018. 

For more information about the different sessions, check out the USEA's coverage of the Convention.

Meet the 2017 Young Event Horse Championship Winners

On this week’s program, get to know the winners of the 2017 Young Event Horse (YEH) Championship divisions! First up, Tamie Smith tells us more about Bonner Carpenter’s Summerbridge Parc, winner of the YEH West Coast 5-Year-Old Championship. Plus, Smith provides some tips for success when working with young horses. Then, Marc Grandia shares  Pam Duffy’s Sunsprite’s Watusi’s story. Grandia piloted Watusi to the win in the YEH West Coast 4-Year-Old Championship. Finally, Kristen Bond introduces her own Bea Ready, the YEH East Coast 4-Year-Old Champion.

Kim Severson won the YEH East Coast 5-Year-Old Champion aboard her own Exclusively Cooley but was unable to join us on the program because of her travel schedule.

FEH Championship Winners + USEA Convention Preview

Marta Petrenko introduces us to Lady Elegance, the USEA Future Event Horse (FEH) West Coast Grand Champion. Then we hear from Ronald Zabala-Goetschel, owner and handler of Wise Master Rubelk, the USEA FEH East Coast Grand Champion. Get to know these two FEH Champions and what’s in store for their very bright futures.

To close out this week’s program, Senior Director of Membership Services Jennifer Hardwick comes on the show to give us more details about what attendees can expect at this year’s USEA Annual Meeting and Convention at the Westin Long Beach Hotel in Long Beach, California, December 6-10, 2017.

Get to Know the New USEF Eventing Performance Director + Fair Hill International CCI3* Winner

Get to know Erik Duvander, the new USEF Performance Director for Eventing, and learn more about what the job entails and his vision for the program. Then, hear from Selena O’Hanlon fresh from her win at the 2017 Fair Hill International CCI3* with John and Judy Rumble’s Foxwood High. O’Hanlon is the first Canadian to win the Fair Hill CCI3* in the event’s history. Plus, get some tips from O’Hanlon on how to keep your horse happy in his work!

Meet the Winners of the First Qualifiers in the 2018 Adequan USEA Gold Cup Series

The 2018 Adequan USEA Gold Cup Series is underway and we have the winners of the first qualifying events of the series on the show this week! Hear from Sabrina Glaser, who won the Aspen Farms Advanced with Patricia Yust’s Rembrandt and Colleen Rutledge, who won the Richland Park CIC3* with her own Covert Rights.

Winners of qualifiers in the 2018 Adequan USEA Gold Cup Series are eligible to enter the Adequan USEA Gold Cup Final Advanced division, which will be hosted at the 2018 American Eventing Championships at the Colorado Horse Park in Parker, Colorado.

Kim Severson’s European Summer + USEF Bit Clarification

The FEI published a clarification of the rules governing bits on July 31, 2017. An illustrated list of permissible bits for FEI dressage can be viewed here. Janis Linnan, Steward General for Eventing with US Equestrian, explains that, in an effort to bring the USEF bit rules into compliance with what is currently permitted by the FEI, these new rules will hopefully be approved for USEF competition in January and go into effect during the 2018 calendar year. Current USEF bit rules can be viewed here. 

Kim Severson then comes on the show to discuss the summer she has spent in Europe and her win in the SsangYoung Blenheim Palace International CCI3* with Cooley Cross Border, the 2012 Young Event Horse 5-year-old East Coast Champion.

#AEC17 Round-Up with Current Champions and Event Organizer

In this round-up from the 2017 USEA American Eventing Championships (AEC) presented by Land Rover and Nutrena, hear first how Coti Hausman overcame incredible odds after spending a week in the ICU in May to not only attend the 2017 AEC, but win the Preliminary Rider division. Then hear from the event’s organizer, Robert Kellerhouse, about the incredible amount of work that went into making the 2017 AEC happen. Finally, Matt Brown, winner of the 2017 Adequan USEA Gold Cup Final, comes on the show to talk about BCF Belicoso’s return from an injury to compete at the 2017 AEC and their performance at the event.