To look around at the abundance of empty chairs in the early morning sessions of the U.S. Eventing Association’s annual meeting, held Dec. 10-14 in the French Quarter of New Orleans, La., one might think U.S. eventers were a particularly disengaged group of horsemen. But the group of riders, officials, organizers and other eventing supporters in attendance proved their willingness to buckle down and tackle the key issues facing the sport today—they merely needed what USEA President Kevin Baumgardner dubbed “the Bourbon Street grace period.”

The crowd of 400 at this year’s annual meeting undoubtedly had plenty of extracurricular evening fun in “The Big Easy,” but that didn’t put a damper on serious discussions on safety, publicity, lower-level development and the future of the sport on the whole.

“I think our strength really is that we’re kind of a contentious lot,” Baumgardner said in his opening statement to the USEA Board of Governors. “Many people think that’s a weakness, but I think it’s a good thing. Our sport has a culture worth preserving, and all of you around this table are charged with preserving that culture.”

In contrast to last year’s meeting, where a sense of urgency permeated almost every committee meeting, the atmosphere at this year’s summit was more confident and calm. After extraordinary rule changes regarding rider falls and level qualifications were instigated mid-year, and the U.S. Equestrian Federation created an Eventing Watch List after their safety summit in Kentucky in June, many leaders have now developed a level-headed, wait-and-see attitude when it comes to legislating.

“The watch list system has been active in the [United Kingdom] for three or four years and has been deemed to be the most significant aid to safety there,” said U.S. Chef d’Equipe Capt. Mark Phillips. “Give it a chance. We’ve got a danger here of making this bigger than Ben Hur. This is just a friendly tap on the shoulder. It shouldn’t be a huge deal.”

The Watch List will be completely confidential and is meant to be a supportive system rather than a sanction. A full outline of the program, which begins Jan. 1, is available under the eventing section at www.usef.org.

Many hopes are riding on the Watch List, but that didn’t keep convention attendees from discussing the possibility of further legislation. Last year’s hot topic, a two-track system at the preliminary level, hasn’t been abandoned, nor has an optional cross-country technical merit score at some events.

The Professional Horseman’s Council also revisited the topic of rider licensing at upper levels, mandatory instructor certification, or adopting the Fédération Equestre Internationale’s new rule of automatic suspension after two yellow cards issued for the same offense, such as dangerous riding.

Dolphins Caught In Shark Nets

Concerns arose that innocent riders are already falling victim to over-legislation, whether they earn dangerous riding penalties from an overzealous ground jury president or are eliminated for a quick pop out of the tack under the new “one fall and you’re out” rule.

But USEF President David O’Connor stood firmly behind the recent safety precautions, using the analogy of a dolphin getting stuck in a shark net.

“You’re going to have to back the officials 100 percent if they’re going to pull up the people who really need it,” O’Connor said. “They’re going to make a mistake every once in awhile, and you’re going to have to back them anyway. That’s the only way this is going to work. We finally have officials out there who are willing to make decisions. It’s a huge cultural change from the last 10 to 15 years. They haven’t had that
confidence before.”

Discussion of revoking the “one fall and you’re out” rule ensued more than once over the course of the weekend. Proponents said that due to the adrenaline in their systems, some fallen riders don’t realize they’re injured. Instances where riders have remounted and finished, only to realize later they have broken bones, concussions or internal injuries, are not uncommon. So the proverbial dolphins in shark nets are unfortunate but necessary from the “better safe than sorry” standpoint.

“I hate mandating fascism. I wish we could all always be sensible, but that can’t always happen,” said USEF Eventing Technical Committee Chairman and National Safety Officer Malcolm Hook, who was initially against the rule but changed his mind after reviewing extensive medical data from other USEF disciplines. The issue arose in Friday’s rule change open forum, even though a move to actually rescind the rule is highly unlikely at present.

“Let’s see how it works for awhile before we jump on all the permutations and possibilities,” Hook said. “Quite frankly I have better things I’d like to do with my time, like play spider solitaire.”

While many officials and organizers support the rule, cheers went up when the convention’s keynote speaker, British eventing legend Lucinda Green, encouraged its repeal, saying it was contradictory to the very nature of the sport.

“There’s a medical committee at the FEI that’s decided there’s a danger,” Green said, noting that national competitions in the U.K. still allow riders to continue after one fall. “Well of course there’s a danger. We’ve already decided there’s a danger with anything to do with horses. But I think it’s actually counterproductive. How many times have we heard someone say, ‘Well, I fell off in the water but then [I got back on and] he jumped the last seven fences so well!?’

“Your confidence goes so quickly if you have time to think about it, and the horse is the same way,” she continued. “Now you have to walk home, and all you think about is how you’ve let your horse down, and he may be thinking the same thing. I think it’s contradictory to the confidence you need to be able to do this sport successfully.”

Green earned a standing ovation for her address, which highlighted the importance of encouraging horses to think and act independently. She said horses and humans will both make mistakes, but the horse will always make far fewer than his rider.

“You sit, and you wait, and you let the horse go to where he needs to go in front of the jump,” she said. “It takes a bit of courage, if you’re used to being in charge and telling the horse when to take off, not to. It takes a bit of courage, if you’re used to seeing your stride, not to. And it takes a bit of courage to see what incredible footwork a horse can do.

“The deep spot is from where those horrific rotational falls have taken so many people’s lives,” she continued. “I’m sure people are even more frightened of that deep spot than in my day. All these remarks go ’round, which creates an atmosphere where you’re expected to see a spot. But why? That’s the horse’s job. It’s his legs. It’s him that’s got to look after his legs and you, and he will. You just have to be in charge of the engine, the line and the balance.”

Cultivating A Cultural Shift

Professional Horseman’s Council Co-Chairman and Olympic silver medalist Gina Miles acknowledged that the USEA has done a good job of instituting safety measures in the past year, but cultivating a cultural shift in the future will be more difficult.

“[The PHC] started out with a list of about 24 different ideas, and we divided them into things we could implement right away versus more long-term cultural changes,” she said.

Miles noted that she’s seen dangerous riding occur everywhere, even at the Olympic Games in Hong Kong. “But it’s a big championship, and they want to get around. They’re rewarded for getting through. It’s a huge cultural question that we have to answer in our sport.”

Veteran rider Carol Kozlowski will be tackling many of these cultural problems this year as the new vice president of Safety.

“I’m no happier than the next person that we have more and more rules in eventing,” Kozlowski said. “Safe riding isn’t a bunch of rules. It’s a mindset. We’re all responsible for the future of eventing every time we compete.

“There’s not a person in this room who hasn’t made a mistake on a horse,” she continued. “That’s not reprehensible, that’s human. You owe it to everyone—your horse, your family, and everyone competing in this sport with you— to seek the best instruction you can find.”

Kozlowski said the ultimate decisions always lie with the rider, however. He or she should always be willing to pull up based on footing, weather or course specifics and be able to accept just having a bad day now and then.

“No more excuses,” she said. “When I make a decision to enter an event, I will accept that I am ultimately responsible for the outcome. We need to encourage people to make the best decision for their horse both on that day and in the future. Believe it or not, kicking on is not always the best option. The riders that accept responsibility of doing the right thing are the ones we want to applaud.”

Kozlowski received a rousing round of applause for her speech and earned more praise when she won a Governor’s Cup for service to the sport at the annual awards luncheon on Saturday afternoon. In addition to her continued commitment to teaching and safety, Kozlowski helped establish the Genesee Valley Riding and Driving Club in upstate New York. She also led the charge to end the lead weight system in the mid-1990s, and earned the title of the Chronicle’s 1997 Eventing Horseman of the Year with veterinarian Joseph O’Dea.

Baumgardner also awarded a Governor’s Cup to Area III’s Patte Clement for her extensive work with adult rider programs and the USEA Endowment Trust. Clement also serves as a technical delegate and has competed as a novice amateur across the Southeast.

Becky Bowen of Area IV was honored for her contributions to the Illinois Dressage and Combined Training Association and her spirit of volunteerism at the Maui Jim Horse Trials and American Eventing Championships at Lamplight Equestrian Center. When not organizing awards, jump judging, scribing or working as a ring steward, she rides her 3-year-old homebred filly.

Jackie Smith of Ohio earned a Governor’s Cup for her accomplishments as an organizer, course designer, rider and horse show mom extraordinaire. In addition, she’s also served on the USEA Board of Governors and the USEF Eventing Technical Committee. After holding the title of Area VIII Young Rider Coordinator for the past several years, Smith was also proud to accept this year’s Worth The Trust scholarship award on behalf of her son, Kyle.

Jan and Peter Walling, owners of Quail Run Farm in Bartonville, Texas, were unable to attend the ceremony to accept their Governor’s Cup, given in appreciation for their 25 years of eventing support. The Wallings have offered recognized events, schooling shows and an Instructor Certification Program clinic at their facility and are instrumental members of the North Texas Eventing Association.

After suffering serious injuries from a fall in 2007, Ralph Hill earned a standing ovation as he accepted the Ironmaster Trophy for “an individual who exemplifies fortitude and courage.”

“No one has been larger than life than his iconic free spirit,” said Master of Ceremonies Jim Wofford. “He continues to battle and to surmount the effects of the injuries he suffered nearly two years ago, yet he perseveres daily, playing with the hand that has been dealt him, doing the best he can and taking life one accomplishment at a time, all accompanied by his trademark ear-to-ear grin. And that is the epitome of what the Ironmaster Trophy
is about.”

The Wofford Cup for outstanding contribution to the sport went to Hook, who has worked as an official, volunteer and rules guru for more than 30 years.

“These are people who have an effect on the sport from the highest level all the way down to the grassroots,” Wofford said. “Malcolm brings to all of these activities an enthusiasm and love of the sport, passions that haven’t dimmed in the three-plus decades of his involvement. Probably the major asset he brings to these jobs are objectivity, superb communicating skills and an ability to problem solve in a calm, dispassionate manner.”

Phillip Dutton captured the Rider of the Year title for the 10th time, while Corinne Ashton was sadly unable to accept the Horse of the Year award for her longtime partner Dobbin, as she was snowed in at her home in Princeton, Mass. Sarah Cousins earned the Lady Rider of the Year title.