The leaders of the U.S. Eventing Association pledged to preserve the three-day event–at least in this country– several times during the association’s annual convention, at the Hilton Hotel in San Francisco, on Dec. 2-5.
In his final act at the association’s president, Kingman Penniman accepted an online petition signed by 2,241 people, presented to him by adult amateur rider Heather Bailey of Winchester, Va., during the annual meeting. Penniman in turn presented the petition to new president Kyra Stuart when she took over a few minutes later.
Said Stuart, “The USEA has always been behind the long format at the one- and two-star levels, and this petition shows what people can do when they’re passionate.”
Roger Haller, chairman of the U.S. Equestrian Federation Eventing Committee, told the USEA Board of Governors on Sunday morning that they’d voted (on the advise of the USEF High-Performance Committee) that there was no longer a need for long-format three-star events. The reason: the Federation Equestre Internationale has already ruled that they no longer qualify horses for four-stars or championships. Consequently, the Jersey Fresh CCI (N.J.) in May will offer the short format for the CCI***, just like last October’s Fair Hill CCI*** (Md.).
But Haller said that the Eventing Committee had agreed that one- and two-star CCIs, especially those holding USEF championships, will be long-format CCI’s. That means Jersey Fresh will offer its CCI** in the long format. “Riders and trainers have expressed their strong support through their entries and through the petition, expressing the need for the educational value at this level,” said Haller.
David O’Connor, as the USEF president and as a member of the FEI Eventing Committee, expressed his personal commitment for preserving the long format at the Rolex Kentucky CCI and other four-stars. But in an exclusive interview, he said that he doubted that FEI officials would agree, in the foreseeable future, to return the long format to any championships. That’s significant because the state of Kentucky has submitted a bid for the 2010 World Equestrian Games that includes a long-format eventing championship.
Malcolm Hook, chairman of the Rules Subcommittee of the USEF Eventing Committee, reported to the open rule-change forum that there was only one significant rules-change proposal within the eventing rules. But two general rules have potentially large impacts.
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Katherine B. Lindsay, organizer of the Wayne Horse Trials (Ill.) and an active technical delegate, proposed a change to article 1941.1.2, requiring mandatory retirement for any fall of rider on the cross-country course. Lindsay admitted that she didn’t really expect it to pass. “This is in response to several circumstances I’ve experienced as an official,” she said. “What I want is for people to think about it, and I don’t know how else to address it.”
The consensus was that too many rider falls result in no injury whatsoever to make this rule necessary. But the USEA Safety Committee has created a concussion task force, which during the meeting reported its plans for policies to assure that riders who are genuinely concussed and compromised do not continue on course.
The more significant of the two general rules requires all veterinarians (both official competition veterinarians and treating veterinarians) to be USEF members. Sally Ike and Karen O’Connor, both members of the USEF Drugs and Medications Committee, explained this proposal is to track and punish veterinarians who prescribe illegal medications for competing horses.
Members doubted that veterinarians would agree to join just so they could be fined or censored for their clients’ actions and feared it would drastically reduce the number of practitioners willing to be official or treating veterinarians. Hook read a response he would forward to the USEF Board of Directors, which members present approved: “While this rule-change proposal addresses an area of concern, it does not provide a solution to the perceived problem.”
The second general rule (article 305.1.5) prohibits anyone without a valid driver’s license from operating any kind of motorized vehicle (including golf carts or scooters) on competition grounds. David O’Connor told the forum that “other affiliates really want this” and asked them not to disapprove it. But competitors and organizers alike felt it would mean hardships as both rely on teenagers for help. Said Hook, who supports the rule change, “We have to figure out a way to make this work.”
In addition to Stuart, who’s organized the Stuart Horse Trials in Victor, N.Y., for the last 15 years, the new USEA officers for 2005 are: vice president for strategic affairs–Andrew Temkin; vice president for promotion–Roger Secrist; vice president for area affairs–John Sheets; vice president for education–Beth Lendrum; vice president for membership–Jennifer Akers; vice president for competitions–Malcolm Hook; secretary–Kevin Baumgardner; treasurer–Gary Stegman.
At the awards ceremony on Saturday, Phillip Dutton was awarded the leading rider trophy for the sixth consecutive year; Linda Wachtmeister’s Winsome Adante was the leading horse and rider Kim Severson the leading lady rider; and Will Coleman was the leading young rider. Jim Wolf, the USEF director of international eventing, was awarded the Wofford Cup, and Governors Cups were given to Helen Coleman, Jack Ernst, Anne Kellerhouse, Ed Lawrence, Mary Lou Reese, Ana Schravesande, Joe Silva and Lefreda Williams.
