USEA Convention Program

51 project being driven by the event community, the project team continues to seek out feedback and participation. There will be additional time to ask questions of the project managers and sign up for special tester and early adopter access. ERAOFNA ANNUAL MEETING Friday, December 13 | 6:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. Speaker: Helen Murray | Liberty B Jump in and engage with the Eventing Riders Association of North America. Join ERA of NA members for the Annual Meeting to learn more about the organization and initiatives to improve the overall safety, welfare, visibility, and growth of the sport. SAFETY COMMITTEE OPEN FORUM Saturday, December 14 | 8:00 a.m. – 9:00 a.m. Speakers: Jennifer Miller, DVM, Jon Holling, Mary Coldren, and Sarah Broussard | Constitution B In 2017 the USEA Board of Governors officially reorganized the USEA Safety Committee by splitting it into three separate subcommittees: the Rider Safety Subcommittee, the Equine Safety and Welfare Subcommittee, and the Cross-Country Safety Subcommittee. The reorganization has allowed for the USEA to better utilize its volunteer leaders in safety, add new expertise to each of those areas of risk assessment, and to better focus its efforts on important safety topics. This open forum will consist of updates from each of the subcommittees as well as an open forum session allowing for convention attendees to ask questions. AMERICAN HORSE TRIALS FOUNDATION Saturday, December 14 | 9:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. Speakers: Dave Emmons, Sharyn Antico, Jim Graham, and Donna Field | Republic Ballroom The American Horse Trials Foundation is a nonprofit corporation established to assist event riders and organizers in raising tax-deductible financial support for national and international competition. Since its inception in 1987 the AHTF has distributed over $21,000,000 directly to equestrian athletes and competition organizers for competitive activities. If you would like to assist equestrian athletes or are a rider or organizer needing financial support, you're invited to attend the Foundation's meeting. Perhaps they can fund your dream, too! SPORT MASSAGE FOR THE PERFORMANCE HORSE Saturday, December 14 | 10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. Speaker: Jo-Ann Wilson | Constitution B This presentation will cover understanding the connection between problems in performance and the precise underlying muscle causing the problem, due to resistance from muscle tightness, identifying causes of muscle tightness and prevention, and solving and eliminating the resistance to specific movements in performance. USEF EVENTING SPORT COMMITTEE OPEN FORUM Saturday, December 14 | 10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. Speaker: Mike Huber | Republic Ballroom This is a general committee meeting and will cover administrative duties and rule change discussion. RIDERS: BUILD YOUR BRAND AND EARN SPONSORSHIPS Saturday, December 14 | 2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. Speaker: Frankie Thieriot Stutes | Constitution B This session will feature Frankie Thieriot Stutes speaking about what young professionals, specifically those graduating from the Young Rider ranks, should be doing to build their brand, how best to spend money on marketing, how to contact sponsors, and more. WHERE IS THE SPORT HEADED WITH FRANGIBLE CROSS-COUNTRY FENCES? Saturday, December 14 | 3:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. Speakers: Jon Holling, Tremaine Cooper, Morgan Rowsell, and Dan Michaels | Constitution B A thought-provoking discussion on how frangible fence designs have advanced in recent years and designs that will be made available in the near future. The discussion will touch on recent and future rule changes related to frangible fences as it relates to required use and penalties for triggering. Frangible fences are one way among hundreds of others to reduce risk in the sport, but they are not the only solution.

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