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Grab a planner and a highlighter and start combing through the USEA Annual Meeting & Convention Schedule to mark the must-attend events on your list during this jam-packed weekend of educational activities. The 2023 USEA Annual Meeting and Convention in St. Louis, Missouri, is just a few weeks away, and the schedule is full of exciting speakers, committee meetings, celebrations and more! Keep reading for all the information you need to know to make the most of your time in St. Louis on Dec. 7-10.
Registration
Members are encouraged to take advantage of early bird pricing for full week passes, which allow access to all open meetings on Thursday through Sunday and include one ticket to the USEA Annual Meeting of Members Luncheon. Full members can attend all four-days of Convention for the early bird rate of just $275, while Junior and Collegiate Members can attend for only $150, if registration is purchased by Dec. 6. On-site registrations will increase by $15. Register for the 2023 Annual Meeting and Convention here to save!
Accommodations
The 2023 Convention will take place at the Marriott St. Louis Grand Hotel, which is located at 800 Washington Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63101. Reservations can be made in the USEA room block by clicking here to book your room. Reservations using the USEA room block rate will end on Tuesday, November 14, so don’t wait to secure your accommodation.
Travel
The St. Louis Lambert International Airport (STL) is just 13 miles from downtown St. Louis, and there are more than 250 daily departures to 70+ domestic and international destinations. Southwest Airlines is the primary carrier, but flights can also be booked through Alask Airlines, American, Cape Air, Delta, Frontier, Lufthansa, Spirit, and United.
For a full listing of air, rail and ground transportation options, as well as driving directions and parking rates, please click here. When booking your travel plans, be sure to review the USEA Member Reward offers for potential savings.
Speakers
The 2023 USEA Annual Meeting & Convention will kick off on Thursday, Dec. 7 with the Show Jumping Seminar led by FEI Level 2 and USEF “R” Show Jumping Course Designer, Chris Barnard, and USEF “R” Show Jumping Course Designer and Program Director of the Carolina Horse Park, Marc Donovan. This day-long, interactive session will discuss current trends in show jumping course design, review theory, footing management, best practices and allow for the submission and review of courses created by the participants. With a collective experience that spans over many years and includes designing at prestigious venues like The Event at Rebecca Farm, Great Meadow International, Bromont, the USEA American Eventing Championships, and more, Barnard and Donovan are both highly qualified and entertaining presenters that are sure to keep you engaged throughout the day. To purchase a Thursday pass or full week pass to attend the seminar, click here.
Ifa Simmons, a certified fitness performance coach for equestrians with over a decade of experience and creator of The Equestrian Fitness Academy (EFA), will be leading daily exercise classes designed specifically for enhancing rider fitness and well-being. The “Eventers in Motion” series explores ways to improve your body’s movement, cognition abilities, and boost flexibility, while enhancing your overall wellness. These morning sessions will help you get in the right frame of mind to absorb all the knowledge that Convention has to offer the rest of the day!
On Friday, members will have the opportunity to attend a master class on “Problem Solving for Eventing Officials,” led by some of the most experienced Eventing Officials in the sport. Cindy Deporter, Gretchen Butts, Tim Murray, Marilyn Payne, Loris Henry and Wayne Quarles will lead a panel discussion, including interactive demonstration and role play, to demonstrate how officials can better handle difficult situations that can arise on the job.
Join the USEA in celebrating the 2023 Pan American Games silver medal-winning team, comprised of Sydney Elliott, Liz Halliday, Caroline Pamukcu, and Sharon White, at 1:00 p.m. on Friday! The riders will recap their experience representing Team USA in Santiago, Chile and share stories from their travels. If you’re lucky, you may even catch a glimpse of the eventing hardware that they brought home, including Pamukcu and HSH Blake’s individual gold medal!
Saturday morning, join members of the USEA Eventing Coaches Program for an Interactive Program and Mini-Symposium! ECP-certified coaches and faculty members, Phyllis Dawson, Robin Walker, Jennifer Rousseau, Mary D’Arcy, David O’Connor, and Karen O’Connor invite you to join them for an interactive, round-table exercise on developing the “eye” of a coach. Participants will practice recognizing where a horse and rider are in their training journey, what underlying weaknesses might be limiting their progression, and prioritizing the next steps in correct increments to best support the rider’s goals through the evaluation of real competition videos. If you’ve been to an ECP symposium over the past couple of years, then you will be familiar with the concept. If not – then this is your chance to get a taste of what all the buzz is about!
This year’s USEA Annual Meeting of Members Luncheon on Saturday, December 9 will include a keynote presentation by Dr. Temple Grandin, a world-renowned scientist, author and professor of animal science at Colorado State University. Learn how Dr. Grandin pioneered the design of livestock handling facilities with modern methods that improved animal welfare and productivity, while also becoming a prominent author and speaker on both autism and animal behavior. One ticket to the luncheon is included with each full registration, but additional tickets can be purchased for $65 per ticket. Click here to secure your ticket.
To view the official schedule for the 2023 USEA Annual Meeting & Convention, click here. This page has the full schedule, information on each presentation, speaker biographies, and more. *Please note that some meetings may shift, so we recommend that you continue to check the schedule regularly for updates.
Special Events and Functions
Open to All
Tickets are available for purchase for the following functions and may be purchased here:
Awards and Grants
The USEA Year End Awards Dinner on Saturday, Dec. 9 will honor the great achievements USEA members have accomplished this past year. The special awards will include the USEA leaderboard of champions presented by Nunn Finer, the overall leaderboard champions, appreciation awards, and the USEA Foundation grants. See below for a full listing.
To learn more about the 2023 USEA Annual Meeting & Convention, click here. If you have any other questions or suggestions, please contact Jennifer Hardwick by email at Jennifer@useventing.com or by phone at (703) 779-0440, ext. 3003.
About the USEA Annual Meeting & Convention
The USEA Annual Meeting & Convention takes place each December and brings together a large group of dedicated USEA members and supporters to discuss, learn, and enjoy being surrounded by other eventing enthusiasts. The USEA organizes multiple seminars in addition to committee meetings, open forums, and tons of fun! The 2023 USEA Annual Meeting & Convention will take place in St. Louis, Missouri on December 7-10, 2023. Click here to learn more about the USEA Annual Meeting & Convention.
The USEA would like to thank the USEA Annual Meeting & Convention Sponsors: Adequan, Bates Saddles, Capital Square, D.G. Stackhouse & Ellis, Kerrits, Horse & Country, Nunn Finer, Nutrena, Parker Equine Insurance, Rebecca Farm, RevitaVet, SmartPak, Standlee, and World Equestrian Brands.
