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TO ALL AREA II COMPETITORS – IMPORTANT CHANGE TO YEAR END AWARD PROGRAM

First, the bad news:

  • The Area II Council has suspended the traditional Year End Awards Program, which is based on points gained for placings at USEA Area II recognized horse trials, for the 2020 competition year. The council felt that in all fairness it was not appropriate to encourage point-chasing given the circumstances of the shortened season; not all competitors were able to compete at their local events this year; and some events have had to restrict entry numbers due to local or state regulations. These circumstances make open and fair competition for the traditional high point awards impossible.

Only 8 events have been completed by the middle of our Area II season; normally, there would have been 30. And we cannot predict what may happen going forward. It is reasonable to expect a very shortened season. For that reason, the memorial and perpetual trophies (with a few exceptions, those awarded not based on points) will not be calculated for this year only, and high points will not be counted in the traditional format at this time.

In addition, with the national association freezing funds, and our budget being affected, we also had to take in mind the costs of this program as well, and to date, registration totals are not near what we would need for a full year end awards offering.

Now, the good news!

  • However, in an effort to reward those who are supporting Area II events by entering and competing, and to fulfill the objective of the awards program to assist organizers in filling events and encouraging good Area wide competition, the council has allowed the Awards Committee to create new awards based on other criteria than points and placings.

 The committee has requested that these be called the “Patrick McGaughan Memorial Area II Awards of Excellence”*, or the “Packy Awards!”

Area III and Area II Young Rider programs have come together to sponsor a Summer Camp.  The riders do not have to be a Young Rider - Adults are more than welcome!  You must be a member of the United States Eventing Association (USEA) and a member of your Area’s Young Rider or Adult Rider program.  All levels are invited from Beginner Novice and up. The camp will be held at Tryon International Equestrian Center, Mill Spring, North Carolina, July 21-25.  

More information HERE

Instructors: With a ratio of 1 coach to 10 riders, the following have been confirmed.

Mara DePuy - http://www.maradepuyeventing.com/ .A member of the 1996 Olympic team, Mara is an active competitor and instructor.  As a clinician, Mara has a unique ability to use simple exercises that you can repeat at home to get the most out of your riding sessions

Hilda Donahue – http://www.ashmoreequestriancenter.com/HildaDonahue.php .  Originally from Dublin, Ireland, Hilda has competed at many of the world’s top events.  Hilda is a long time clinician for the Area III Young Riders and especially loved by the junior riders.

John Michael Durr - http://durreventing.com/ .  Active  throughout Areas II and III as a competitor, coach and course designer.  A past clinic participant had this to say about her experience – “I’ve always said that many many people can ride but teaching others is a gift and JM definitely has this gift.”    

Lauren Eckardt – https://bigtimeeventing.com/ .  As Young Rider in the early 2000’s Lauren has competed through the Advanced level.  She focuses on providing her clients with a well-rounded education in dressage and jumping while having fun through every step of the journey. 

Leslie Law – http://www.leslielaweventing.com/ .  Originally from Great Britain, Leslie is an Olympic individual gold medalist and based in Ocala, FL since 2006.  Leslie has participated in the Area 3 Summer Camps for several years and offers a wealth of experience for intermediate riders.

Daniela Moguel - https://useventing.com/news-media/news/featured-clinician-daniela-moguel . Daniela Moguel is the first CCI5* rider to represent Mexico, and the first Mexican event rider to compete at the FEI World Equestrian Games (WEG).  Daniela now teaches and trains from her base in Shelby, NC. 

Julie Richards - http://julierichardseventing.com/ .  Julie competed in the 2000 and 2004 Olympics winning team bronze.  She is an active competitor and coach.  2020 is Julie’s third year as the Area III Young Riders coach.  In 2019, the Area III 3* team earned team gold and an individual first place finish.

(shared with permission from useventing.com)

The following is personal anecdotal advice, not professional medical advice. For official recommendations on COVID-19, please visit the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website.

In these challenging times, I was asked to share my tips on how to stay mentally and emotionally positive when things are uncertain as well as tips for keeping our farms safe in this age of COVID-19. Who am I? I’m the current Area II Chair, a volunteer position that a few of us older eventers who demonstrate a certain skill at herding cats get asked to fill and are not quite clever enough to say no. I’m a transactional attorney at a large Delaware law firm, a farm owner, and an owner of too many horses, dogs, and yeah, a lot of cats too. I’m also a former show groom, professional stall mucker and farm hand, and I've started a lot of young horses. And like you, I am an eventer. What I am not is an expert in really anything - this is just what I do!

Read More...

As of March 16, 2020, the following Area II Spring events (I will include unrecognized that I’m informed about) have cancelled:

Carolina International
Morven Park
The Fork at TIEC
CDCTA
Loch Moy starter trial (March 21-22)
Hunt Club starter trial (April 19)
Fair Hill (fully canceled)

If you hear of other cancellations, please let me know so that I may update this list. Any refund policy for events depends on each event.

https://www.usef.org/media/coronavirus-resources

Joseph Murphy is one of Ireland’s leading event riders. He recently taught a clinic in Southern Pines, NC.

Day 1 of the clinic was at Tall Wood farm in Vass, NC. The clinic took place in a big grass field with a bank complex and every kind of portable jump you can imagine.

Groups warmed up over canter cavalleti, and right away you had to adjust your horse's stride to ride through smoothly. Small fences followed, and Joseph kept building up the exercises so that they became progressively more technical. He incorporated the bank complex in several of the lines, offset verticals at extremely severe angles, and a variety of skinnies.

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Mission:

The activities are designed to develop camaraderie among young riders, thus, hopefully, developing lifelong friendships and a commitment to the sport. The purpose of the program is to encourage our younger members to become involved in the sport of Eventing and perhaps continue this involvement into their adult lives as members of the US Team, volunteers at local events, coaches, trainers, competitors, and consumers of equine products.

The Young Rider Program consists to two components. The NAYC branch focuses on developing and fronting riders and horses for the North American Youth Championships (NAYC) each summer. The YRAP branch focuses on providing young riders with the education and skills they need to progress through the levels regardless of level. In addition, each has a fund-raising program. The funds raised are used to help defray the costs of the program activities.

The YRAP encompass a variety of friendly competitions, camps, and educational activities which provide the educational development necessary for a young rider's progression. While many young riders never endeavor to progress to the NAYC and beyond, YRAP is in place for all members to accomplish whatever eventing goals they do have.

In short - Our members are the future of the sport!

Activities:

67162637 333240370958041 7312219664396845056 oThe 2019 Adequan North American Youth Championship three-day event presented by Gotham North is in the books, and Area II once again sent a talented squad that earned honors in all three divisions in which they were entered. The CCIJ2*-L team won the silver medal in a competitive division; our T3D riders were highly placed, and our CCIOY3* rider also won a team Bronze medal. The event took place at The Event at Rebecca Farms, in Kalispell, MT. over July 24-28, 2019. More pictures and the whole story at the Young Riders page.

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