USEA Podcast

Buying your next horse? Whether you're looking to move up a level or find your perfect match for the lower levels, this episode of the USEA Podcast is full of practical advice to help you make smart decisions from the start.   USEA Podcast Host Nicole Brown is joined by experienced coach and advisor Ruthie Meyer for a thoughtful and honest look at the horse-buying process. From finding the right match and navigating online ads to setting realistic goals and managing red flags, Ruthie shares her best guidance on how to approach the search with clarity and confidence.   If you're in the market - or plan to be soon - this episode is one you won't want to miss.   If you want to listen to the pre-purchase exam episode click here.

Looking to level up your first-phase performance? This episode of the USEA Official Podcast is packed with expert insight to help you boost your dressage marks and ride your best test yet. Nicole Brown is joined by five-star rider and S-level judge Valerie Vizcarrondo Pride, who shares practical, ringside advice straight from the judge's box — from warm-up strategy and presentation tips to scoring insight and how to bounce back when things don't go to plan. If you want to head down the centerline feeling confident, calm, and competition-ready — this one's for you.

Were you one of the competitors at this year's USEA Intercollegiate & Interscholastic Eventing League (IEL) Eventing Championships? Or do you dream of the day that you can participate yourself? Are you just a huge eventing superfan and love seeing young riders of all ages enjoying the sport? No matter where you fall, you will love this week's episode of the USEA Podcast where we chat with a member of the Champion USEA IEL team and the president of this year's Intercollegiate Spirit Award Team, the University of Georgia. Get a behind-the-scenes look at what it feels like to participate in one of these championships from Olive Dumais and Katlyn Parker.

A pre-purchase examination (PPE) is big part of investing in a new eventing partner, but there are so many options and add-ons that can be done in a PPE that the process can feel a bit daunting. USEA Podcast Host Nicole Brown sat down with equine veterinarian and USEA Board of Governors member Dr. Angie Yates, DVM, to discuss all things related to the PPE, different perspectives to keep in mind, and more in this week's episode of the USEA Podcast. This episode is a great one if you anticipate you will be on the market for a new horse soon! 

Have your travels to Kentucky for the 2025 Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event begun yet? We've got the perfect podcast episode to help you make the time on the plane or in the car pass by as you prepare for all of the excitement of the CCI4*-S and CCI5*-L that will take place this week. USEA Podcast Host Nicole Brown sits down with Will Coleman to talk all about this iconic week in U.S. eventing, his plans for the four-star this year (including an adorable homage to long-term partner Off the Record), his first ever time competing at Kentucky, and so much more! 

You asked and midwestern FEI eventer Julie Wolfert answered! In this week's episode of the USEA Podcast, Host Nicole Brown hits Julie with all of your biggest questions (all while Julie waits out a tornado while in transit to compete at Stable View) including competition preparations, eventing in the midwest, Julie's eventing history, what is to come in the future, and so much more.

It's the first Team Talk of 2025 and the first Team Talk with newly appointed U.S. Eventing Chef d'Equipe and High Performance Manager Leslie Law and it is an exciting one! USEA Podcast host Nicole Brown asks Leslie all the big questions: from what his new responsibilities will be, to preparations for the LA Olympics, and more! 

The 2025 season is well underway and it's an exciting year for United States eventing with many world-class horse and rider partnerships already showing off what they are made of this early in the year. In addition to high-performance eventing, USEA CEO Rob Burk, USEA President Louise "Lou" Leslie, and EquiRatings' Diarm Byrne sit down to chat with USEA Podcast Host Nicole Brown about what is to come on the U.S. eventing schedule across all levels, competitions that are getting everyone excited, and so much more in this week's episode of the USEA Podcast! 

Want to learn more about the history of eventing and how to develop the strongest partnership possible with your horse? Consider adding a USEA Classic Series event to your 2025 competition calendar! USEA Podcast host Nicole Brown chats with two of the biggest fans of the USEA Classic Series, five-star competitor Sharon White and organizer/former long-format competitor Sarah Broussard, about all the phases of this iconic event and how you can get involved this year.

Hands down, the USEA's Big Valentine's Quiz is always one of our most popular podcasts each year and this year USEA Podcast host Nicole Brown pitted U.S. eventing power couple Jacob and Cornelia Fletcher against Australia's beloved Shane and Niki Rose for another fun-filled episode! From eventing knowledge to cute couple questions, Nicole puts these two couples to the test. Which couple do you think came out on top? 

Following the conclusion of the 2024 USEA Emerging Athletes U21 (EA21) program and with applications for the 2025 program opening soon, USEA Podcast host Nicole Brown chats with EA21 Regional Coach Rebecca Brown about the growth of the program over the past three years and the many successes that arose from the 2024-2025 EA21 National Camp. Plus, Brown also breaks down how to incorporate some of the iconic EA21 exercises into your own training at home! 

It's the start of a new year and what better time to talk about prioritizing yourself and your fitness than at the start of a new season? USEA Podcast Host Nicole Brown sat down with Olympian Boyd Martin and equestrian sports performance fitness coach Tony Sandoval to answer all of your submitted questions regarding your health and fitness so that you can start your year off on the right foot! 

USEA CEO Rob Burk sits down with Podcast Host Nicole Brown to talk about some of the key moments from this year's USEA Annual Meeting & Convention including keynote speaker Tik Maynard's presentation, rule changes, accessibility and inclusivity, and more! 

Hot off the heels of international cross-country course designer Ian Stark's official retirement at the 2024 MARS Maryland 5 Star, USEA Podcast Host Nicole Brown sits down with Stark to talk about the trajectory of his career from designing Novice-level baby Burghleys to actual five-star events. This is an episode you won't want to miss that celebrates one of the greatest of our time!

With the end of the year just a few weeks away, the dream team of USEA Podcast Host Nicole Brown, USEA CEO Rob Burk, USEA President Lou Leslie, and Equiratings' Diarm Byrne, all got together to look back on the ups and the downs of the 2024 U.S. eventing season. This is an episode you won't want to miss as we gear up for what is to come in 2025!

Bringing along a young horse is such a special process for everyone involved. The USEA is excited to dedicate an episode to celebrating some of the special young horses in the United States that have risen to the occasion. Joining USEA Podcast Host Nicole Brown in this episode are Tommy Greengard, the rider and co-owner of this year's Holekamp/Turner Grant Recipient That's Me Z who represented the U.S. at Le Lion this year, and Kaylawna Smith-Cook, who piloted Bonner Carpenter's Only-Else to the highest national score in the Dutta Corp. USEA Young Event Horse 5-Year-Old Championships.  Hear tips and tricks for picking the right young event horse for you, planning the program that works best for them, and so much more in this week's episode! Plus, you get a bonus excerpt on gut health thanks to our partners at Standlee!

The USEA Annual Meeting & Convention is easily one of the most influential weeks in the sport of eventing in the U.S. and this year it is headed to Seattle, Washington, December 12-15. USEA Podcast Host Nicole Brown talks about all the details surrounding this year's Convention with USEA CEO Rob Burk and USEA President Lou Leslie. From important discussions around safety and horsemanship to a charity poker tournament and more, there is so much going on in Seattle this year that you won't want to miss! 

One of the biggest parts of preparing for your 2025 season includes taking a look at what your horse's end-of-season schedule looks like. USEA Podcast Host Nicole Brown sat down with five-star rider Meghan O'Donoghue about how you can plan for your horse's downtime, however that might look for them, to make the most of your upcoming goals.

The MARS Maryland 5 Star at Fair Hill is just a week away and USEA Podcast Host Nicole Brown sat down with USEA CEO Rob Burk and Frankie Theriot Stutes to talk about their favorite Maryland moments to-date, what makes the venue so special, and what they are thinking of this year's lineup so far. 

It's time for another rider Q&A session and this time around we chatted with USEA Intermediate AEC Champion and five-star eventer Allie Knowles about all things related to horse-care, being a professional in the sport, why Morswood is the absolute best boy in the barn, and more. A huge thanks to Allie for taking the time to chat with us! 

USEA CEO Rob Burk and USEA President Lou Leslie hopped on a call with Host Nicole Brown to chat all about the USEA American Eventing Championships presented by Nutrena Feeds. From how the eventing community rallied together following Liz Halliday's fall in the Advanced Final to the amazing stories that came to light during the event, we chat about everything at this year's AEC that inspired us and remind us why this event is truly one of the most exciting events of the year! 

This week kicks off arguably the busiest week in eventing in the United States as the 2024 USEA American Eventing Championships (AEC) presented by Nutrena Feeds gets started at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, Kentucky. This national championship will begin on Tuesday, August 27, and run through Sunday, September 1, and will feature competition from the Starter level all the way up through the $60,000 Adequan USEA Advanced Final.  This year's Championships is already breaking records with over 1,000 entries for the 2024 event and we anticipate many more records to be made throughout the competition week. USEA Podcast host Nicole Brown talks about all the excitement around this year's event with two of the members of the exceptionally talented organizing team, Mary Fike and Equestrian Event Inc's Vanessa Coleman, the mastermind behind the USEA Adams Horse Supply Adult Team Challenge, Amy Winnen, and USEA CEO Rob Burk. 

Now that all of our U.S. horses and riders are home safe and sound from the 2024 Paris Olympic Games, USEA Podcast Host Nicole Brown chatted with USEF Eventing Technical Advisor and Chef d'Equipe Bobby Costello about the Team's preperation work, time in France, and outlook after this year's Games. 

The USEA Emerging Athletes U21 (EA21) program is going on its third year now and with the summer EA21 Regional Camps in full swing, USEA podcast host Nicole Brown sits down with EA21 regional coaches Bec Braitling, Rebecca Brown, Shannon Lilley, and Emily Mastervich Beshear to talk about the program's history and growth, plus how this summer's camps have gone so far. If you are considering applying to this program in this future, this episode is one you won't want to miss! 

There is nothing like competing in a USEA Classic Series Event and interim USEA Podcast Host Rosie Russel sat down to chat with the three champions from the Coconino USEA Classic Series. Hear what motivated these talented eventers to participate in the long-format this year, how each competitor prepared for the event, what they learned from the experience, and so much more! 

There is so much more to proper grooming than keeping your horse picture-perfect for the horse inspection. Good grooming practices are critical to proper horse management, no matter if you are planning for your next FEI appearance or your Starter level debut. To help you maximize your knowledge of grooming practices, we opened up the opportunity for USEA members to submit any questions they might have on our Instagram and Facebook stories. In this week's episode, Host Nicole Brown sits down with three of the highest-regarded grooms in this industry, Max Corcoran, Emma Ford, and Stephanie Simpson, and asks them all of your questions and more to help you perfect the art of grooming.

USEA Podcast Host Nicole Brown is back for one of the most exciting podcasts of the year, the Team Talk with USEF Eventing Technical Advisor and Chef d'Equipe Bobby Costello! With the recent announcement of the horse and rider pairs that will represent the U.S. at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, France, Costello takes some time to discuss the team selections and upcoming preparations to gear the team up for this year's Games. 

With an Olympic Games on U.S. soil in Los Angeles, California, in just four years time, all eyes are on talented U.S. pairs as they continue to produce their horses and improve their own skills in the saddle in hopes of getting the chance to represent Team USA on the Olympic stage. Producing up-and-coming horse and rider pairs is big focus of US Equestrian, which is why the US Equestrian Development Program was born. Led by USEF Eventing Emerging/Development Coach Leslie Law, this program aims to support athletes with the perceived talent and ability to reach Pre-Elite status within the next two to three years by focusing on developing the skills needed to progress up the pathway. USEA Podcast interim host Rosie Russell caught up with Law while overseas with the athletes selected to participate in the 2024 Spring U.S. Eventing European Development Tour. Check it out! 

We are still riding on a bit of a high after the success of the 2024 USEA Intercollegiate and Interscholastic Eventing Championships, so we loved taking the opportunity to chat about this year's event with Stable View's Barry Oliff, member of the winning Intercollegiate team Hayden Wathen, and member of the winning Interscholastic team Collins Zgutowicz. Let the countdown to the 2025 championships begin... 

On this week's edition of the USEA Podcast, interim podcast host Rosie Russell touches base with this year's Defender/USEF CCI5*-L National Champion Lauren Nicholson who was the highest-placed U.S. rider in the 2024 Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event. Rosie talks with Lauren about her history with her horse Vermiculus, their preparations for Kentucky, their outstanding performance at the five-star event, and so much more! 

The USEA Intercollegiate Championship has always been a fan-favorite amongst USEA staff and members alike, but this year this year-end showdown which was dubbed the "happiest horse trial on earth" by a USEA staff member is getting bigger and better with the addition of the inaugural USEA Interscholastic Eventing Championship.  Interim host Rosie Russell caught up with former USEA Intercollegiate competitor Kate Boggan, USEA Board of Governors representative Molly Pellegrini, and USEA staff member Kaleigh Collett to talk about the amazing opportunities that can arise from this year's conjoined championships which take place May 4-5 at Stable View Farm in Aiken, South Carolina. 

The USEA Podcast gets a fresh new perspective from interim Host Rosie Russell as Nicole Brown takes some time to enjoy her newest addition to the family, a beautiful baby boy! The USEA sends all of our love and congratulations to Brown and her family. In this week's episode, Russell chats with New Zealand riders Matthew Grayling and Monica Spencer, both of whom have spent the start of the year competing in the U.S. in preparations for Kentucky. Hear all about how Grayling balances a dairy operation and his eventing goals at the young age of 60, why Spencer is now calling the U.S. her home base, and so much more in our Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event preview episode! 

USEA Podcast Host Nicole Brown catches up with USEF Eventing Technical Advisor and Chef d'Equipe Bobby Costello on the start of the 2024 eventing season, athlete performances so far, and all things related to this years Paris Olympics and the U.S. Eventing Team! 

As eventers, the health and happiness of our horses is key. USEA Podcast Host Nicole Brown chats with Board-Certified Equine Internal Medicine Specialist Dr. Amy Polkes about your horse's heart health, common cardiac issues you should be aware of, and ways to best ensure that your horse has the healthiest heart possible! 

We might be a few months into the new year, but there is still so much to come in the 2024 U.S. eventing season. USEA Podcast Host Nicole Brown sits down with USEA CEO Rob Burk, USEA President Lou Leslie, and EquiRatings' Managing Director and Co-Founder Diarm Byrne to make predictions, dive into team selections, and just share what they are most looking forward to this year in this week's episode of the USEA Podcast. 

Our favorite podcast of the year is back and this time we are pitting an equestrian power couple from each coast up against one another! USEA Podcast Host Nicole Brown caught up with Boyd and Silva Martin and James and Helen Alliston to learn about their love stories and drill them on their eventing knowledge in this year's Big Valentine's Quiz. Get ready for some laughs, USEA members - this is a good one! 

Have a big goal you want to end your season with? USEA Podcast Host Nicole Brown chatted with five-star eventer Will Faudree about making your goals and planning your season accordingly. From Plan A to Plan Z, Faudree talks about all of the things that might impact your plan and the path to your goal and how you can work around them, including the concept of being honest with yourself when necessary.  If you haven't had a listen to USEA Podcast #351: Goal Setting for the New Year, we advise going back and listening through that one and then applying some of your newfound goal setting skills to some of the tips mentioned by Faudree when prepping your season planning for this year! 

Are you saddle shopping or just hoping to brush up on your skills for proper saddle fit for horse and rider? You won't want to miss this episode of the USEA Podcast where Host Nicole Brown chats with Emily Bates, Head of Product Innovation at Bates Saddlery. Learn about what types of saddles might be suitable for your needs, how to connect with a qualified saddle fitter, and more! 

Do you have some big goals for the 2024 eventing season? Did you know that only 12% of people hold onto their New Year's Resolutions past February? USEA Podcast Host Nicole Brown sits down with Pressure Proof Academy's Daniel Stewart to talk about New Year's Resolutions, setting attainable short-term and long-term goals, and so much more. Get a good start to your year with bite-size goals that will set you up for success this season! 

Take a trip down memory lane with USEA podcast host Nicole Brown, USEA CEO Rob Burk, and USEA President Lou Leslie as they look back on the standout moments of eventing in 2023. From the two U.S. five-stars to the AEC to team USA's performance at the Santiago Pan American Games and more, 2023 was hands down a year to remember in terms of U.S. eventing. 

Have you ever wondered why professional riders love bringing their horses through the USEA Young Event Horse (YEH) program? USEA Podcast host Nicole Brown chats with two of this year's YEH Champions, Caroline Pamukcu who won the USEA YEH 4-year-old East Coast Championship aboard HSH Afterglow, and Andrea Baxter who won the USEA YEH 5-year-old Championship with Camelot PJ, to discuss this year's Championships and all of the great things that the program has to offer. 

Each December the USEA hosts the USEA Annual Meeting & Convention as an opportunity for USEA members to gather, celebrate, discuss important matters, attend educational seminars, and so much more. And this year's Convention at St. Louis, Missouri is no exception! Featuring fabulous awards ceremonies, a superstar keynote speaker in Dr. Temple Grandin, several open forums and educational seminars, and more, this year's Convention really is a can't-miss event. We hope to see you there this December 7-10! To learn more about Convention, click here.

Following the U.S. team's silver medal team and individual gold performance at the 2023 Pan American Games, USEA podcast Nicole Brown caught up with Eventing Technical Advisor and Chef d'Equipe Bobby Costello to talk about all things Pan Ams! 

After much buildup and hype, the Pan American Games are here and the U.S. eventing team are ready to rumble! USEA Podcast host Nicole Brown sat down with team member Sharon White, who has worked towards her goal of being a part of a senior team for her whole career, to talk about all that goes into preparing for the Games and more in this week's episode. 

Things are about to get busy in Temecula, California, as The Eventing Championships at Galway Downs grow closer. This November 1-4, the following four National Championships will take place at this prestigious West Coast location and feature $100,000 in prize money: the 2023 USEF CCI2*-L Eventing National Championships, the USEF CCI4*-L Eventing National Championships, and the two divisions of the 2023 USEF Eventing Young Rider National Championships presented by the USEA. USEA Podcast host Nicole Brown sat down with organizer Robert Kellerhouse to talk about his history, the impressive facilities at Galway Downs, the upcoming championships, and more. Don't miss out on your chance to participate. Entries close on October 17th! 

We are just a week away from the MARS Maryland 5 Star at Fair Hill and USEA podcast host Nicole Brown sat down to chat with Jennie Brannigan Saville to talk about all things Maryland, her very busy schedule while there, the USEA Young Event Horse (YEH) East Coast Championships, and more. 

Most couples share a kiss and part ways at 8:00 a.m. as they head off to their own work days, but eventing power couple James and Helen Alliston do it all together. We gave our USEA members the opportunity to submit their questions for this West-Coast based couple and USEA Podcast host Nicole Brown gets them to share all on many topics: eventing in the U.S. versus the U.K., who is the most competitive of the two, dealing with warmer temperatures, why James likes to drive illegally slow, and so much more! 

Whew - what a week at the #AEC2023! Out of the 850 competitors, 24 new national champions rose to the top and USEA Podcast Host caught up with two of them: Liz Halliday who won the $60,000 Adequan USEA Advanced Final and Stephanie Letarte, the 2023 USEA Training Amateur Champion. 

Loading up your trailer or making the drive to Lexington, Kentucky for the 2023 USEA American Eventing Championships, presented by Nutrena Feeds and need something to listen to? We've got you covered with this week's episode of the USEA Podcast which features all things #AEC2023! Podcast host Nicole Brown has a chat with USEA CEO Rob Burk, Equestrian Events Incorporated's Senior Director of Competition Vanessa Coleman, and co-organizer Mary Fike about the courses, the competition, the atmosphere and more. Definitely an episode you won't want to miss out on!

It's been an exciting year for U.S. Eventing thus far, and USEA Podcast Host Nicole Brown recaps what has happened so far and what is to come with USEA CEO Rob Burk and USEA President Lou Leslie. Get the scoop on who the team call the poster boy of American eventing, hear about Burk's return to eventing after over 17 years, and so much more in this fun review of the year so far.

The last of five EA21 Regional Clinics just wrapped up, so what better way to get the scoop on the EA21 program than by chatting with some actual EA21 riders? This week USEA Podcast host Nicole Brown sits down with EA21 East Coast rider Camryn Chung, EA21 West Coast rider Kayla Dumler, and EA21 Central rider Emeline Gilbert to discuss the clinics, their biggest takeaways, the friendships they made along the way, and more.