United States Equestrian Federation: A Brief Review

The United States Equestrian Federation or USEF formerly bore the name of American Horse Shows Association. USEF is the national foremost institution which handles the equestrian sports that there are in the United States. Among those equestrian sports which the Untied States Equestrian Federation administers include the eventing, dressage driving, hunt seat equitation, endurance riding, hunting, jumping, roadster, paralympic, reigning, vaulting, saddle seat equitation, trail, western equitation, and several other related equestrian events.

The job scope of the USEF is so vast that it is a recognized governing body in equestrian related activities. The following are the job functions and scope of USEF.

The breed shows such as the Lusitano, Andalusian, Arabian, Anglo-Arabian, half-Arabian, Friesian, Connemara, Hackney, American Saddlebred, Morgan, Paso Fino, National Show Horse, Shetland, and the Welsh breeds that are practically conducted in the whole of the Untied States are all governed by none other that the United States Equestrian Federation.

It is also the task of the United States Equestrian Federation to closely monitor the yearly points earned by the competitors in the horse shows and other related events. The points are actually accrued by the individual horse shows all throughout the year. USEF then renders special awards to the winners and their merits are based on the accumulated points. The points are summed up at the end of every year. The horse shows which are under the wings of the United States Equestrian Federation are rated with AA, A, B, or C ratings. The shows that earn the AA ratings are those which are considered to be the most prominent ones in the country and big prizes come at stake too. However, those shows which are rated with a C are those called local horse shows and of course, a lesser amount of money is specified for a prize.

The other governing organizations that work hand in hand with USEF are the United States Hunter/Jumper Association or USHJA, the United States Dressage Federation or USDF, and the United States Eventing Association or USEA. All of the competitions which are spearheaded by the abovementioned governing organizations are ruled by the bylaws set by USEF itself.

A Brief History of the United States Equestrian Federation

Everything started to boil up in January 20 of the year 1917 when the delegates from various horse shows set up a meeting in New York City. The council was then governed by Reginald C. Vanderbilt. The council's main goal was to unify all horse shows and to conduct clean competitions inside the horse show ring. They then solidified the organization under the banner of the Association of American Horse Shows and upon its initial meeting in the year 1918; exemplary organizers of the twenty six prestigious horse shows were all present. By the year 1924, the then twenty six horse show members increased to sixty seven.

By February 1933, its original name of Association of American Horse Shows, Inc. was altered to a new one, the American Horse Shows Association, Inc. It was in 2003 that the United States Equestrian Team merged with the United States of America Equestrian to form a new national governing body and the name United States Equestrian Federation or USEF came into being.

It is the USEF that provides an all out support to all equestrian sportspersons, establishes a clear future for all equestrians, and endorses international excellence in the horse sports field.