NEW EVENTING GRAND PRIX
AWARD 2009
Announcement to all Regions and Clubs and Members
WIN A TRIP TO IRELAND 2009!
Click here for a
Fact Sheet
Click here for the form to be
sent in with Championships Entry
General
The USPC Eventing Committee has
just announced approval of the Eventing Grand Prix Award. USPC Preliminary
Eventing riders from around the USA can win an all-expense paid trip to
Ireland leaving Monday August 3, and returning Friday August 14, 2009 by
being the first placed team at the USPC Eastern Championships 2009 to be
held in Lexington, Virginia, Thursday July 23 - Saturday July 25.
In the true competitive spirit of Pony Club, this is a team award. One
five-member team, consisting of 4 riders and one stable manager, are welcome
to enter. The 5 winning team members will be announced at the awards
ceremony at Championships. If a rider is unable to participate, the next
highest scoring competitor on the second place team will be eligible, and so
on. If the stable manager is unable to participate, the stable manager from
the second placed team will be the alternate and so on. It should
be noted that although the Preliminary Division at Eastern Championships is
a recognized USEA "closed" event, the scores may be used to qualify for
moving-up, competing in a One Star event and/or the American Eventing
Championships. No leader board or Horse of the Year points can be earned.
The future plan for this prize would be to present it at the awards
ceremony at Eastern Championships each year, including Festival Years, to
the team of competitors that achieve the winning score. A two year trial
period has been approved by the Board of Governors. This award also depends
on securing sponsorship, which is already in place for 2009.
Any current USPC C-3 and up member who is in good standing, recommended
by their RS and meets the requirements, is eligible to compete at
Championships at the Preliminary Level. C-2s who are USEA qualified to
compete at Preliminary level may apply for an exception through their RS but
need to attend a qualifying rally. It is not necessary for Bs and above to
attend a qualifying rally if they have two USEA qualifying affidavits from
the last 11 months. These must be completed without elimination, and one
must have no XC penalties and the other no more than 20 XC penalties.
Now is the time to start planning for this exciting once-in-a-lifetime
International USPC team experience. The tentative itinerary for 2009 will
likely include a visit to historic Dublin, as well as other cultural
activities with an emphasis on horse sports, and meeting pony club members
in Ireland who also event. Additionally there could well be opportunities to
ride, to visit an Irish riding academy, breeding farm, and possibly the
famous Dublin Horse Show.
Purpose
1. The purpose of an award of
this nature is to reward the hard work, dedication and skill it has taken to
achieve such a high level of accomplishment in the sport of Eventing. USPC
National Championships is the perfect venue to showcase the value of team
work, horse management and veterinary knowledge that USPC teaches and
encourages its membership to practice. The level of training, conditioning
and mutual trust and respect between horse and rider at the Preliminary
level is the culmination of all that USPC teaches, producing worthy
representatives and leaders.
2. A second purpose is to present an incentive for older, more
experienced pony club members to continue to enter and compete in USPC
Championship competitions to enhance the mentoring concept supported by this
organization.
3. A third purpose is to provide an exciting goal for the lower-level
pony club members to which to aspire, encouraging them to continue their
efforts to advance in the sport of Eventing.
4. This type of prize is offered in the spirit of USPC mission statement
"to develop in young riders strength of character, alert minds and sound
bodies" by contributing to the development of young adults' awareness,
sympathy and understanding of cultures different from their own around the
world, and to furthering the pony club experience outside of the United
States. By providing a horse-related fun and educational experience for Pony
Club members, the recipients will benefit by making friends and learning
about the people, customs and culture of the host country.
5. Finally, these young riders will be international ambassadors of USPC.
Itinerary
Vicki Brush, as a seated Member
of the USPC Eventing Activities Committee, will spear-head the planning of
the itinerary and activities of each annual award. The final plan will be
reviewed and approved by the Eventing Chair, the Director of Activities as
well as the International Exchange Committee due to its extensive history of
international USPC exchanges, thereby greatly increasing the scope and
success of the trip. This tentative itinerary will be finalized as soon as
possible:
Monday August 3 Depart JFK International Airport
Tuesday Aug 4 Arrive Shannon
Airport
Friday Aug 14 Depart Shannon
Note: Watch for updates as the
schedule is firmed up.
How to Apply
Competitor Actions:
1. Preliminary riders and stable managers who would like to qualify for
the Grand Prix prize are required to fill out all application paperwork
PRIOR to Championships. Click here for the Form.
2. Traveling team members are required to sign a USPC Code of Conduct.
3. All riders and stable managers would be required to update their
passport PRIOR to Championships and send copy to the USPC
National Office.
4. Each person is responsible for their travel arrangements to the
departing airport.
5. Each person traveling will be asked to obtain Travelers Insurance to
cover medical, ticket cancellation etc.
6. Each person traveling will bring their own spending money.
7. There will be a USPC tour jacket for the 5 members of the team.
Chaperones
The USPC Eventing Committee will
select the two chaperones to travel with, and be responsible for, the
International Exchange team. A chaperone may not be a current Eventing
Committee Member nor a parent of a current International Team member, unless
there are no other qualified candidates. The minimum requirements for both
are:
1. The chaperones must be 30 years of age as of January 1 of the year of
the exchange.
2. They must have good character, stability, and maturity, and be
supportive of all USPC policies, including the policy on drugs/alcohol.
3. They must have the personal qualities that would make them good
ambassadors of USPC and the ability to get along well with children and
adults.
4. They must be knowledgeable about Pony Club.
5. They should be, or become familiar with, the customs of the host
country.
6. They must be a Corporate or Life Member of USPC, Inc.
7. At least one chaperone should have a sound knowledge of safe riding
expectations, given that there may be riding opportunities for the traveling
team.
To apply for either position, interested persons should submit the
following to the USPC Eventing Committee Chairperson:
1. Resume containing name, address, and telephone number, date of birth,
dates and duration of Pony Club activities.
2. Two letters of recommendation attesting to the seven requirements
listed above.
3. A list of five references (name, address and telephone number) who can
be called by the committee. These are in addition to the two letters of
recommendation, and three should be references from individuals outside of
Pony Club.
Based on the above, and a personal interview, the USPC Eventing Committee
will make its selection.
