USEF Proposal to designate Modified, not Prelim, as the lowest USEF-recognized level

[Jump314]

I just saw this on Eventing Nation:
US Equestrian will consider proposed amendments to bylaws at its 2022 Mid-Year Meeting, including one proposal to designate Modified instead of Preliminary as the lowest USEF-recognized eventing level. You can read more about the proposed amendments here: https://www.usef.org/forms-pubs/RDbCewvK3Cw/proposed-amendments-to-usef-bylaws (It’s on the last page.)

All Senior Active members are invited to comment on the proposed amendments by submitting comments through the proposed amendments form: https://www.usef.org/forms/proposed-amendments or email: generalcounseloffice@usef.org. All comments must be received by USEF on or before June 14. Your membership number must be included along with your comments.

I’m not sure how I feel about it. I am already a USEF member since I compete at Prelim. I’m a bit concerned that that this may discourage the addition of Modified to events that run through only Training or Modified.

Any thoughts?

[Janet]

I am not sure what they are actually proposing to change. According to the USEA’s “MEMBERSHIP AND HORSE REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS FOR THE USEA, US EQUESTRIAN, AND THE FEI” (effective December 1 2020)

Membership-and-Horse-Registration-Requirements-2021.pdf

The CURRENT membership requirements for Modified are EXACTLY the same as the membership requirements for Prelim.

This may just be a question of bring the bylaws in line with existing rules.

See, for instance, GR 202

To be eligible to participate as a rider, driver, handler, vaulter, longeur, owner, lessee, agent, coach, or trainer at Regular Competitions, Eventing Competitions at the Modified Level or above, … persons must be Members of the Federation as provided in Bylaw 201

[initiate1987]

It makes sense to me. Modified is the national equivalent of the FEI 1* level. Makes sense it should also require the national governing body’s membership.

[EventerAJ]

Yeah I thought this was already a rule?

I took a horse to his first Modified this year and I had to register him with USEF to enter. I am already a USEF member (other horse going prelim) so that was not a problem.

I admit I am a bit ignorant…if it is USEF/FEI level, are there qualifications to compete at Modified? Should there be? I am an established prelim+ rider, so I am qualified. But I much prefer to use unrecognized events to get experience on young horses (local unrec HTs are the same courses as their recognized HTs). When they are running Training level well, I may do one recognized Training and then move up to Prelim. It would be nice now to skip the recognized T, and start at recognized Modified once the horse is ready.

[Libby2563]

@EventerAJ

I admit I am a bit ignorant…if it is USEF/FEI level, are there qualifications to compete at Modified?

The current rules require the rider to have 2 MERs at Training to go Modified (page 54 here: https://www.usef.org/forms-pubs/KlV5P9prkmM/ev-eventing-division). There’s no horse-specific MER needed until Intermediate (excluding Classic 3-Days) so it sounds like you could start yours at Modified.