United States Eventing Association

The Event at Rebecca Farm attracts riders from all over the United States to its beautiful setting in Kalispell, Montana, every July. Held this year from the 16^th-20^th, the event hosted four stacked divisions of the USEA Classic Series at Novice and Training levels.

We caught up with some of the winners to find out how their weekend went.

Training Three-Day A

Millicent Billig moved to California in 2016 and hooked on riding while attending summer camp at Webb Ranch in Portola Valley. She bought her own off-the-track Thoroughbred mare and was drawn to eventing. She became a member of the Avon Eventing Team and McIver Equestrian in recent years, which she says has elevated her riding and reaffirmed her love of the sport. She trains with Megan McIver and Mickalya Howard, who won the Novice Three-Day B division at Rebecca Farm with Petar D.

Billig and Generous DHI topped the Training Three-Day A division on a score of 28.7. The partnership is new since May this year. “G” is a 14-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding (Crespo DHI x Oniki) owned by Jen and Molly Duda. He’d previously competed to the three-star level. Billig opted to lease G this spring while her mare, Gigi, was out of work.

“He instantly gave me confidence,” she said of G. “He was just coming back into the sport after a two-year hiatus. We started the season at the Twin Rivers Summer Horse Trials, and you could definitely tell that he hadn’t shown in two years, but he was so excited to be back, and you could just feel how much he loves the sport. I was a little worried coming into Rebecca Farm that he would not be able to contain his enthusiasm!”

Billig, Redwood City, California, has always wanted to compete at a three-day, but a “series of misfortunes” meant it didn’t happen until this year.

“I am so grateful that I had the opportunity to ride G in the event,” she said. “He got back into the sport in a big way. He was so happy to be back in the spotlight. He is a bit of a ham—thinks he is a four-star horse!”

Billig advised anyone hoping to compete in a Classic Series event to condition well and take good care of your horse before and after the event.

“It takes a lot of athleticism and stamina to compete in the long format,” she said. “Know your tests and make sure to walk the [phase A, B, and C tracks] and the cross-country course to figure out your plan for cross-country day. Most of all enjoy the experience and have fun with your horse!”

Training Three-Day B

Teresa Harcourt (Paso Robles, California) and her own Csongor, a 10-year-old Oldenburg gelding (Chekandino x Vorbuch) topped their division on a score of 33.2, moving up from fourth after dressage.

After taking time off from horses to pursue a career, Harcourt purchased the gelding in 2022, ending her seven-year break.

Two weeks later, they competed at the USEA American Eventing Championships at Rebecca Farm and won the Novice Amateur division.

Since then, they’ve enjoyed competing at Training level with the help of Bec Braitling and Andrea Baxter.

Harcourt felt the Training Three-Day at Rebecca Farm this year was a good goal since she wasn’t quite ready to move up to Modified.

“The Training Three-Day offered the perfect challenge for us as a pair,” she said. “It had been several years since I last participated in one, and I saw it as a valuable experience—both to test our partnership and to continue building ‘Lou’s’ confidence and fitness in a more demanding format.”

Harcourt said Lou can be a bit tricky on cross-country and has a few “antics” at the beginning of the course, and she felt the Three-Day format was a valuable experience to help settle him.

“By the time we left the start box, we had already found a rhythm, which made a noticeable difference,” she said. “The steeplechase phase in particular gave Lou the opportunity to settle into a forward, balanced gallop before heading out onto the cross-country course. It was a refreshing contrast to the usual experience of transitioning straight from an energetic warm-up arena into the course, and it really helped set us up for a more focused and confident ride.”

Harcourt appreciated being able to run down the jog lane for the first time since 2013 and loved the “big event atmosphere” as an amateur rider.

“From the formal jogs to the structure of the phases, it felt special to be part of something that celebrates the tradition and depth of the sport,” she said.

She encouraged people wanting to try a Classic Series event to take full advantage of all the educational opportunities available. “The steeplechase schooling in particular is incredibly well-organized and provides valuable insight for both horse and rider,” she said. “It’s a great way to build confidence and understanding ahead of the full endurance day, and truly enhances the overall experience.”

Novice Three-Day A

Joe Lethbridge came from his native England for a visit to his friend Tommy Greengard’s farm in Petaluma, California, and picked up a catch ride on Corinne Neuman’s SD Fort I Valent, a 6-year-old Argentine Silla gelding (Cruseo x Remonta Ubicua). Greengard has been competing “Vail” at Novice this year for his owner to compete in the future.

A full-time dentist and amateur eventer, Lethbridge spent time as a working student for Kevin McNab before going to dental school and now rides at Dassett Eventing in Warwickshire, England.

“I was delighted when [Neuman] offered me the chance to ride,” he said. “I started riding Vail the day that I arrived in the U.S., so our partnership was actually less than a week old by the time the event started!”

“I was initially entered in the regular Novice division and had been joking about it being a ‘three-day’ as all our British events are on a single day,” he continued. “I’ve never done a long format at home; in the end I think Tommy got so fed up with my joke that he made me switch divisions to be in this class and compete in my first one! Thankfully the final day was Saturday as I flew home on Sunday!”

Lethbridge found Vail really enjoyed the roads and tracks and steeplechase elements, and they made him confident for his cross-country round. He also enjoyed the camaraderie of the competitors and the beauty of the Montana countryside.

“I loved the feel of the show—everyone was so friendly and welcoming which I appreciated considering that this was my first event on U.S. soil,” he said. “Rebecca Farm is a beautiful venue, and they ran such a high quality competition for all levels. It’s great to see what a fantastic job U.S. eventing does, and I had so much fun being a part of it.

“I would say that it’s been a fantastic experience the whole way through, and I would urge any rider with a horse at this level to make this their goal,” he added. “I thought it was a great challenge for both riders and horses whilst also being an educational opportunity, with training and talks provided throughout.”

Novice Three-Day B

California-based professional Mickayla Howard won the second Novice division with her own 5-year-old Dutch Warmblood/Belgian Warmblood gelding Petar D (Qatar ter Saleghem x Ereda M) on a score of 29.9, leading the division from start to finish.

For full results, click here.

About the USEA Classic Series

The USEA Classic Series keeps the spirit of the classic long ­format three­-day events alive for Beginner Novice through the Preliminary levels. Competitors can experience the rush of endurance day, including roads and tracks, steeplechase, the vet box, and cross­-country, as well as participate in formal veterinary inspections and educational activities with experts on the ins and outs of competing in a long ­format three-­day event. Riders who compete in a USEA Classic Three-Day Event during the year will have the chance to win a variety of prizes at the events from USEA sponsors and earn leaderboard points. Click here to learn more about the USEA Classic Series.

The USEA would like to thank bronze sponsors D.G. Stackhouse & Ellis Saddles, PulseVet, and Schneiders Saddlery, as well as contributing sponsors Bates Saddles for supporting the USEA Classic Series.