Unparalleled Excellence in Para Dressage
Ellie Brimmer and My Moment won the 2024 Adequan/USEF Para Dressage National Championships last August.
Eleanor Brimmer, President of the United States Para Equestrian Association (USPEA) shares her journey with para dressage, her excitement with the upcoming CPEDI3* competition at TerraNova and what that means as she looks forward to the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028.
How has your journey with horses and dressage led you to your current role as President of the United States Para Equestrian Association (USPEA)?
I grew up in a horsey family. My mom grew up fox hunting and my grandfather was a master of hounds. I rode a hunter/jumper when I was younger, but I couldn't progress very far because of my disability. I switched to dressage after college and then really got into it and switched to para dressage because it was a space where, even with a physical disability, I could still be competitive. I have a bit of competitive drive to me, I really enjoy competing, and it's such a small sport. You wind up really wanting to contribute and give back, so from the beginning, I was usually involved in USPEA behind the scenes at some level. Eventually, I ended up taking on more responsibilities and which led to the presidency. It's very exciting. We've got some exciting things on the horizon, and I'm looking forward to this next evolution of our organization.
How does training for competition help you stay motivated?
I think competing is so important because it gives you a benchmark to see where you're at and also something to work towards. For example, I showed this weekend, and all my halts were sixes. Maybe next weekend, I want my goal for all my halts to be 6.5. Competition gives you a place to go and something to work on. The nice thing about dressage is nobody's ever gotten 100% yet. So, there's always something to improve and keep on working on. You can keep improving that bond and that relationship with your horse so you can get better and better scores. My goal is to have happy horses that are enjoying what they're doing. I have two horses right now that I'm working with, and it's been an enjoyable journey.
How does the TerraNova facility lend itself to para dressage competition?
When I went there, the thing that impressed me most was the people. They really worked hard to talk with us and prepare for a para dressage competition. TerraNova is a beautiful facility that gives horses and riders an international feel, so I'm excited to have it as a new venue for us as we prepare for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. As all competitors preparing for large equestrian competitions know, you don't want big venues to be a big shock for you or the horse the first time you go into a big stadium. So having venues like TerraNova that can mimic that environment and help teams prepare is great.
Looking ahead, what does your plan for qualifying for Los Angeles 2028 look like?
I would love to qualify and will certainly try! It's so hard with horses-you can't predict the next week, let alone the next couple of years. They always surprise you somehow but, you know, I've got some good opportunities right now and I'm always hopeful and always working towards that goal of being in contention.
How do you see para dressage growing?
In the beginning, we struggled to get CPEDI3* competitions put on because they are very expensive to put on. You have to hire additional stewards, and you have your international judges. Early on when I was competing, we just didn't have the numbers of riders, but the numbers have grown. I think more shows like TerraNova are interested in having these competitions alongside their dressage competitions, which is wonderful. Also looking forward, we want the opportunity to really develop our American athletes so we have a strong depth of field. I imagine in the next couple of years, we're going to be working closely with show managers and really encouraging them to offer more CPEDI3* international opportunities.
