To be featured at the 2013 AQHA World Championship Show in Oklahoma City, OK, Para-Reining will include a clinic and educational seminar on Thursday, November 14th and a first-ever Para-Reining demonstration class on Friday, November 15th – marking the maiden Para-Reining ever to be held within the US Para-Equestrian system and a launching of efforts to bring the discipline online as a fully recognized sport in 2014.
Both affiliates of the United States Equestrian Federation (USEF), which serves as the National Governing Body for Equestrian Sport in the United States, USA Reining and USPEA are striving to ensure Para-Reining rules and competitions are in line with events hosted at stakeholder shows. Those stakeholders are chiefly USA Reining founding partners AQHA and NRHA. AQHA will add Para-Reining into its existing and thriving Equestrians with Disabilities Program, and NRHA will work to do the same with a newly launched disabled riders program. Once complete, the integration will allow any Para-Reining event to be multi-approved by any or all of the interested groups, allowing athletes a virtual smorgasbord of options for competitive development.
The role of USA Reining and USPEA are vital as they provide the key pipeline to high performance competition at the international level. A main goal of the effort, Para-Reining athletes could one day earn a spot to represent their nation at international Para-Reining championships.
The goal of the USPEA is to foster growth in the Para-Equestrian disciplines. From local horse shows to international Olympic Games, the USPEA will provide Para-Equestrians the knowledge of what they need to succeed. The USPEA connects with the International Olympic Committee (IOC), the Federation Equestre Internationale (FEI), USA Reining and USEF which provide Para-Equestrians the top equestrian resources.