HorseSportPro

Competition Managers:

What’s New, Tips, and

Sharing Best Practices

2026

1

What is this presentation about?

• It’s for Vaulting Event Managers who are using HorseSportPro
• Usually competition managers
• Any event: HSP to check SafeSport status of adult participants
• Assumes you have all used the system to some extent to run competitions
• If you haven’t, see me for tutoring
• Focus on changes during and since 2025

​

2

Contents

• Rule changes for 2026
• Alert RE rule changes for 2027!
• Competition Management tips & good practices
• Including your great ideas
• Significant changes since 2024 launch

​

3

EVUSA members: please add your USEF and FEI numbers to the EVUSA membership database!

4

Then, whenever you are signed up for an event in HSP, your membership numbers are automatically added to your entries - more complete data, fewer mistakes, easier compliance with SafeSport requirements.

Scan the QR code for a 2-min video on how to add these numbers to your EVUSA member record.

Competitors’ adding this info in HorseSport for a particular competition doesn’t cause it to copy back to the EVUSA Membership Database - it must be added via login at equestrianvaulting.org!

Info on editing EVUSA membership information, including

USEF and FEI numbers.

2026 Rule Changes

5

(Only changes affecting HSP classes or scoring!)

2026 Rules and HSP updating

• Competitions must be created in the system using the applicable rule set

​

​

​

​

• CONFER WITH JEN if your competition will use 3* Squad Comps or D Comps, and you created your show before the end of January!
• 3* squad fixed Jan 19, 2026 - shows expecting 3* squad comps have been fixed
• D comps fixed Jan 23, 2026 - looking into retrofitting shows created before then

6

Rule changes, 2026

• Review Class Consolidation spreadsheet
• 3* Squad Compulsories small change
• D Compulsories sweeping change
• Added 2* UR Individual (same as first two tests of Silver)
• Mounts - Note the +/- mount notations! - same as 2025
• Mounts - required for all Recognized canter classes, assisted required for Recog. Trot.
• HSP pre-implemented classes:
• Walk and Trot divisions: no mount
• UR 2*: mount required
• Allow +/- mounts for 1* Prelim Canter Indiv, UR 1* Canter Indiv, 1* Canter 2-PH Indiv, Barrel Individual (Novice, Unrecognized, Intermediate)
• ^ If it’s Unrecognized 1* and there’s a Mount box, ‘x’ is an option
• If ‘x’ is used when it’s not allowed, it is interpreted as 0.
• A feature request to only allow ‘x’ when defined is on the list.

7

Scoring: X vs 0 on mount-optional comps scoresheets

• X (or other characters) = 0, except
• 1* Unrecognized classes that have a mount box on the score sheet
• 1* Prelim Canter Indiv, UR 1* Canter Indiv, 1* Canter 2-PH Indiv, Barrel Individual (Novice, Unrecognized, Intermediate)

​

On +/- mount, X (or x) will change the divisor, the number of compulsories.

This is specifically coded for the Mount box (i.e. you can’t use set up a “flag-optional” class)

​

• Mount, Seat, Flag, Stand, Swing FW, ½ Mill, Swing RW / 7

vs

• Seat, Flag, Stand, Swing FW, ½ Mill, Swing RW / 6

​

​

Sometimes judges aren’t sure if local rules require a mount and they give a score “just in case” on paper. The scoring office should resolve this however the Prize List indicates.

8

Participant Safeguarding Compliance -

2026 Changes for Competition Managers

9

EVUSA Participant Safeguarding Compliance Plan

EVUSA Compliance Plan

Updated Compliance Grid (NEW as of 12/1/2025)

10

EVUSA Designee

USEF members (both Competing and Subscribing) have access to a Background Check tile on their USEF account page.

11

Competition Manager requirements:

• EVUSA member
• USEF member & SafeSport current
• Sign Recognized Competition Agreement (soon to be in HSP)
• Review this carefully - contains many actions
• Background Check (obtainable via USEF on your dashboard)
• Concussion Training via Heads Up specifically (any on this page satisfies the requirement) - required for Safety Coordinator

Good Practices - Comp Mgmt Compliance (1)

• Create an Entry Group for Officials and add as Athletes all Officials, Competition Manager, other adults in special contact with minors.
• This allows checking of their SafeSport status
• Consider how many of these adults are necessary
• Safety Coordinator is mandated as part of Concussion Policy, for 2026 at least this can be the same person as competition manager.
• If you list Volunteer Manager, Safety Coordinator or other staff on Prize List = SafeSport
• Use each group’s Athletes tab to check:
• USEF competing status - USEF shows only
• Components: Valid USEF Competing Membership, current SafeSport, not Suspended
• SafeSport status - apply to all EVUSA Recognized shows
• Verify that all Entry Groups have included their Coach in their Athletes (to facilitate SafeSport checking status).

12

Good Practices - Comp Mgmt Compliance (2)

• How do you plan to handle adult boosters in 2026?
• Maybe - clubs enter as Athletes, and LMK by email they are boosters (or other “close and continuing” volunteers). Provide armband or badge indicating they are approved boosters.

​

• Volunteer acknowledgement of EVUSA Volunteer Handout
• Problems with people with no HSP account receiving waivers
• Many CMs print out waivers and Handout, have volunteers sign acknowledgement on job list at job check-in.

13

Good practice - Note recognition in competition name

• Currently HSP dashboard gives little info about competitions (location, level)

​

​

• Can help competitors by including recognition in name of show, e.g.

Fall Fest (USEF/EVUSA)

• We have a request on the dev list to provide more information on dashboard -

City, State, Region, Zone?, Close of Entries, Entry Lock, Additional recognition (USEF and/or FEI)

14

USEF reporting - vaulter and horse falls

Guidance from USEF that CMs should report “what the judges scored as falls”.

15

→ CM needs to go through every Freestyle and TT score sheet for every USEF competitor (or Technique, when 2+ judges) to count Falls in fall deduction boxes.

A feature request is on the list, for HSP to count filled fall deduction boxes.

2027 Rule Change Early Warning

• Huge rule changes expected from FEI, including likely new Tech moves
• FEI General Assembly not even voting on final until Dec. 5
• Then EVUSA and USEF implement changes to follow

​

• RULES WILL BE A MESS early next year.
• Do not set up competitions early!
• We are targeting Feb. 1 to have the system ready to go, but I will post to the hsp@groups.io list and to the HSP Help Center website.

16

Recurring CM Questions

17

Recurring CM questions - “Sign Up” button activation

Why won’t my competition “Sign Up” button activate? It’s approved, and we are past the “Open Entries” date. - You may not have set the “Lock Date”, on the “Summary” tab..

​

​

18

Recurring CM questions - “Sign Up” button activation

Why are my Scoring and … tabs greyed out? - Competition is no longer actively approved, usually due to changes in Sanctioning information. Request re-approval (add a note for Craig indicating what you changed)

​

​

Usually results from changes in competition dates, judges, or prize lists (not uploading insurance certificate). RE prize list, remember Summary File Manager -

19

Recurring Q - Pricing

• The system is literal. Price all “Vaulter & (role)” fees.
• Participant fees are added to all Athletes (listed on that tab)
• CVI Surcharge fees do seem correctly applied to those who participate in CVI classes

​

20

Recurring CM questions - Scoresheets

Why do I get a “pink box” error when trying to print my score sheets? Three possible reasons:

1. There is not supposed to be a scoresheet for this class - Green Horse Evaluation, Signup, Medal Tests

​

2. Judges have not been confirmed separately for each class (via “EDIT” on Class Schedule) tab)

Confirm your judges video

3. There is supposed to be a scoresheet, but it has not been created in the system (will only encounter this for less commonly used classes). “Sorry, it seems that one or more scoresheets for this class and judge combination is missing template content for…”

Also: If there are no entries, no scoresheets print, and no errors are shown.

21

Recurring CM question - squad substitutes

For Recognized squads compulsories, be sure to un-check the box of the person declared as the Substitute AND HIT “Calc”! This will cause the squad’s scores to be re-calculated without those scores. (Unrecognized squads don’t have substitutes; 3-7 people may participate in both phases. In fact, the Guidelines don’t say the same number of people must participate in both.)

​

​

22

Competition Management Tips

& Good Practices

23

Tips - Judges - Number of Judges

• Different numbers of judges in tests are A-OK. You can have X number of judges for Test 1, and Y number of judges for Test 2, because the system just uses the final scores from each test in making Overall calculations, regardless of how those Test subtotals were arrived at.
• Number of judges available:
• Recognized Divisions: 1, 2, 3, or 4 judges
• EXCEPT Squad 2-Phase: only 1 or 2 judges
• Unrecognized Divisions: 1 or 2 judges
• EXCEPT Preliminary 1* Individual Canter and Trot: 1, 2, 3, or 4; due to CM requests :-)
• CVI divisions: 4 judges
• 2 judges ready for 1* Individuals and 1* PDD; REQUEST if needed for squad

24

Tips - Judges - Adding, Removing, Changing

• Judges who are added to Sanction > Officials tab before Approval is requested are automatically “attached” to each class. They show up as the judges who can be selected for that class in Class Schedule > EDIT .
• Adding a judge
• The competition requires re-approval (write a note so Craig knows what’s changed!)
• It can be easiest to “attach” the judge to all classes, then edit in the Schedule as usual to place the judge at a table for each class
• Removing a judge
• Actually, optional - can simply not use the judge for any classes

​

25

Good practices for finances

• System is increasingly transactionally-consistent, but before taking finance data checkpoints (e.g. copying reports out to spreadsheets), use:
• Entry Group Manager: Re-calc buttons within Entry Groups (available on Athletes, Entries and Summary) to recalculate just that group.
• Organizer: Summary “Update” button to re-calc entire show. Could take a couple minutes.
• Down the road: re-calc on each transaction

26

Finance practices - USEF fees

USEF fees - options

• Recommended: Roll into Stabling options
• CM must check that USEF horses have USEF stalls
• Needed info is all present on the Stabling report

​

• Another option - list as Pricing Options > Other Options
• CM must check that USEF horses have USEF fees
• “Other Items” must be assigned to an Athlete (incl. Coach)/need to correlate to horses

27

Good Practice - Vaulter Grouping & Ordering in the Schedule

Christina Cagliostro’s idea! I made you a spreadsheet. Have clubs fill it out so when you make the OOG it’s all in one place:

TEMPLATE - vaulter ordering and grouping

​

28

Good practices for scoring

• As soon as (a) entries close and (b) each class is in an arena (draft schedule), check scoresheet printing to ensure no templates are missing (i.e. are all “pink box” errors OK) (Scoring > Print Scoresheets > All Classes
• Print scoresheets ~2 days ahead of show, mitigating against printer problems.
• Set up scoring logins. Add as “Assistants”. Can add individuals, or set up a “dummy”/shared account for all scorers and music to use. Do not need to purchase an EVUSA membership to set up a “dummy” account. (Ref. “EVUSA Account without EVUSA Membership”)
• The Scoring Manager’s Page (HSP Help Center) has a training video for entering scores, and an example scoring office protocol for score quality assurance.

29

Good practices for music

• Ensure all offered classes are in a pro-forma arena named indicatively - “Placeholder class list for uploading music" (later, when scheduling - move classes to real arenas, or rename arena)
• Prep music computers ~3 days ahead, to allow time for computer issues, software updates, etc with no rush.
• For x arenas, best to prep x+1 computers.
• Download the music server and especially the music files over broadband!
• If you decide to re-synch music (i.e. helping a competitor with a late music change), use the spare computer.
• If you are fancy, consider supplying a volume control knob

30

A matter of opinion - competition timing

What works for me:

Set per Arena (Schedules > Edit Arena)

• Horse run-in: 2 min
• Barrel run-in: 1 min

Set per Class (Schedules > Edit Arena > Class)

• Compulsories, individual: 1.25 min
• Compulsory judging in general is fast, so should take no more than a few seconds beyond the time allowed for the test.
• Freestyle (Individual, Pairs, Squad): 1.5 min more than allowed test time (e.g. 2.5 min for Individual). (Variable number squads can be adjusted.)

31

Assigning temporary numbers to nonmembers

32

← Via member search

​

​

Via “Manually Enter Person Info” →

​

Note that “Member #” is a database ID, not EVUSA, USEF or FEI!

​

Assigning temporary numbers to nonmembers

Hooray, new features!

33

“Copy Competition” with Smart Class Copying

• “Copy Competition” button on HSP Dashboard (landing page)
• Only your own 2025 competitions available for copying

​

• New code will generate divisions WITH THE SAME NAME but updated rules.
• E.g. for this year’s rule change on D compulsories,
• Copy your 2025 show with a “D Walk Individual” division which used 2025 compulsories,
• And your 2026 show will then have a division named “D Walk Individual” which uses 2026 compulsories
• Won’t work when we change division names, or for new divisions

34

On the development trajectory

• Verify that Entry Close and Lock are working as intended!
• Limited-access “Assistant” roles for music and scoring helpers
• Looking into run-in music for barrel classes
• Score sheet headers larger
• Splitting out “Awards Order” by Men/Women when class is set that way
• Vaulter grouping and ordering, but this is way down the pike :-(
• Better squad score reporting

​

35

NOT on the trajectory

• Offline mode. The high effort of offline / synching / re-synch with multiple users is not worth it, given the high and increasing availability of hotspots.
• Ribbon labels. Variability in software and printers makes this a fool’s errand. Best to figure out using document merging. (Video, Template)

​

36

Thank you

for managing competitions!

37

Backup/Not presented

38

System resilience / backup situation

• If central music server goes down,
• Music will be playable as long as no music synch attempt is made.
• If HSP / schedule server or the internet connection goes down,
• Music will only be playable until the system attempts a schedule page refresh, then it won’t find the schedule.
• Scores can’t be entered until the system is up
• Online schedule won’t be accessible
• Backups
• Main database backups are made every 30 minutes and retained for 30 days
• Complete system snapshots are taken each night and are retained indefinitely

39