United States Equestrian Federation Privacy Policy

The United States Equestrian Federation, Inc. (“USEF”) values the importance of personal privacy. This policy describes how USEF ("we" or "us") collects, uses, and shares personal information in connection with this website, our membership program, our business operations, and other online and offline manners of collection.  You can jump to particular topics by going to the headings below:

  • Types Of Information We Collect
  • Use And Processing Of Information
  • Sharing Of Information
  • Your Choices
  • How We Protect Personal Information
  • Miscellaneous
  • Contact Information

Types Of Information We Collect.

The following provides examples of the type of information that we collect from you and how we use that information.

Context

Types of Data

Primary Purpose for Collection and Use of Data

Account Registration

We collect your personal information, including name, date of birth, and contact information (including your, address, telephone number, and e-mail address) when you create an account.  We also collect information relating to the actions that you perform while logged into your account.

We have a legitimate interest in providing account relating functionalities to our users. Accounts can be used to access some of the services, applications, or sweepstakes offered by USEF, as well as to save your preferences and transaction history.

Demographic Information

We collect personal information, such as your age, race, ethnicity, gender, citizenship, disability and veteran status, and location.

We have a legitimate interest in understanding our users and providing tailored services.  With regard to information regarding your race, ethnicity, disability information, the provision of such information is voluntary. 

Competition Information

We collect information about your horses, competitions, awards, certifications, and winnings, including horse ID, horse name, owner name, address, and breed information.

We use information collected from you as described in this policy to enable members to perform searches and also to perform related analyses of this information and prepare and disclose related analytics.

Email Interconnectivity

If you receive email from us, we use certain tools to capture data related to when you open our message, click on any links or banners it contains, and make purchases.

We have a legitimate interest in understanding how you interact with our communications to you. Among other things, it helps us gauge the effectiveness of our communications, marketing, and sales efforts.

Feedback/Support

If you provide us feedback or contact us for support, we will collect your name and e-mail address, as well as any other content that you send to us, in order to reply.

We have a legitimate interest in receiving, and acting upon, your feedback or issues.

Mailing List

When you sign up for one of our mailing lists we collect your email address or postal address.  

We have a legitimate interest in sharing information about our products or services, keeping you up to date on the latest product announcements, events, rule changes, special offer, and other information we think you would like to hear about.

Mobile Devices

We collect information from your mobile device such as unique identifying information broadcast from your device when visiting our website, one of our apps, or when visiting one of our online purchasing sites.

We have a legitimate interest in identifying unique visitors, and in understanding how users interact with us on their mobile devices.

Order Placement

We collect your name, billing address, shipping address, e-mail address, credit card number, and expiration date when you start or renew your membership, or conduct other business through our website.

We use your information to process and fulfill your membership request, perform our contract to provide you with products or services, send an order or shipping confirmation, as well as notify you of your order status.

Partner Promotion

We collect information that you provide as part of a co-branded promotion with another company.

We have a legitimate interest in fulfilling our promotions.

Surveys

When you participate in a survey we collect information that you provide through the survey.  If the survey is provided by a third party service provider, the third party’s privacy policy applies to the collection, use, and disclosure of your information.

We have a legitimate interest in understanding your opinions, and collecting information relevant to our organization.

Sweepstakes, Promotions, or Programs

When you participate in a sweepstakes, promotions, or programs, we collect information about you which includes contact information for promotional and/or marketing purposes, and to notify you if you are selected.

We have a legitimate interest in managing the sweepstakes, promotions, or programs.  In some contexts we are also required by law to collect information about those that enter into our sweepstakes, and we have a legitimate interest in complying with those laws.

Cookies and First Party Tracking

We use cookies and clear GIFs. “Cookies” are small pieces of information that a website sends to a computer’s hard drive while a web site is viewed. See our Cookie Policy for more information.

We have a legitimate interest in making our website operate efficiently.

 

Cookies and Third Party Tracking

We participate in behavior-based advertising. This means that a third party uses technology (e.g., a cookie) to collect information about your use of our website so that they can provide advertising about products and services tailored to your interests on our website, or on other websites.  See our Cookie Policy for more information.

We have a legitimate interest in engaging in behavior-based advertising.

Web Logs

We collect information, including your browser type, operating system, Internet Protocol (IP) address (a number that is automatically assigned to a computer when the Internet is used), domain name, click-activity, referring website, and/or a date/time stamp for visitors.

We have a legitimate interest in monitoring our networks and the visitors to our websites.  Among other things, it helps us understand which of our services is the most popular. It also helps us monitor and improve the performance of our website so that we can continue to effectively and reliably provide useful services for our visitors.

 

Use And Processing Of Information.

In addition to the purposes and uses described above, we use information in the following ways:

  • To identify you when you visit our website.
  • To provide products and services and to administer your account.
  • To improve our services and product offerings.
  • To streamline the checkout process.
  • To conduct analytics.
  • To respond to inquiries related to support or other requests.
  • To send marketing and promotional materials, including information relating to our products, services, sales, or promotions.
  • For internal administrative purposes, as well as to manage our relationships.

Although the sections above describe our primary purpose in collecting your information, in many situations we have more than one purpose.  For example, if you complete an online purchase we may collect your information to perform our contract with you, but we also collect your information as we have a legitimate interest in maintaining your information after your transaction is complete so that we can quickly and easily respond to any questions about your order.  As a result, our collection and processing of your information is based in different contexts upon your consent, our need to perform a contract, our obligations under law, and/or our legitimate interest in conducting our business.

Sharing of Information.

In addition to the specific situations discussed elsewhere in this policy, we disclose information in the following situations:

  1. Affiliates and Acquisitions. We may share information with our corporate affiliates (e.g., parent organization, sister companies, subsidiaries, joint ventures, or other companies under common control), affiliated associations, and other organizations with whom we may conduct business.  If another company acquires our organization, business, or our assets, we will also share information with that company.
  2. Authorized Searches. We may disclose personal information as part of search results performed by other members, competition management, and officials. The following provides examples of the type of searches and the corresponding information we disclose as part of the searches.

Context

Types of Data Disclosed as Part of Search Results

Amateur Status Search

We will disclose the individual’s ID number, name, zip code, last known amateur status, and whether the individual is an active member or not.

Competition Standings

We will disclose the horse ID, horse name, owner name, address, and breed information.

Farm Search

We will disclose the farm's ID number, name of the farm, the owner's name, and location of the farm.

Horse Measurement Search

We will disclose information about the measurement of the horse and the owner's name and location.

Horse Recording Search

We will disclose information about the horse's membership status as well as the owner's name and location and membership status.

Horse Results Search

We will disclose the horse ID, horse name, owner name and location (states only), competition name, competition ID, competition location, competition date, class code, level competed, placing, number of points, and bad point reasons if any.

Membership Search

We will disclose the membership ID number, name, location (state only), amateur status, membership type, events eligible to compete in, and any affiliated memberships they have.

Suspended Exhibitor Search

We will disclose the Exhibitor ID number, the name and location, start and end date of suspension, and breed/discipline if known.

 

 

  1. Law Enforcement/Compliance with Law. We may disclose information in response to subpoenas, warrants, or court orders, or in connection with any legal process, regulatory process, or to comply with relevant laws.  We may also share your information in order to establish or exercise our rights, to defend against a legal claim, to investigate, prevent, or take action regarding possible illegal activities, suspected fraud, safety of person or property, or a violation of our policies, or to comply with your request for the shipment of products to or the provision of services by a third party intermediary.
  2. Public.  Some of our websites may provide the opportunity to post comments, or reviews, in a public forum.  If you decide to submit information on these pages, that information may be publically available.
  3. Partner Promotion. We may offer sweepstakes, promotions, or programs with third party partners.  If you decide to enter a sweepstakes, promotion, or program that is sponsored by a third party partner the information that you provide will be shared with us and with them.  Their use of your information is not governed by this privacy policy.
  4. Service Providers. We may share your information with service providers.  Among other things service providers may help us to administer our website, conduct surveys, provide technical support, process payments, and assist in the fulfillment of orders.
  5. Social Media Platforms and Networks. Our website features links to social media platforms and networks made available by third parties that may result in information being collected or shared between us and the third party. For example, if you use Facebook’s “Like” feature, Facebook may register the fact that you “liked” our Facebook page and may post that information on Facebook. Their use of your information is not governed by this Privacy Policy.
  6. Sponsors and Select Companies and Organizations. We may share your information, particularly competition information, with third parties that offer products, services, materials, or information that may be of interest to you or the equestrian community. These third parties have the right to use your information for their own commercial purposes, and such uses will be governed by their privacy policies. Data obtained through the short code program will not be shared with any third parties for their marketing reasons/purposes.
  7. Other Disclosures with Your Consent.  In addition to the disclosures described above, we also may occasionally ask if you would like us to share your information with other unaffiliated third parties who are not described elsewhere in this policy.

Your Choices.

You can make the following choices regarding your personal information:

  1. Promotional Emails. You may choose to provide us with your email address for the purpose of allowing us to send free newsletters, surveys, offers, and other promotional materials to you, as well as targeted offers from third parties.  You can stop receiving promotional emails by: (i) following the unsubscribe instructions in e-mails that you receive; or (ii) modifying your member account information.  If you decide not to receive promotional emails, we may still send you service related communications.
  2. Promotional Mailings. If at any time you do not want to receive offers and/or circulars from us you can remove yourself from our mailing lists by emailing us (our contact information is below) with "NO SNAIL MAIL" in the subject line along with your name, address and zip code. Please note that our mailings are prepared in advance of their being sent. Although we will remove your name from our mailing list after receiving your request, you may still receive mailings from us that had been initiated prior to your name being removed.
  3. Promotional Text Messages. If you receive a text message from us that contains promotional information you can opt-out of receiving future text messages by replying “STOP.”
  4. Access To Your Personal Information. If required by law, upon request, we will grant you reasonable access to the personal information that we have about you.  You may request access to your personal information by contacting us at the address described below.
  5. Changes To Your Personal Information. We rely on you to update and correct your personal information.  If you wish to modify, verify, correct, or delete any or your personal information, you may edit your member account information.  Note that we may keep historical information in our backup files as permitted by law.  If our website does not permit you to update or correct certain information contact us at the address described below.
  6. Deletion Of Your Personal Information. Typically we retain your personal information for the period necessary to fulfill the purposes outlined in this policy, unless a longer retention period is required or permitted by law.  You may, however, request information about how long we keep a specific type of information, or request that we delete your personal information by contacting us at the address described below.  If required by law, upon request, we will delete your personal information.   Please note, we may keep your personal information as needed to comply with our legal obligations, resolve disputes, and/or enforce any of our agreements.
  7. Revocation Of Consent.  If you revoke your consent for the processing of personal information then we may no longer be able to provide you services. In some cases, we may limit or deny your request to revoke consent if the law permits or requires us to do so, or if we are unable to adequately verify your identity. You may revoke consent to processing (where such processing is based upon consent) by contacting us at the address described below.
  8. Online Tracking.  We do not currently recognize automated browser signals regarding tracking mechanisms, which may include "Do Not Track" instructions.
  9. California Residents.  California residents may be entitled to ask us for a notice describing what categories of personal information (if any) we share with third parties or affiliates for direct marketing.  If you are a California resident and would like a copy of such notice, please submit a written request to us using the information in the “Contact Information” section below.

How We Protect Personal Information.

No method of transmission over the Internet, or method of electronic storage, is fully secure. While we use reasonable efforts to protect your personal information from unauthorized access, use, or disclosure, we cannot guarantee the security of your personal information. In the event that we are required by law to inform you of any unauthorized access to your personal information we may notify you electronically, in writing, or by telephone, if permitted to do so by law.

Our website permits you to create an account.  When you do you will be prompted to create a password.  You are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of your password, and you are responsible for any access to or use of your account by someone else that has obtained your password, whether or not such access or use has been authorized by you.  You should notify us of any unauthorized use of your password or account.

Miscellaneous.

The following additional information relates to our privacy practices:

  • Transmission Of Information To Other Countries. As a member of a multi-national organization, we transmit information between and among USEF Recognized Affiliates, Federation Equestre Internationale, United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee, U.S. Center for SafeSport, other USEF members, sweepstake partners, and USEF Sponsors.  As a result, your information may be processed in a foreign country where privacy laws may be less stringent than the laws in your country.  Nonetheless, where possible we take steps to treat personal information using the same privacy principles that apply pursuant to the law of the country in which we first received your information.  By submitting your personal information to us you agree to the transfer, storage and processing of your information in a country other than your country of residence including, but not necessarily limited to, the United States.  If you would like more information concerning our attempts to apply the privacy principles applicable in one jurisdiction to data when it goes to another jurisdiction you can contact us using the information in the “Contact Information” section below.
  • Third Party Applications/Websites.  Our web site may contain links to various other websites or applications that are owned or operated by third parties.  Such linking should not suggest or imply any affiliation or endorsement by USEF of the linked website. Please note that any personal information that you provide to such third parties will be governed by their privacy policies, and we have no control over or responsibility for their privacy practices. We encourage you to review the privacy policies of any third-party website or application for details about what information is collected and how it is used and/or shared prior to providing any personal information. 
  • Changes To This Privacy Policy.  We may change our privacy policy and practices over time.  To the extent that our policy changes in a material way, the policy that was in place at the time that you submitted personal information to us will generally govern that information unless we receive your consent to the new privacy policy. We will note the effective date of the latest version at the end of the Privacy Policy.

Contact Information.

If you have any questions, comments, or complaints concerning our privacy practices please contact us at the appropriate address below.  We will attempt to respond to your requests and to provide you with additional privacy-related information.

Chief Information Officer

United States Equestrian Federation, Inc.

4001 Wing Commander Way Lexington, KY 40511

[email protected]

If you are not satisfied with our response, and are in the European Union, you may have a right to lodge a complaint with your local supervisory authority.

Last Revised: May 22, 2023