Click here for 2010 YEH Calendar

2010 YEH REQUIREMENTS

In order to maintain complete records on Young Event Horses in our database, the USEA requires that all horses be registered to participate in YEH classes.  Registration will insure that the horses' full pedigree and competition results will be maintained. Please provide a completed Horse Life Registration form to the USEA. If you have breed registry papers on your horse, send a photocopy along with the USEA HLR form. Thank you for your cooperation!

OVERVIEW

The USEA Spalding Labs Young Event Horse Series may be best described as an equine talent search. The Series gives owners and breeders the opportunity to showcase the potential of their four- and five-year-old horses while encouraging them to produce top-level event horses for the future.

Young Event Horse classes focus on education and preparation of the event horse in a correct and progressive manner. Youngsters are asked to complete three sections: Conformation and Type; Dressage; Jumping Test/Gallop/General Impression. The ultimate goal of the Young Event Horse Series is to choose the youngster that possesses the talent and mind set, and who with proper training, will excel in the uppermost levels of the eventing world.

While the ultimate goal is to identify the future four-star horses it is also hoped that many fine event horses who will excel at the lower levels will also be showcased.

REQUIREMENTS 

1.     Age: Horses are considered to be one year older on January 1 each year regardless of birth month. 
4 year-old classes are for horses attaining four years of age in the current calendar year.
5 year-old classes are for horses attaining five years of age in the current calendar year.
Mares that have had term or near-term foals will be allowed a “bye” year if a certificate of verification, signed by a veterinarian, is submitted to the USEA office. The intent of this rule is to allow mares who have taken time off to be bred to compete in four year old classes as five year olds and five-year-old classes as six-year-olds.

2.     Membership:  Membership in the USEA is required; horses must be registered with the USEA (see above).

3.     Saddlery:  Only snaffle bridles may be used in dressage and boots and martingales are optional for jumping. No boots to be worn in Sections I or II.

4.     Dress (relaxed):  ASTM/SEI approved helmets mandatory for jumping.
Dressage phase:  Collared shirt with sleeves, breeches, and boots.
Jumping phase:  Cross-country attire with safety vests and armbands.

STRUCTURE 

While the judges look for horses with strong abilities in dressage and show jumping, they also look for a horse with correct, elastic gaits, scope and athleticism over fences, and those that with the correct training will have the speed, soundness, and stamina necessary at the top levels of the sport.

Section 1 – Conformation and Type
Each horse is stripped of tack and shown in hand to the judge. Handlers are to stand their horse up for inspection by the judge who will assess conformation and type. The horse is judged on potential for soundness, speed and stamina. Handlers will be asked to walk and trot them in a straight line for soundness and correctness. Color, size and gender should not be a factor in a horse's score.

Section II - Dressage - DRESSAGE TEST
This is a modified dressage test judged on overall collective impressions (not by each individual movement). There are two dressage tests for each level, one for qualifying competitions and one for the championships. The 2010 Dressage Test will be available on the YEH page of the USEA website.

Section III – Jumping Test/Gallop/General Impression
The jumping phase, ideally, should incorporate a small course of four or five show jumping fences immediately followed by six to eight cross-country jumps. This model allows for a smooth transition from a show jumping pace to the more forward cross-country pace. The fence parameters at the qualifying competitions may be up to 2'11" (Novice specifications) for the four-year-old classes and up to 3'3" (Training specifications) for the five-year-old classes. Smaller courses are also advisable at qualifying competitions that take place in the early months of the year, building to Novice and Training specifications as the year progresses. Please note the specifications to be used at the championships below.  An event horse must be able to jump a bank, ditch, water, or solid fence. All events must incorporate at least one of these obstacles in their jumping section. The obstacles should be straight forward, inviting, and age-appropriate for the youngsters. Please note that schooling through the water obstacle prior to competition is encouraged.

YOUNG EVENT HORSE CHAMPIONSHIPS

The YEH Championships will require horses to negotiate a small water obstacle and a ditch. Fence parameters for the YEH Championships will be set up to Training level for four-year-olds and Preliminary level for five-year-olds.

Please note that the heights of the fences for the YEH Championships are as follows:

Four-year-old Championships – 30 percent of the jumps must be at the maximum height of 3'3" to mirror the specifications for the Training level.
Five-year-old Championships – 30 percent of the jumps must be at the maximum height of 3'7" to mirror the specifications for the Preliminary level.

The judge must be able to easily see all fences on the jumping course. Again an ideal design for the jumping section would be a relatively open space with several show jumps at the beginning of the course. This allows the horse to jump the more technical fences then move on to a more forward stride to the cross-country course. There should be a total of 10-12 fences.

There must be enough room for the horse to gallop away from the last fence for long enough that the judge can assess the quality of the gait.

Also included in the Jumping Section – Gallop and General Impression
Horses are required to show their gallop immediately following the last jump.

Guidelines for Judging
The aim of these classes is to encourage breeders and trainers to produce and present the correct type of young horse which is considered to be the best material to make a top international event horse. The judges must be chosen from the YEH Judges list.

Method of Judging
The Judges should bear in mind they are looking for potential for the future. Unfortunately, all too often, the horse with the most potential may not be the one which is presented in the best manner. Judges are looking for an athletic, elastic moving horse with a promising jumping technique that, with correct training, will develop physically and mentally into a strong upper level mount.

His conformation and movement should enable him to withstand the demands of the sport in terms of soundness, speed and stamina. Lack of quality and other defects which may prevent him being fast enough should be penalized, even though he may make a nice dressage or show jumping horse. However, a lack of size or color of the horse should not be held against him. Equally one should not allow a possible prejudice against mares to affect any judgment. It is essential to encourage riders to give mares more of a chance if we are to establish a better breeding policy using proven mares.

In the dressage phase, unlike a normal dressage test, marks are not given for individual movements. Three correct, elastic and regular gaits through a swinging back are the qualities that judges will be seeking. Young horses should not be marked down for displaying a little exuberance.  The judge will have to weigh the influence of the rider; a good rider may present a well balanced, smooth test from perhaps a moderate, unscopey horse while a novice rider may even hinder a good horse from showing its true worth. It is the horse's, and not the rider's, real potential we are looking for. Likewise in the jumping we are looking for a bold, athletic horse with good technique and a horse with these qualities should not necessarily be penalized for knocking down a fence providing he learns from his mistake. Four-year-old horses will not be penalized for jumping out of the trot.

Scoring and Use of Marks
Careful thought must be given to how the marks are used. In order to have enough of a gap between the lower and higher quality horses it is necessary to use the full range of marks. Similar to dressage judging, the first horse in sets the standard and therefore one must leave enough room to put better horses above and weaker horses below. If the first horse is marked low then all scores will likely be low and worthy horses will not achieve qualifying scores.

In conclusion we could sum up by asking the question "Which horse would I buy to make the best international eventer?" We are not buying the rider.... only the horse.

Each section will be scored on a 1-10 mark basis.

1 = very bad
2 =bad
3= fairly bad
4= insufficient
5 = sufficient
6= satisfactory
7= fairly good
8= good
9= very good
10 = excellent

Conformation and Type is worth 15% of your score.
Dressage total average score is worth 35% of your score.
Jumping Test/Gallop/General Impression is worth 50% of your score.

YEH CHAMPIONSHIP QUALIFIERS

Horses must earn a score of 70 percent or higher at two qualifiers or a score of 75 percent or higher at one qualifier. Wild cards may also be given if space allows. The wild card parameters are as follows; the horse must have at least one qualifying score along with a first, second or third place finish in a Novice and/or Training division of a recognized horse trial. The site for the 2010 YEH East Coast Championships will be held at the Fair Hill International CCI**/*** event. Depending on the number of entries for the championships, the conformation and dressage will be held on the first day and the jumping may be held on the following day.

2010 VENUES

Please refer to the calendar on page ? of this Omnibus. Check the USEA website regularly as venues are often added after the Omnibus has gone to print. Go to www.useventing.com and click on the Young Event Horse Series logo to get to the link.

2010 ENTRY FORM  

Available on our website at www.useventing.com by clicking on the Young Event Horse Series page or in the back of the Omnibus with the Horse Trials and Three-Day Events entry forms.

CONTACT FOR HOSTING A YOUNG EVENT HORSE SERIES COMPETITION