The Young Riders program is offered through the USEA for riders twenty-one years of age and younger. The purpose of the program is to encourage our younger members to become involved in the sport of Eventing and perhaps continue this involvement into their adult lives. Our organization seeks to promote and create a love of the sport, as well as a true appreciation and understanding of the horse, while at the same time fostering the wonderful relationship that can develop between horse and rider. Further, involvement in this program helps to instill in young riders important moral values, such as responsibility and work ethic, as they grow into mature adults.

The program is open to all riders twenty-one years of age and younger. The program accommodates riders of all levels. Our hope is to generate involvement early on, helping our lower level riders to realize their goals and eventually achieve success at the higher levels through dedication, hard work and discipline.

The sport of Eventing includes three major disciplines that a horse and rider must complete. They are dressage, cross-country and show jumping. Eventing is one of the three equestrian sports represented in the Olympics, and men and women compete equally against each other. The Young Riders of today make up the future of this wonderful sport.

This program is divided into ten Areas throughout the country, and each Area program is facilitated by a volunteer Young Rider Coordinator. Each coordinator oversees the program for his/her Area and sets up different educational and developmental activities for the young riders of that Area. Camps, clinics and seminars are usually offered, very often with Olympic athletes such as Phillip Dutton, Karen O'Connor and Bobby Costello getting involved. Each Area Young Rider program is divided into two sub-programs or branches: NAYRC and YRAP. The NAYRC branch focuses on developing and fronting riders and horses for the North American Young Rider Championships each summer. The Young Rider Advancement Program (YRAP) focuses on providing lower level young riders with the education and skills they need to progress through the levels and eventually into the ranks of the NAYRC.

In addition, each Area has a fund-raising program. The funds raised are used to help defray the costs of the program, particularly for the higher level riders that may qualify for the North American Young Riders Championship, held each year in the month of August. These fund-raising efforts foster friendships among the riders in the program, and help everyone to feel that they are contributing to the success of the program in their Area. The riders involved all say that participating in the program has helped them to develop teamwork skills, as well as friendships that often end up lasting a lifetime.

Mission Statement for the USEA Young Rider Program

• To encourage and support the sport of eventing in competitors twenty-one years of age and younger.
• To make young riders aware of educational opportunities - coaching, course walks, clinics, camps, etc.
• To promote good sportsmanship and the facilitation of working as a team member.
• To develop respect for the horse, without whom none of this is possible.
• To field a team of four intermediate level young riders to represent each area at the two-star level at the North American Young Riders Championship.
• To field a team of four preliminary level young riders to represent each area at the one-star level at the North American Young Riders Championship.
• To field teams to compete at other Young Riders national championships.
• To field a national team to represent the United States, through the NGB, at the European Young Riders Championships.
• To develop camaraderie among young riders, thus, hopefully, developing life long friendships and a commitment to the sport, which will be carried on as members of the US Team, volunteers at local events, coaches, trainers, competitors, and consumers of equine products.

USEA Young Rider Committee

For a detailed account of the Young Rider Program in your area or to apply for consideration to compete at the NAYRC, contact the Area Young Rider Coordinator where you reside.

Chairman, Tim Murray
Staff Liaison- NAYRC, Sharon Gallagher, (703) 779-0440 ext. 3005

Click here List of Young Rider Coordinators/Area Map. 

NAYRC Program

The North American Young Rider Championships (NAYRC) competition is held annually in the summer. The NAYRC is the pinnacle of a young rider's achievement. Teams from all areas of the U.S. as well as from Canada, Mexico, Bermuda, the Bahamas and the Caribbean are invited to compete in this international championship event. Special invitations have also included countries from South America. The NAYRC is also recognized as the official Junior Olympics for Equestrian by the USOC. The championship models the format of the Olympic Games, whereby riders from all three Equestrian disciplines of Eventing, Dressage, and Show Jumping assemble on one site to represent their country in competition. In the Eventing competition, each area will send a team and/individuals to represent their area. From very early on, many young riders see this as a potential goal for themselves as they progress through the levels of competition.

NAYRC CANDIDATES (CCIO-Y**and CCI-J*) - Area declaration: A competitor's Area is determined by their address as listed with the USEA and USEF membership files. Competitors who choose to represent another area MUST declare in writing to the USEA National office, what Area they will represent no later than June 1.

Young Rider Advancement Program

The Young Rider Advancement Program (YRAP) is a new initiative designed to present novice through preliminary level young riders with a structured developmental process that will provide the education and skills they need to progress through the levels, and eventually into the ranks of the NAYRC.

Mission:
To provide a structured developmental process to young riders from the novice through preliminary levels.

Background:
At the Annual Meeting in Portland in 2001, the concept of the new Young Rider Advancement Program (YRAP) was introduced, as outlined in a proposal put forth by the Active Young Rider Committee. The YRAP is intended to provide the average young rider with the vital steps of a developmental process from the earliest levels of competition. This program focuses on those riders from the novice through preliminary levels, prior to their ascension into the ranks of the NAYRC developmental program. While we can't reasonably replace the educational process of a traditional apprenticeship, under an established and accomplished rider; we believe we can create a program that achieves some of the vital elements of that experience. The YRAP encompass a variety of clinics, camps, and educational activities which provide the educational development necessary for a young rider's progression into the NAYRC program, eventual recognition by the NGB developmental programs, and their ultimate ascension into international ranks. While many young riders never endeavor to progress this far in their riding careers, the steps will nevertheless be in place for them to accomplish whatever competitive goals they may have. The goal in organizing this program is to create a structure, which similarly parallels the structure of the NAYRC program and the NGB developmental programs, so that a rider is familiar with this format from the beginning.

Program Structure:
The YRAP is a sub-program of the existing Young Rider program. Within each Area, the existing Young Rider program has essentially been divided into two parts. The YRAP and NAYRC branches each function in cooperation with the other and operate under the facilitation of the Area Young Rider Coordinator.

2010 North American Championships

Candidates from each area will be selected for the following divisions:
CH-YR** (ages 16-21); CH-J* (ages 14-18)

Location:
Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, KY is the site for the 2010 NAJYRC to be held July 28 - August 1. See www.youngriders.org for more information.

2010 NAYRC Coaches

• Area I - Ashley MacVaugh
  
• Area II - David & Lauren O'Brien
• Area III - Kyle Carter
• Area IV - Jon Holling
• Area V - Mike Huber
• Area VI - Dayna Lynd-Pugh
  
• Area VII - TBA
• Area VIII - Holly Hepp
• Area IX - Jan Byyny
• Area X - Natalie Rooney-Pitts

Photo Credits (Top to Bottom):
Photo One: Catherine Knight
Photo Two: Shannon Brinkman
Photo Three: Catherine Knight
Photo Four: Shannon Brinkman
Photo Five: Catherine Knight
Photo Six: Catherine Knight