The Holekamp/Turner Young Event Horse Lion d’Angers Grant will award the highest scorer of the USEA Young Event Horse 5-year-old Championships, both East and West Coast Championships combined, with cash that will enable them to travel to the FEI World Young Horse Championships at Mondial du Lion in Le Lion d’Angers, France for the 7-year-old three-star Championships.
Grant recipients who are North American bred will be awarded with $17,500 to travel to Le Lion d’Angers. If the grant recipient is an imported horse he will be awarded $8,000.
If the highest scoring 5-year-old does not *qualify or is unable to attend Mondial du Lion, the money will be awarded to the next highest scorer who is qualified, able, and willing to go.** Owners of grant eligible horses must notify the USEA of their intentions to compete in the Championships by September 1st of the year in which the horse turns 7 years of age.
The intention of this grant is to further develop an upward pathway for U.S. Team horses in eventing. The eligibility of top-placing YEH horses remains with the horse, regardless of change of rider after the 5-year-old YEH Championships, but for the Lion d'Angers grant, only USEF-sponsored 7-year-old entries will qualify. Thus, only horses ridden by United States citizens will be eligible.
This prize began with the high score winner at the 2013 USEA Young Event Horse Championships who would then attend the 2015 World Young Horse Championships.
The USEA is very thankful to Timothy and Cheryl Holekamp of New Spring Farm and Christine and T.J. Turner of Indian Creek Farm for spearheading this Grant and raising funds to support it.
*To view the FEI qualification criteria for Mondial du Lion in Le Lion d'Angers, go here.