United States Eventing Association

The United States Eventing Association (USEA) is pleased to announce details for the 2026 USEA Young Event Horse (YEH) Championships, which will once again bring together some of the most promising 4- and 5-year-old event horses in the country at championship events on both coasts this October. The 2026 USEA YEH East Coast Championships will take place Friday-Saturday, Oct. 16–17 at Fair Hill in Elkton, Maryland, while the 2026 USEA YEH West Coast Championships will follow on Friday-Saturday, Oct. 23–24 at Twin Rivers Ranch in Paso Robles, California.

Serving as the culmination of the 2026 YEH season, the Championships provide an opportunity to identify and showcase talented young horses demonstrating the qualities needed to succeed at the upper levels of the sport. Throughout the season, 4- and 5-year-old horses compete at YEH qualifier events across the country, where they are evaluated on their dressage performance and jumping ability, as well as their gallop, general impression, and overall potential as future event horses.

At the YEH Championships, horses are evaluated across three sections, each weighted toward determining a young horse’s potential for the upper levels of the sport:

• Conformation and Type – 10%
• Dressage Test – 20%
• Jumping Test/Gallop – 70%

2026 Championship Qualification

Horses competing in the YEH Championships must qualify through an official USEA YEH qualifier during the 2026 season. For the East Coast Championships, horses must earn one qualifying score of 75% or higher at a YEH qualifier. For the West Coast Championships, horses must earn one qualifying score of 70% or higher at a YEH qualifier. Qualified horses are permitted to participate in one Championship only.

On the East Coast, qualifiers and qualifying scores are permitted through the closing date of the Championship. On the West Coast, competitors will also have access to a last-chance qualifier held the day before the Championship.

Separate Championship divisions will be offered for 4-year-old and 5-year-old horses. Horses born in the Southern Hemisphere will compete in the age category in which they qualified and are considered one year older on August 1, regardless of their birth month.

Entry Process and Age Verification Required for Championship Entries

West: All entries must be received before the event’s closing date. Event management reserves the right to deny entries sent after closing date.

East: Provided they are complete, event management will accept entries for the USEA YEH East Championships in the order in which they are received, including a qualifying score, by no later than the closing date. 40 horses will be accepted in the 4-year-old division; 50 horses will be accepted in the 5-year-old division. For each age group, the remaining entries that have been accepted will be placed on a wait list and pulled off the wait list in order of highest qualifying scores. Entries must fully complete in order to be accepted, with a qualifying score at time of entering/acceptance in 2026.

All horses entered in either the East or West Coast YEH Championships must provide age verification with their Championship entry.

Acceptable forms of age verification include:

• Registration papers;
• A certificate of pedigree;
• A passport issued by a breed or sport horse registry approved by the Federation; or
• Horse identification documents issued by a Federation-approved breed or sport horse registry that state the horse’s registered name, registry number, and age.

Thoroughbreds may provide proof of age through their Thoroughbred Incentive Program (TIP) registration or digital certificate.

Age verification must be submitted with the entry, and no exceptions will be made.

Championship Judges

At the East Coast Championships, Marilyn Payne and Chris Ryan will judge the 5-year-old Championship: Payne will judge dressage, Ryan will judge conformation, and both will judge jumping/gallop together. The 4-year-old Championship panel will feature Debbie Rodriguez judging dressage, Cathy Tucker-Slaterbeck evaluating conformation, and Peter Gray and Phyllis Dawson judging the jumping phase.

On the West Coast, Marilyn Payne and Chris Ryan will serve as the judges for both the 4- and 5-year-old Championships.

The Stakes

Once again, horses will compete for the chance to win the USEA Holekamp/Turner Grant to represent the U.S. at the 7-year-old world championship at La Mondial du Lion in France. Additionally, The Dutta Corp. offers a prize to the Holekamp/Turner Grant recipient, consisting of a $10,000 flight credit from the Eastern United States to Europe.

For questions about the YEH program, email [email protected] or [email protected].

YEH Helpful links:

• Omnibus listing: Maryland 3 Star at Fair Hill & YEH East Coast Championships
• Omnibus listing: YEH West Coast Championships & Last Chance Qualifier
• USEA YEH webpage
• USEA YEH Championship information
• YEH Championships qualified horses list
• YEH Rules/Guidelines
• YEH 4-year-old Championship dressage test
• YEH 5-year-old Championship dressage test

About the USEA Young Event Horse (YEH) Program

The Young Event Horse (YEH) Program was first established in 2004 as an eventing talent search. Much like similar programs in Europe, the YEH program was designed to identify young horses aged 4- and 5-years-old, that possess the talent and disposition to, with proper training, excel at the uppermost levels of the sport. The ultimate goal of the program is to distinguish horses with the potential to compete at the four- and five-star levels, but many fine horses that excel at the lower levels are also showcased by the program.

The YEH program provides an opportunity for breeders and owners to exhibit the potential of their young horses while encouraging the breeding and development of top event horses for the future. The program rewards horses who are educated and prepared in a correct and progressive manner. At qualifying events, youngsters complete a dressage test and a jumping/galloping/general impression phase. At Championships, young horses are also evaluated on their conformation in addition to the dressage test and jumping/galloping/general impression phase. Click here to learn more about the Young Event Horse Program.

The USEA would like to thank Platinum Sponsor, The Dutta Corp., as well as Contributing Sponsors ARMA, Bates Saddles, CrossCountry App, FLAIR Equine Nasal Strips, Gallagher's Water, The Jockey Club, Kerrits, Marshall+Sterling, Schneiders Saddlery, SmartEquine, and Standlee, and Prize Sponsor 100xEquine for sponsoring the Young Event Horse Program. The USEA also thanks Ocala Horse Properties for their support of the 2026 USEA YEH Symposium.