When Monbeg Zebedee came to Allison Springer’s barn nearly three years ago, she wasn’t sure where he might end up or how far his talent would take him. The Irish Sport Horse gelding (Dignifed van’t Zorgvliet x Bolacreane Dolly) had been purchased out of the Monart sale in Ireland by British five-star rider Kitty King as a sales prospect when he was 3, and King had started him but never competed him.
When asked if he could go back in time and give the younger version of himself one piece of advice, eight-time World Equestrian Brands USEA Rider of the Year Boyd Martin says he wouldn’t change a thing.
Last year was a big one for USEA Young Event Horse program graduate Arden Augustus. He made a successful move-up to Modified with Sharon White in the tack, followed by a smooth transition to Preliminary, then went on to win two CCI2*-S divisions and ended the year with a CCI2*-L win.
Colorado-based upper-level eventer Dani Sussman has been sourcing horses from Argentina since 2019 thanks to the help of her show jumping coach, Mariano Bedoya. When Bedoya called her up about a then 8-year-old Hanoverian stallion who was showing on the show jumping circuit, Sussman hopped on a plane to check him out for herself.
The USEA Young Event Horse (YEH) Program was created with the mission of identifying young horses that possess the talent and disposition to excel in the uppermost levels of eventing. In 2024, YEH graduates participated in major events around the world, including the Paris Olympics, the FEI Eventing Nations Cups in Millstreet (Ireland) and Aachen (Germany), five-star events in the U.S. and England, and the FEI WBFSH Eventing World Championships (France).
Adult amateur Arden Wildasin’s 39-page long competition report with the USEA began in 2005 when she completed her first Beginner Novice with Mr. Fox. If you would have asked her then if she ever imagined she would be prepping for what she hopes to be her first five-star outing 20 years later, she wouldn’t have believed it was real.
The United States Eventing Association, Inc. (USEA) is proud to announce the first class of USEA Young Event Horse (YEH) Judges have completed their certifications through the YEH New Judge Education Program, which was led by YEH faculty member, Marilyn Payne.
The United States Eventing Association, Inc. (USEA) and the USEA Young Event Horse (YEH) Committee regretfully announce that the 2025 YEH Symposium, planned for Monday, Feb. 17 in Ocala, Florida, has been cancelled. Following the great success of the event in 2024 and due to unforeseen changes in venue availability, the YEH Committee has made the difficult decision to cancel the upcoming educational event to ensure that the quality of the symposium is not sacrificed.
United States Eventing Association (USEA) members from all over the country gathered on Friday afternoon for the 2024 USEA Annual Meeting & Convention Year End Awards Ceremony. The afternoon’s ceremony was led by Master of Ceremonies Jim Wolf and recognized riders, horses, and game-changers in the sport of eventing with multiple awards and grants.
Bringing along a young horse is such a special process for everyone involved. The USEA is excited to dedicate an episode to celebrating some of the special young horses in the United States that have risen to the occasion. Joining USEA Podcast Host Nicole Brown in this episode are Tommy Greengard, the rider and co-owner of this year's Holekamp/Turner Grant Recipient That's Me Z who represented the U.S. at Le Lion this year, and Kaylawna Smith-Cook, who piloted Bonner Carpenter's Only-Else to the highest national score in the Dutta Corp. USEA Young Event Horse 5-Year-Old Championships.
When That’s Me Z won the USEA Young Event Horse West Coast 5-Year-Old Championship in 2022, his co-owners Tommy Greengard and Andrea Pfeiffer knew that competing at the FEI WBFSH Eventing World Championships for Young Horses at Mondial du Lion in Le Lion d'Angers, France, in two years time was the ultimate goal for the promising young Zangersheide (Take A Chance On Me Z x Venetia) gelding.