West Coast eventers experienced tremendous success in 2022. Tamie Smith recorded top-10 finishes at Badminton in England, at the FEI World Championships at Pratoni in Italy, and at the Maryland 5 Star at Fair Hill. Helen Alliston won the $60,000 Adequan USEA Advanced Final, and Tommy Greengard captured the USEA Intermediate Championship at the USEA American Eventing Championships (AEC), presented by Nutrena Feeds. James Alliston returned to the Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event for the first time since 2017 and finished third in the CCI4*-S.
Since 2014, over $300,000 in contributions have been made to the USEA’s Equine Medical Research (EMR) Fund through USEA member $1 starter fees and additional donations received. These funds are then allocated to accredited research studies being conducted by trusted parties of the USEA. For 2022, the EMR recommended three studies being conducted by the Morris Animal Foundation and the Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation. In the August 2022 USEA Board of Governors (BOG) meeting, the following studies were presented to and approved by the BOG:
Start your young horse’s competition season off on the right foot by participating in the USEA Young Event Horse (YEH) program! The USEA established the YEH program in 2004 to identify young horses that possess the talent and disposition to, with proper training, excel at the uppermost levels of the sport. While the goal of the YEH program is to identify horses that will be successful at the four- and five-star levels, horses with the potential for lower-level success are also showcased by the program.
Are you interested in competing in the sport of eventing but aren’t quite sure how to get started? Do you have a horse that is looking for a new career? Consider participating in a USEA New Event Horse (NEH) competition in 2023! The USEA NEH Program was created to be an introduction to the sport of eventing for both horse and rider, and the 2023 NEH Calendar is now available here.
Many top results from program graduates in 2022 have once again proven that the USEA’s Young Event Horse (YEH) program is meeting its mission of identifying future four- and five-star horses. With three of the four Team U.S.A. horses at the FEI Eventing World Championships in Pratoni del Vivaro, Italy being graduates of the YEH program, as well as top placings at the FEI WBFSH Eventing World Breeding Championships, the Maryland 5 Star at Fair Hill, the Kentucky Three-Day Event and the year-end USEA leaderboards, the YEH program is making its mark as a major talent spotter for top athletes in the sport of eventing.
If you look at HSH Blake’s competition record, it won’t take you long to understand why Caroline Martin is dreaming big with the7-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding. Owned in partnership by Caroline Martin, Sherrie Martin and Molly Hoff, HSH Blake (Tolan R x Doughiska Lass) has already seen much success in his short career, collecting the championship title at the 2020 Dutta Corp. USEA Young Event Horse East Coast 5-Year-Old Championship, several top 2 finishes at the CCI2* level and multiple top 10 finishes at the CCI3* level since stepping up this year.
There were 42 young horses contesting the 2018 USEA Young Event Horse (YEH) 5-year-old Championships between the East and West Coast Championships which were held in Elkton, Maryland, and Woodside, California, respectively. Following 2018’s YEH finale, many of the graduating class of the 2018 USEA Young Event Horse Championships have worked their way up through the rankings as they establish themselves as upper-level event horse prospects.
The Dutta Corp. USEA Young Event Horse Championships came to an exciting close in October with the final championship of the calendar year held on the West Coast. After seeing some of the highest turnouts for both championships since the program's inception, four champions were crowned.
I was fortunate and grateful to be selected as one of the recipients of the Galway Downs Mars Bromont Rising Program Grant. My home base is Carnation, Washington, and I frequently travel to events outside Area VII, which is an ongoing logistical and financial challenge. The financial benefits of this grant were incredibly helpful, and of course most welcome, but the other benefits of the grant went far beyond the financial aspects. The amazing opportunity to spend time and learn from eventing legends such as Bettina Hoy, Peter Grey, and Marilyn Payne was incredibly beneficial to me at this point in my young professional career. I have a burning desire and hunger to continually receive diverse and high-level coaching experiences, in addition to my longstanding local team of coaches in the Northwest.
It is no secret that Will Coleman has seen much success in his career as of late, including a team silver medal at the 2022 FEI Eventing World Championships in Pratoni del Vivaro and a first-place finish at the CHIO Aachen 4*-S in 2020, making him the only American rider to tackle such a feat. However, what some may not know is that several of Coleman’s top mounts, including Off the Record who helped him secure both previously mentioned accolades, are graduates of the USEA’s Young Event Horse program.
Strides for Equality Equestrians (SEE) is pleased to announce the award of its Winter 2023 Ever So Sweet Scholarship to Micah Green, 23, of Jacksonville, FL. As the fourth recipient of the Ever So Sweet scholarship, Micah will receive fully-paid training and mentorship from Sara Kozumplik at her winter base in Ocala, FL.