Feb 21, 2025

A Year of Growth for 2024 USEA 6-year-old Leaderboard Winner Arden Augustus

By Lindsay Berreth - USEA Staff
Arden Augustus finished in third place in the Preliminary Horse division at the 2024 USEA American Eventing Championships presented by Nutrena Feeds. USEA/Meagan DeLisle photo

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.

For those efforts, “Gus” topped the 2024 USEA 6-year-old leaderboard as well as the Preliminary Horse leaderboard.

Bred by Anita Antenucci, Gus got his start with Melissa Bauman before White took over the ride in late 2023.

Gus’ dam, Juneau, was a horse White bred. She was out of a line of mares that Canadian five-star rider Peter Barry bred, one of which White had competed to Advanced. Antenucci chose the popular Selle Français stallion Jaguar Mail because of his high percentage of Thoroughbred blood.

White said that Gus surpassed both she and Antenucci’s goals for him in 2024. Considering he’s a large horse, she knew she wanted to take her time with him at the Preliminary level.

“I just wanted to let him develop his strength and bump up to Prelim and see what he would tell me,” she said. “He told me that he was good with it all, so I just kept taking him where he showed me he wanted to go. I tried to plan good events for him to develop his strength, because when they're big young horses, you have to be careful and give them time to get strong—so better venues with good galloping courses with hills I think are really useful.”

The pair ended the year in November by winning the CCI2*-L at Virginia Horse Center Eventing, a venue that has a very hilly cross-country course. “I thought that would help with his base—to put a base foundation on him for the rest of his career,” she explained.

Sharon White and Arden Augustus finished in fourth place in the USEF/USEA Developing Horse 6-year-old National Championship held at Morven Park in 2024. USEA/Lindsay Berreth photo

White described Gus as very genuine. “I'm always shocked at how unbelievably genuine he is. He's really easy for a big horse. He's really easy to go fast on because he's just so amiable about the whole thing. It is easy to go fast on horses that aren't running off with you! So I've always been just so shocked at how he travels across the ground so easily. He just steps over jumps. He puts in no effort whatsoever because he doesn't have to.”

White and Gus have already had their first outing of 2025 in a 7-year-old Preliminary Young Horse division at Ocala Winter I in Florida, and White’s hoping for an Intermediate move-up soon. She says a CCI3*-L at the end of the year isn’t out of the realm of possibility.

“It will depend on how he bumps up, how he finds that, how his fitness is, what he is telling me mentally?” she said. “I've worked hard to make sure that he's a very quiet horse, but he internalizes a bit so it’s just getting a horse very confident in their job, and teaching him to breathe. He holds his breath in a dressage test better than any horse I've ever sat on! I worked all last year on just getting him to breathe in a dressage arena, and he came out this year and just breathed throughout the dressage test. I thought that was so cute. I was so proud of him, like he was trying so hard to breathe. That was really fun.”

Because of his size, Sharon White has taken her time developing Arden Augustus at the Preliminary level. USEA/Lindsay Berreth photo

White’s been friends with Antenucci for over 20 years, and they’ve partnered on several homebreds. “She's one of my very best friends, and it's so fun to do things with her because I have nothing but respect for her,” she said. “She perhaps loves horses more than I do, which is saying something. And she is as hardworking as anybody I know, and as genuine as anyone I know. I mean, who doesn't want to be around that? I feel very lucky to have her in my life. And it's really fun to do this breeding together, and to have a horse as good as Gus is just really fun.”

May 08, 2025 Competitions

Tom McEwen and JL Dublin are Stars of the Show at the MARS Badminton Horse Trials

The Olympic gold medallists Tom McEwen and JL Dublin lit up the arena at the MARS Badminton Horse Trials with a stunning performance and took the lead after the first day of dressage with the excellent mark of 22.4. They have almost five penalties over second-placed Emily King and Valmy Biats on 27.3.

May 08, 2025 Education

Pressure Proof Tip with Daniel Stewart: Reframing Isn't About Hanging Pictures

At some point in your riding career, you probably found yourself feeling or dealing with a little fear, failure, or frustration. We’ve all been there. Regardless of whether we’re competitive or recreational, we’ve likely found ourselves getting a bit stuck on stress or a struggle; dealing with a little defeat or disappointment, or feeling overwhelmed or underprepared.

May 07, 2025 Interscholastic

Through the Lens: 2025 USEA Intercollegiate & Interscholastic Eventing Championships

We might still be recovering physically from the excitement of the 2025 USEA Intercollegiate & Interscholastic Eventing Championships, but mentally we keep playing the weekend over and over again in our heads. This is a weekend that many eventers and lovers of the sport all over the country (ourselves included) look forward to each year and this year was no exception. From teams getting to experience their first time ever at the championship to mascots swapping gear in a show of camaraderie, there were so many great moments that took place during this year's end-of-the-school-year event. Take a look at some of our favorite moments from the three day competition below!

May 06, 2025 Competitions

Fast Facts: Tryon International Three-Day Event

As we gear up for the summer, the competition season isn’t slowing down and it’s time for one of the staple events on the international calendar in the U.S., the Tryon International Three-Day Event (Mill Spring, North Carolina). This event hosts one of five CCI4*-L events on the U.S. calendar, and this year there are 13 competitors in the field. Continue reading below for more interesting facts pertaining to the event that kicks off this Thursday, May 8.

Official Corporate Sponsors of the USEA

Official Joint Therapy Treatment of the USEA

Official Feed of the USEA

Official Saddle of the USEA

Official Forage of the USEA

Official Competition & Training Apparel of the USEA

Official Horse Boot of the USEA

Official Shock Wave of the USEA

Official Horse Wear of the USEA