United States Eventing Association

The first weekend of June presented three opportunities to participate in the Future Event Horse (FEH) and Young Event Horse (YEH) programs. Events in Maryland, Vermont and California offered the “equine talent search” classes for yearlings through three-year-olds (FEH) or four- and five-year-olds (YEH).

Twenty-five Young and Future Event Horses were entered at the Green Mountain Horse Association Horse Trials (Area I) on Friday, May 31. Eighteen yearlings, 2-year-olds, and three-year-olds were presented for their conformation and overall impression in the FEH class. In the YEH class, which also involves a dressage and jumping test to evaluate the horses’ potential in the sport of eventing, seven 4-year-olds and 5-year olds were evaluated.

At GMHA, Janet Briggs judged the YEH conformation and FEH classes, while Susan Graham-White judged the YEH dressage and jumping. “The facilities there were perfect for giving the young horses a positive experience, and there was an outstanding turnout of horses in the FEH divisions. Some of the breeds represented included Dutch, Westphalian, ISH, Arab, Zweibrucker, Oldensburg, Irish Draught, Hanoverian, and several TB crosses. The quality of the horses and presentation by the handlers was very impressive!” said White.

At Waredaca, 29 horses competed in the FEH and YEH divisions on Saturday, June 1. Marilyn Payne and Stephen Bradley judged the dressage and jumping portions of the YEH division, while Cathy Tucker-Slaterbeck judged the conformation for both the FEH and YEH divisions.

The dressage tests for the YEH division were held in a ring with all-weather footing next to other competing divisions. This gave the young horses the opportunity to put their best foot forward while gaining exposure to other horses competing beside them. Unlike a typical dressage test, the YEH test is not judged on individual movements or accuracy but rather judges look for an overall impression of the horse’s gaits at the walk, trot and canter – with the focus on having the horse move forward freely. And only the horse is judged, not the rider, so amateurs and pros are on equal footing.

The jumping phase was held on a quiet section of the cross-country course. It started with 5 stadium jumps including a vertical, an oxer, and a 1-stride combination. Then it was on to a variety of cross-country fences which included a bank, a ditch, and some water to splash through. One jump turned out to be a bit of a bogey fence for many of the horses, causing a number of refusals as the course moved past the in gate and away from the other horses.

For the jumping phase, the horses are judged on their ability to balance and move forward at the gallop. Attitude is also key. Stops aren’t the end of the world; what’s more important is how the horse deals with the situation.

“The YEH classes are a great way to give young horses a low-key introduction to competition, without the pressure and stress of a ‘real’ competition. Plus, it forces you to get the horse ready – bathing, trimming feet, braiding, trailering, etc. – which is also good for young horses to get used to. Many people participate just to give horse the experience knowing that they might not be a contender for the championships” said Marilyn Payne, dressage judge and chair of the USEA Young Event Horse committee.

On the West Coast, Lone Tree Farm in Waterford, CA, held an FEH division where a total of 11 horses came from all over California to compete. Connie Arthur, the event organizer, was also impressed by the caliber of horses presented. “It was quite hot this weekend so we did have some scratched horses,” she said about the event, held on June 2. “Originally we had about 16 entries, but our final (count) was 11 competitors. Really nice horses…all got qualifying scores, and the judge was quite impressed.”

For more information on the Future Event Horse and Young Event Horse programs, along with a list of upcoming competitions, visit the FEH and YEH sections of the USEA website.