The 2018 USEA Young Event Horse (YEH) East and West Championships are taking place this weekend. First, the East Coast Championships will take place at Fair Hill in Elkton, Maryland spanning two days, October 18-19. Then on Sunday, October 21, the West Coast Championships will run at Fresno County Horse Park (FCHP) in Fresno, California.
In 2018, the USEA YEH competition format underwent significant changes. This year, the conformation section was no longer included at qualifying events: horses were judged on dressage and jumping alone, with dressage accounting for 30 percent of the score and jumping/general impressions for 70 percent. In order to qualify for the Young Event Horse Championships, horses needed to score a 70 percent or higher at two qualifying events or a 75 percent or higher at a single qualifying event. At the Championships, jumping and general impressions still count for a combined 70 percent of the overall score, while dressage counts for 20 percent and conformation and type counts for 10 percent.
East Coast Championships Competition Schedule
Thursday, October 18
Friday, October 19
West Coast Championships Competition Schedule
Sunday, October 21
Helpful Links
About the USEA Young Event Horse 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 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 three- and four-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 view the jumping standards and specifications.
The USEA would like to thank SmartPak, Standlee Hay Company, Merck Animal Health, and C4 Belts for sponsoring the Young Event Horse Program.
Ema Klugman completed a fairy tale story in 2021 at the Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event when she made her five-star debut with the Thoroughbred/Saddlebred Bendigo, who she came up the levels with from Pony Club to Advanced. As Ben was heading into the later years of his career with Klugman, she purchased Bronte Beach, a Zangersheide mare (Verdi TN x Dalphine), in 2017 as a 5-year-old to follow in his footsteps.
The 2024 Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event is truly an eventing lover’s paradise with four full days of competition, vendors galore, opportunities to meet some of the sport’s greatest riders face-to-face, and so much more. For a seasoned Kentucky veteran, hopping over to the Kentucky Horse Park for the fun feels easy enough, but attending Kentucky might feel a bit overwhelming for first-timers. We chatted with USEA members from all over the country to get their favorite Kentucky tips to share with you. Check them out here!
There are some familiar names and new faces on the five-star roster for this year's Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event. Which horses have had recent top placings? Which riders have seen success at the Kentucky Horse Park in previous years? Which horse is called "Grandpa" by his rider and which one was purchased for $1?
The United States Eventing Association, Inc. (USEA) is thrilled to announce Canter Culture as a “Silver Sponsor for the USEA American Eventing Championships” taking place at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, Kentucky, Aug. 27-Sept. 1.