This week 12 talented Young Rider athletes from all over the country have gathered together in Ocala, Florida, for the 2024-2025 USEA Emerging Athletes U21 National Camp (EA21), led by EA21 Director of Coaching David O'Connor! These riders were hand-selected following the five USEA EA21 Regional Clinics that took place in the summer of 2024 and will spend the week immersed in an educational experience like no other with classroom sessions, hands-on learning led by industry experts, and in-the-saddle instruction facilitated by O'Connor. The National Camp kicks off tomorrow on Dec. 31, 2024 and will run through Saturday, Jan. 4, 2025.
The purpose of the USEA Emerging Athletes U21 Program (EA21) is to identify and provide consistent quality instruction to the next generation of elite event riders. The aim is to create a pipeline for potential team riders by identifying and developing young talent, improving horsemanship and riding skills, and training and improving skills and consistency. The USEA Emerging Athletes U21 Program was launched in 2022 with a model of five summertime regional clinics taught by selected USEA Eventing Coaches Program (ECP) instructors, leading to a winter national camp consisting of selected Young Riders from the regional clinics.
The five 2024 EA21 regional clinics were as follows:
The EA21 coaches worked with the selection team to invite 12 athletes to the 2024 USEA EA21 National Camp. One of this year's alternate athletes was called upon to fill positions that the originally selected athlete could not utilize. This year's final list of EA21 national athletes are listed below in alphabetical order:
Get to know each of the selected athletes a little better here.
Thank you to Kerrits, the Official Competition and Training Apparel of the USEA, for providing the official kits for all 12 national athletes, including five shirts, one jacket, one hat, and two breeches, for each participant!
Schneiders Saddlery is also providing custom embroidered EA21 show scrims for each athlete to take home for their horse.
Other sponsors are providing gifts as well, and all EA21 Sponsors include: ARMA, Bates, Kerrits, PulseVet, RideiQ, Schneiders Saddlery, Sidelines Magazine, YETI, #WeRideTogether.
For questions regarding the Emerging Athlete U21 Program, please email Kate Lokey at [email protected].
Helpful Links:
Don't forget to follow the USEA event coverage on social media!
Facebook | Instagram | Threads | TikTok
About the USEA Emerging Athlete U21 Program (EA21)
The purpose of the USEA Emerging Athletes U21 Program (EA21) is to identify and provide consistent quality instruction to the next generation of elite event riders. The aim is to create a pipeline for potential team riders by identifying and developing young talent, improving horsemanship and riding skills, and training and improving skills and consistency.
The USEA Emerging Athletes U21 Program was launched in 2022 with a model of five summertime regional clinics taught by selected USEA Eventing Coaches Program (ECP) coaches, leading to a winter national camp consisting of selected Young Riders from the regional clinics. Athletes who are 21 years or younger, are current members of their USEA Young Rider Area program, and are established at the Training Level or higher, are eligible to apply for the EA21 program. Click here to learn more about the USEA EA21 Program.
The USEA would like to thank ARMA, Bates Saddles, Kerrits, PulseVet, Ride iQ, Schneiders Saddlery, Sidelines Magazine, YETI and WeRideTogether for sponsoring the USEA Emerging Athletes U21 Program.
Boyd Martin has always believed in Luke 140 since he came to his barn in 2019. The fiery bay gelding has completed one five-star, in 2023 at Luhmühlen (Germany) where they were fourth, but injuries have meant he’s had to sit out a couple of seasons and miss out on selection for two Olympic Games, most recently in 2024.
Are you following along with the action from home this weekend? Or maybe you're competing at an event and need information fast. Either way, we’ve got you covered!
The United States Eventing Association (USEA) is pleased to offer the USEA Adult Team Championships (ATC) at the upcoming USEA American Eventing Championships (AEC) presented by Nutrena Feeds. The AEC will take place at Galway Downs in Temecula, California, from Wednesday, Aug. 27, to Sunday, Aug. 31.
Seventeen-year-old Carolyn Rice, a high school junior from Johns Creek, Georgia, has spent the last 10 years riding at Willow South Riding School—the very place where she first sat on a horse. What started as a casual introduction quickly became a lifelong passion.