United States Eventing Association

UK Rider Cosby Green First to Go at the 2021 USEA Intercollegiate Eventing Championships

The 2021 USEA Intercollegiate Eventing Championships kicked off today, Thursday, May 27 at the Virginia Horse Park in Lexington, VA. This year’s event marks the fifth year of the Championships, which began in 2016. This year there are 105 entries, 29 teams, and 15 schools entered to compete for the 2021 Championship title.

Today's competition schedule included the first horse inspection for all CCI-L divisions and half of the CCI3*-L riders did dressage. The first and only Intercollegiate Championship competitor that did dressage today was Cosby Green from the University of Kentucky. Green is here with the University of Kentucky, which has eight separate teams competing. Green rode Copper Beach, a 15-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding (Radolin x Cloverballen), to a dressage score of 28.7 to set the stage for the remainder of her teammates on the University of Kentucky Gatton Team. Green also has another additional horse, McCreary who's representing the University of Kentucky Blue Team.

“I’m really happy with my test,” Green began. “Obviously there are always things that you wish you could fix, but overall he was good and there weren’t any mistakes.”

The pair have only been together for eight months, but Green reflected on their partnership. “I was given the ride on ‘Sean’ about eight months ago from Buck Davidson Jr.,” she explained. “We’ve just really started to get to know one another, and this winter we have really started to click. It just keeps getting better each time, and we are definitely falling more and more in love with one another so it’s a great partnership.”

Green will be a junior at the University of Kentucky in the fall, and this is her first time competing at the USEA Intercollegiate Eventing Championships. It’s not, however, her first go at team competition, as Green was also a member of the Area VIII 2019 Young Rider Team Championships team. “I personally never thought that I’d get here,” she admitted. “I never thought that I wanted to go to college, but the fact that I’m here and I’m doing it makes me very proud to be able to do all that I can with everyone here. I have a big passion for the University of Kentucky. I just can’t wait to get the rest of my team hyped up this weekend!”

Green concluded, “It’s fun to be here with friends, that the best part. My best friends are a part of this barn, and it’s not often that we’d all get to be here together, so that’s special to be able to cheer everyone on. It’s a professional environment, but it’s also very supportive and fun.”

Including Green, there are a total of 12 intercollegiate riders competing in the FEI classes this week. The group includes:

CCI3*-L

Cosby Green riding Copper Beach, Team University of Kentucky Gatton

Katie Lichten riding Sapphire Blue B, Team University of Virginia Orange

CCI3*-S

Lynnea Woody riding Price Eric, Team University of Kentucky Cats

CCI 2*-L B

Sydney Shinn riding Nyconn Cat, Team University of South Carolina Aiken Navy

Lauren Yeagy riding Sound Prospect, Team University of Kentucky Coach Cal

Emily Shilling riding Enchanting Class, Team Virginia Tech Maroon

Paige Cianciulli riding Dark N Handsome, Team Virginia Tech Maroon

Colin Gaffney riding Baymax, Team University of Kentucky Blue

CCI1*-L
Austin Skeens riding What Gives, Team Randolph-Macon College Yellow Jackets

Morgyn Johnson riding Peter Parker GS, Team Randolph-Macon College Yellow Jackets

Julia Luce riding A Proper Gentleman, Team James Madison University Purple

Hannah Warner riding Drombane Dynamite, Team University of Kentucky Blue

The 2021 Intercollegiate Eventing Championships continue tomorrow, May 28 at the Virginia Horse Center. Don't forget to follow all of the USEA’s event coverage on social media!
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Click here to view the 2021 Intercollegiate Eventing Championships Program.

Click here to meet the teams.

Click here to read the Fast Facts.