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!
Facebook | Instagram | Twitter
Click here to view the 2021 Intercollegiate Eventing Championships Program.
Click here to meet the teams.
Click here to read the Fast Facts.
Hannah Warner wears many hats: student at the University of Kentucky, UK Eventing Team President, competitor, and head groom for Alexa Ehlers. Fitting in all of her roles and responsibilities into her day-to-day life can be a challenge, but it is a challenge that Warner finds rewarding. The college senior is working towards a business degree through UK's online business program, so Warner is able to get creative with her schedule to pursue all of her academic and eventing related goals.
The Area III Championships kicked off the 2022 USEA Area Championship season June 24-26 at the Stable View Summer H.T. in Aiken, South Carolina. Offering 12 different championship divisions from Intermediate to Beginner Novice, the championships were highly contested as riders from all across Area III put in a gallant effort in hopes of being deemed division champion. The USEA caught up with many of the individual champions to look back on their performances in Aiken that helped them bring home the top prize.
The United States Eventing Association (USEA) is pleased to announce the athletes selected for the 2022 USEA Emerging Athlete 21 (EA21) Program. USEA Young Rider program members aged 21 and under are eligible for the program, which aims to creates a pipeline for potential U.S. team riders by identifying and developing young talent, improving horsemanship and riding skills, and training and improving skills and consistency.
The USEA American Eventing Championships (AEC) presented by Nutrena Feeds are just two months away. The AEC moves to the mountains this year, taking place at Rebecca Farm in Kalispell, Montana across a long Labor Day weekend.