The inaugural USEA Interscholastic Eventing League (IEL) Championship at Stable View in Aiken, South Carolina, is just over a week away, which means it is time to meet the teams that are set to compete! A total of 42 competitors representing eight IEL Clubs will make up the 12 teams that are set to compete in the 2024 USEA IEL Championship on Saturday, May 4 and Sunday, May 5.
The first IEL Clubs to take advantage of this year-end goal for 5th through 12th grade students are the Aiken County Pony Club, A2 Developing Riders, East Coast Eventers, GWIF Groupies, The Flying Potatoes, River Mist Eventing Team, River Run Eventing, and Willow South Eventing.
The USEA IEL was created in 2020 with a mission to bring together junior riders with a common interest and provide a supportive community through which students can continue to pursue their riding interests. By coupling the inaugural championship with the USEA Intercollegiate Eventing Championship, the USEA aims to help to provide a pathway for those riders who seek to be part of a collegiate eventing program after graduation.
Before the action kicks off, learn a bit about the middle and high schoolers that are leading the charge for the program in the "Meet the Teams" preview below.
The USEA would like to thank Bates Saddles, Horse & Country, Kerrits, Nunn Finer, Sidelines Magazine, U.S. Equestrian, WeRideTogether, and World Equestrian Brands for sponsoring the USEA Intercollegiate & Interscholastic Eventing Championships.
Three years ago, Bucyrus, Kansas-based professional Julie Wolfert and her two good friends Renee Senter and Sheri Gurske, went to Ireland where they tried about 40 horses before they decided to go in together on the now 12-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding SSH Playboy (Cit Cat x Stomeyford Black Pearl).
Cross-country in the USEF/USEA Developing Horse Championships proved the age-old statement that "this is not a dressage show," as we saw the CCI3*YH-S whittled down, while the CCI2*YH-S had some shuffling in the top-10 standings.
Day 1 is a wrap at the 2024 USEF/USEA Developing Horse Championships at Morven Park International, and we saw a familiar face rise to the top in the CCI3*YH-S Championship, while the leading CCI2*YH-S competitor is making her international debut.
Coming off a CCI4*-S win at Stable View (Aiken, South Carolina) two weeks ago, Lucienne Bellissimo (GBR) is feeling confident with Dyri coming into the Morven Park CCI4*-L this weekend.