United States Eventing Association

New 6- and 7-Year-Old Developing Horse Championships Announced

The United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) and United States Eventing Association (USEA) are pleased to announce the dates and location of the 2023 USEF/USEA Eventing Developing Horse National Championships for 6- and 7-year-olds.

The Championships, which will include a CCI2*-S for 6-year-olds and a CCI3*-S for 7-year-olds, will take place at the Stable View Oktoberfest Horse Trials in Aiken, South Carolina, from Sept. 29-Oct. 1, 2023.

The 6-year-old and 7-year-old Championships are new for 2023 and are the first step in the creation of a USEF Developing Horse Program, which has the ultimate goal of talent identification, cultivation, and guidance for potential team horses, serving as a pipeline for the USEA Young Event Horse Program and Championships.

"Stable View is honored to be associated with this new initiative and is happy that its Oktoberfest event has been chosen for the inaugural 2023 USEF/USEA Developing Horse National Championships,” said Molly Bull, event organizer of the Stable View Oktoberfest Horse Trials.

The idea for the Championships came from a collaboration between the USEA and the USEF with hopes of providing a pipeline for the USEA’s Young Event Horse Program and YEH Championships, which offer an opportunity for 4- and 5-year-olds to shine. Some of these horses could be future team competitors at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics!

In addition to the new Eventing Developing Horse National Championships, the USEA also offers the Holekamp/Turner Young Event Horse Lion D’Angers Grant through the USEA Foundation. This grant is intended to further develop an upward pathway for U.S. Team horses in eventing. It’s awarded to the highest scorer of the USEA Young Event Horse 5-year-old Championship, both East and West Coast Championships combined, with funds that will enable them to travel to the FEI World Young Horse Championships at Mondial du Lion in Le Lion d’Angers, France for the 7-year-old CCI3*-L Championships.

FEI four-star eventing judge and co-chair of the USEA Young Event Horse Committee Marilyn Payne said the YEH Committee felt it was important to create a pipeline for YEH graduates.

"Our YEH program has been extremely successful helping to develop 4- and 5-year-olds culminating with our USEA YEH Championships," she said. "We felt that it was very important to create a clear pipeline for our up and coming YEH Graduates. The 6- and 7-year-old Championships would solidify this pipeline, continuing to develop a pathway for these horses to reach the upper levels. Now, more than before, we can really showcase our YEH horses as well as the fabulous owners and breeders who make it all possible. I just love watching young horses develop and am looking forward to following their careers with the addition of the 6- and 7-year-old Championship."