Jul 28, 2020

New Location Announced for The Dutta Corp. USEA YEH East Coast Championships

By Kate Lokey - USEA Staff
The 2020 Dutta Corp. USEA Young Event Horse East Coast Championships will take place at the Virginia Horse Trials. USEA/Jessica Duffy Photo.

The United States Eventing Association (USEA) has secured a new venue for The Dutta Corp. USEA Young Event Horse (YEH) East Coast Championships for 2020. After the Fair Hill Organizing Committee announced that the inaugural Maryland Five-Star at Fair Hill would be postponed until 2021, the USEA began accepting expressions of interest to host this year’s East Coast Championships.

The USEA YEH Committee reviewed several expressions of interest from various East Coast organizers and ultimately recommended the bid from the Virginia Horse Trials and organizer Andy Bowles. The USEA Executive Committee took a final vote and The Dutta Corp. USEA Young Event Horse East Coast Championships are now confirmed to take place at the Virginia Horse Trials, Wednesday-Thursday, October 28-29, 2020.

“We’re very happy to be able to keep the YEH [East Coast] Championships going during these difficult times,” said VHT organizer Andy Bowles. “We will ensure that people feel valued and their experience at Virginia is one that they will remember. Our aim is to run the dressage in the grand prix dressage arena and the YEH cross-country will be across the street on Oak Hill, so the course doesn’t feel cluttered amongst all the national classes.”

The 2020 YEH Championship judges originally contracted were Chris Ryan (IRL) and Debbie Adams (USA). Unfortunately, due to COVID-19 travel restrictions, Ryan will not be able to travel from Ireland to judge this year. However, The USEA Young Event Horse Committee and the USEA Executive Committee voted to approve Peter Gray (CAN) as the new YEH judge for 2020. Adams will judge the dressage section while Gray does the conformation section, and then the two will judge the jumping/galloping phase together.

“As we all navigate and adjust during the unprecedented times, we want to thank the USEA, the YEH Committee, and the Virginia Horse Trials organizing team for coming together to keep The Dutta Corp. USEA Young Event Horse East Coast Championships on the calendar. We look forward to seeing everyone in October," said Tim Dutta of The Dutta Corporation.

New Qualification Criteria

Due to COVID-19 and the loss of some YEH qualifier competitions, the YEH Committee also recently voted to ease the YEH Championships qualifiying score to a 70% for both the 2020 East and West Coast Championships. In 2021, the qualifying score will go back up to 75%, but for 2020, horses will need to earn one score of 70% or higher at any YEH qualifier competition. All competitors who are currently qualified will be contacted in the coming weeks, and the YEH qualified horse list will be updated.

**update as of 7/31/20: All qualified YEH entries will be accepted at both the East and West Coast Championships. All entries must be received before closing date. The organizers reserve the right to deny entries sent after closing date. If the East Coast receives a large amount of entries, there will be an option to bring on additional judges for the 4-year-old division.

About the USEA Young Event Horse Program

The Young Event Horse (YEH) Program was first established in 2004 as an eventing talent search. Much like similar programs in Europe, the YEH program was designed to identify young horses aged four and five, that possess the talent and disposition to, with proper training, excel at the uppermost levels of the sport. The ultimate goal of the program is to distinguish horses with the potential to compete at the four- and five-star levels, but many fine horses that excel at the lower levels are also showcased by the program.

The YEH program provides an opportunity for breeders and owners to exhibit the potential of their young horses while encouraging the breeding and development of top event horses for the future. The program rewards horses who are educated and prepared in a correct and progressive manner. At qualifying events, youngsters complete a dressage test and a jumping/galloping/general impression phase. At Championships, young horses are also evaluated on their conformation in addition to the dressage test and jumping/galloping/general impression phase. Click here to learn more about the Young Event Horse Program.

The USEA would like to thank Bates Saddles, SmartPak, Standlee Hay Company, Parker Equine Insurance, and Etalon Diagnostics for sponsoring the Young Event Horse Program. Additionally, the USEA would like to thank The Dutta Corp., Title Sponsor of the Young Event Horse Championships.

May 27, 2023 Eventing News

Auburn Leads, USC Aiken in the Hunt After Cross-Country at the 2023 USEA Intercollegiate Eventing Championship

Chants of “War Eagle” were heard from end to end of the White Oak cross-country course as the overnight leaders and defending champions from Auburn University tore between the red and white flags Saturday to remain atop the leaderboard of the 2023 Intercollegiate Eventing Championship at the Tryon International Equestrian Center (TIEC).

May 27, 2023 News

Horse Owners Urged to Participate in Economic Impact Study for the Equine Industry

The last three years have been a time of great change throughout the country for homes, businesses and industries. Rising costs of living, shrinking of assistance and changes in demographics have affected so much of our world, and that includes the equine industry. However, not all of the changes are easy to identify. This is why the American Horse Council (AHC), together with the U.S. Equestrian Federation, has kicked off what could be one of the biggest studies in more than 50 years with the 2023 National Economic Impact Study (EIS) for the equine industry.

May 26, 2023 Intercollegiate

Tigers on Top: Auburn University Leads 2023 USEA Intercollegiate Eventing Championship After Dressage

Twenty-three teams from 13 colleges and universities have traveled far and wide for the seventh annual USEA Intercollegiate Eventing Championship held at the Tryon International Equestrian Center (TIEC) in Mill Spring, North Carolina.

May 26, 2023 About Us

Meet the USEA Staff: Programs, Partnerships, & Marketing

If you have been involved at a higher level with the USEA, you probably recognize the names of the two ladies that spearhead all of the efforts of the USEA’s Programs, Partnerships, and Marketing department: Kate Lokey, Director of Programs and Marketing, and Kaleigh Collett, Marketing Coordinator, but a new member of this team has also joined the USEA staff in Heather Johnson, Programs and Inventory Assistant. If you have considered advertising with the USEA or are involved in the USEA’s Young Event Horse, Emerging Athletes U21, New Event Horse, Adult Riders, Young Riders, Classic Series, or Grooms programs, you probably have or most likely will interact with one of these staff members.

Official Corporate Sponsors of the USEA

Official Joint Therapy Treatment of the USEA

Official Feed of the USEA

Official Saddle of the USEA

Official Real Estate Partner of the USEA

Official Equine Insurance of the USEA

Official Forage of the USEA

Official Supplement Feeding System of the USEA

Official Outerwear of the USEA

Official Competition & Training Apparel of the USEA