Established in 2004 as an eventing talent search like similar events in Europe, the United States Eventing Association (USEA) Young Event Horse (YEH) Program was designed to identify young horses that possess the talent and disposition to, with proper training, excel at the uppermost levels of the sport. While the goal of the YEH program is to identify horses that will be successful at the four- and five-star levels, horses with the potential for lower-level success are also showcased by the program.
Throughout the year, USEA Young Event Horse classes are offered at competitions around the country, giving 4- and 5-year-old horses the chance to gain experience in eventing and show off their skills under saddle in dressage and over fences in a hybrid jumping and galloping test. Whether you are looking to qualify for the 2021 Dutta Corp. USEA Young Event Horse Championships or simply give your young horse some competitive experience without the stress and pressure of a full horse trials, YEH classes are a great way to introduce your young horse to the sport of eventing.
In order to qualify for the 2021 Dutta Corp. USEA Young Event Horse East Coast Championships, horses must earn a score of 75 percent or higher at any YEH qualifying event. To qualify for the 2021 Dutta Corp. USEA Young Event Horse West Coast Championships, horses must earn a score of 70 percent or higher at any YEH qualifying event.
Ready to get out there and compete? Check out the 2021 calendar of YEH events:
Event |
Dates |
Holland Eventing at Holly Berry Farm YEH (Area III) | February 17, 2021 |
Full Gallop Farm February II H.T. (Area III) |
February 24, 2021 |
Barnstaple South YEH/FEH/NEH (Area III) | March 2, 2021 |
Full Gallop Farm March H.T. (Area III) |
March 2, 2021 |
Full Gallop Farm March I H.T. (Area III) |
March 13-14, 2021 |
Texas Rose Horse Park H.T. (Area V) |
March 26-28, 2021 |
Twin Rivers Spring International (Area VI) |
April 8-11, 2021 |
MDHT FEH/YEH/NEH Qualifier (Area II) |
April 18, 2021 |
Waredaca Farm H.T. (Area II) |
May 1-2, 2021 |
Spokane Sport Horse Spring H.T. (Area VII) |
May 13-16, 2021 |
Galway Downs Spring H.T. (Area VI) |
May 14-16, 2021 |
Winona H.T. (Area VIII) |
May 14-15, 2021 |
MDHT FEH/YEH/NEH Qualifier (Area II) |
May 28, 2021 |
VHT International & H.T. (Area II) |
May 27-30, 2021 |
Flora Lea Farm YEH and Mini Event (Area II) |
June 20, 2021 |
Full Gallop Farm June H.T. (Area III) |
June 20, 2021 |
Twin Rivers Summer H.T. (Area VI) |
July 1-4, 2021 |
Chattahoochee Hills H.T. (Area III) |
July 3-4, 2021 |
The Maryland H.T. at Loch Moy Farm II (Area II) |
July 9-11, 2021 |
Chattahoochee Hills H.T. (Area III) |
July 10-11, 2021 |
Waredaca Farm H.T. (Area II) |
August 14-15, 2021 |
Flora Lea Farm YEH and Mini Event (Area II) |
August 21, 2021 |
Full Gallop Farm August H.T. (Area III) |
August 21-22, 2021 |
Five Points H.T. (Area II) |
August 28-29, 2021 |
Chattahoochee Hills H.T. (Area III) |
September 4-5, 2021 |
Blue Ridge Mountain H.T. at TIEC (Area II) |
September 10-12, 2021 |
MDHT FEH/YEH/NEH Qualifier (Area II) |
September 11, 2021 |
Flying Cross Farm H.T. (Area VIII) |
September 17-19, 2021 |
Twin Rivers Fall International (Area VI) |
September 23-26, 2021 |
Spokane Sport Horse Fall H.T. (Area VII) |
September 30-October 3, 2021 |
The Dutta Corp. USEA YEH East Coast Championships at the Maryland 5 Star at Fair Hill |
October 13-17, 2021 |
The Dutta Corp. USEA YEH West Coast Championships |
Location and Date TBD |
The calendar of YEH events is updated periodically throughout the year. Please click here for the most up-to-date calendar information.
Don’t see a YEH event near you? Please contact your local USEA Horse Trial organizers to express interest in attending YEH classes and ask if they are willing to add them to their event.
For more information regarding the YEH Program, contact Kate Lokey at [email protected] or (703) 779-9897.
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.
When super groom Max Corcoran mentioned in 2005 that it would be fun to participate in a USEA Classic Series event, her employer and eventing legend Karen O’Connor took that to heart. “I did a lot of grooming for the classic format when Kentucky and all those other competitions were proper long format,” Corcoran shared. “When Gretchen [Butts] started offering the Classic Series at Waredaca [Gaithersburg, Maryland,] she asked if I would come up and do some lectures to help people understand what the 10-minute box was and how to pack for it. I did that a few times and said to Karen, ‘Man, it would be so fun to do one of these.’ And so Karen's like, 'You want to do one? Yeah, you're gonna do one next year.'”
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It was a beautiful but chilly weekend in the pines at the Setters' Run Farm Carolina International. After a record-setting 19.4 in the CCI4*-S dressage, Will Coleman became the first three-time winner in the event's history when he led from start to finish on Hyperion Stud's Chin Tonic HS.
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