United States Eventing Association

U.S. Riders Move Up the Leaderboard in 7-year-old CCIYH3*-L Championships at Mondial du Lion

Course designer Pierre Michelet's cross-country courses for the 2021 FEI Eventing World Breeding Championships for Young Horses at Mondial du Lion were extravagant as always and put young horses to the ultimate test in the 6- and 7-year-old Championships. The 2021 Holekamp/Turner Grant and The Dutta Corp. Prize recipients Cole Horn and MBF Cooley Permission to Land (Cobra x Deeply Dippy K) move forward after the final phase sitting in 30th overnight on a score of 55.8.

An unfortunate missed flag at fence 21 added 15 penalties to Horn and the 7-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding's dressage score, but even with that and the addition of 4.4-time faults, the duo climbed the rankings from 43rd to 30th.

Also in the 7-year-old Championship is fellow U.S. rider Avery Klunick and her own Dutch Warmblood gelding Pisco Sour (Metropolie x Heathlawn Cailin). The duo added no jump faults to their score but did incur 30.8-time penalties across today's challenging cross-country track. They moved up from 45th to 41st in the rankings going into the final phase of competition tomorrow.

In the 6-year-old Championship U.S. rider Caroline Martin and the Redfield King’s HX Group’s Dutch Warmblood gelding King’s Especiale executed a cross-country round free of jump faults, but an 6.4-time penalties dropped them 10 placings to sit in 30th following cross-country.

The final horse inspection for both divisions takes place on Sunday, October 24th starting at 9:00 a.m. local time in France. Show jumping wraps up the competition Sunday with the 6-year-old division getting underway at 11:00 a.m. followed by the 7-year-olds at 2:30 p.m.

Ride times for the U.S. riders will be assigned following tomorrow morning's horse inspection.

Follow along with live scores here or watch the competition or through the Mondial du Lion website here or on FEI TV.

About the Holekamp/Turner Grant

The Holekamp/Turner Grant was founded in 2015 by Timothy and Cheryl Holekamp of New Spring Farm and Christine and T.J. Turner of Indian Creek Farm. The grant awards the highest scorer of the USEA Young Event Horse 5-year-old Championships, both East and West Coast Championships combined, with a cash prize that enables them to travel to Mondial du Lion in Le Lion d’Angers, France to compete in the 2021 FEI Eventing World Breeding Championships for Young Horses in the 7-year-old CCIYH3*-L Championship. The eligibility of the grant remains with the horse, regardless of change of rider after the YEH 5-year-old Championships, but for the Holekamp/Turner Grant, only USEF-sponsored 7-year-old entries will qualify. Thus, only horses ridden by United States citizens will be eligible. Click here for more information about the grant.

About The Dutta Corp. Prize

As a title sponsor of the USEA YEH Championships, The Dutta Corporation will generously provide one round trip flight from the east coast of the United States to travel to Europe for the Mondial du Lion. This prize will be awarded to the Holekamp/Turner Grant recipient and will commence in 2021.

The Dutta Corporation is an international and domestic horse shipping company founded by J. Tim Dutta. The leading company in horse transport has been rapidly expanding since its inception in 1988 and particularly so in the last twenty years. Click here for more information on The Dutta Corporation.

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 Premium Western Forage, Parker Equine Insurance, Etalon Diagnostics, and Saratoga Horseworks 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.

The USEA would also like to thank Timothy Holekamp of New Spring Farm and his family and Christine Turner of Indian Creek Farm and her family for spearheading this grant and raising funds to support it.