United States Eventing Association

Update on the Holekamp/Turner Grant and The Dutta Corp. Prize

The FEI World Breeding Eventing Championships for Young Horses at Mondial du Lion will take place this week on October 15-18, 2020 in Le Lion d’Angers, France. Competitors come from all over the world to showcase their 6- and 7-year-old event horses. The 6-year-old Championship is a CCIYH2*-L and the 7-year-old Championship is a CCIYH3*-L.

Since 2015, the Holekamp/Turner Grant has awarded significant funds that provide a USEA Young Event Horse graduate the opportunity to represent the United States in the 7-year-old Championship at Mondial du Lion in France. In addition, The Dutta Corp. will provide one round-trip flight to travel to France for the Mondial du Lion. The Dutta Corp. Prize is awarded to the Holekamp/Turner Grant recipient.

However, due to COVID-19 and the complications with the 2020 competition season, the Holekamp/Turner grant will not be utilized in 2020. Please note that the current funds for the grant remain and the USEA looks forward to awarding the grant in 2021 and 2022. The Dutta Corp. Prize will also remain in 2021 and 2022 since it was not awarded to a Holekamp/Turner grant recipient in 2020.

The USEA would like to thank Timothy and Cheryl Holekamp of New Spring Farm and Christine and T.J. Turner of Indian Creek Farm for spearheading this grant and continuing to raise funds to support it. The USEA would also like to thank The Dutta Corp., the Title Sponsor of the USEA Young Event Horse Championships.

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, and The Dutta Corp., the Title Sponsor of the Young Event Horse Championships.