Applications for the USEA Emerging Athlete Program are now available. The purpose of the USEA Emerging Athletes 21 program (EA21) is to identify and provide consistent quality instruction to the next generation of elite event riders. The aim is to create a pipeline for potential team riders by identifying and developing young talent, improving horsemanship and riding skills, and training and improving skills and consistency.
“We have many talented up and coming riders in this country and we need to bridge the gap in their development as Young Riders to Professionals. The EA21 program is a huge and essential step in accomplishing that,” said EA21 Director of Coaching, David O’Connor. “This program has a vision of finding talented riders that is not just dependent on competition results, and starting them in a pipeline to gain access to the best coaching and opportunities that will develop them into not only excellent riders, but excellent horsemen/horsewomen.”
Applications are open here, and are due no later than June 17, 2022.
Athletes who meet the requirements are encouraged to apply to a regional clinic. Athletes may also be talent spotted; however, there is no guarantee that an athlete will be talent spotted.
Five venues have been selected to host EA21 Regional Clinics throughout the US: two East Coast clinics, two West Coast clinics, and one Central clinic. The eastern regional clinics will take place at Morven Park International Equestrian Center (Leesburg, Va.) on July 25-26, and at Stable View Farm (Aiken, S.C.) on the same dates of July 25-26. The central regional clinic will take place at Holly Hill Farm (Benton, La.) August 1-2, and the western regional clinics will take place at Aspen Farms (Yelm, Wash.) August 15-16, immediately followed by the clinic at Twin Rivers Ranch (Paso Robles, Calif.) August 17-18.
The USEA will cover the regional clinic cost and stabling fees for all accepted applicants. Applicants will be responsible for travel and lodging costs. Athletes will be selected by the designated selectors within their Area of membership and invited to attend one clinic.
Athletes participating in the Regional Clinics will be evaluated by a newly elected staff of ICP certified instructors and talent spotters through the USEA and USEF. Each regional EA21 clinic will have a maximum capacity of 12 riders. After the regional clinics have concluded, a select group of talented riders will be chosen from the regional clinics to participate in the national camp with EA21 Director of Coaching, David O’Connor in January, 2023.
Selection Criteria:
Selection Process:
With the goal of creating a pathway for young horses in the U.S. and participants of the USEA Young Event Horse (YEH) Program, earlier this year the United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) and USEA joined forces to launch the USEF/USEA Developing Horse Eventing National Championships for 6- and 7-year-olds.
The United States Eventing Association (USEA) is pleased to announce that Gina, owned by Corwin Sport Horses, LLC, is the likely recipient of the 2023 Holekamp/Turner Grant and The Dutta Corp. prize. Gina (Gentleman x Ballerina) is a 7-year-old Hanoverian mare ridden by Chris Talley and was bred by Hartwig Von Holten in Germany.
At the August USEA Board of Governors meeting, a proposition was brought forth to officially recognize what is commonly referred to as “Starter level” as a USEA division. For many years now, Starter level has been offered as a test at USEA approved events. The decision to recognize the level officially would allow those competing in Starter level divisions to receive recognition on the USEA Leaderboards and to compete at the Starter level at the USEA American Eventing Championships (AEC) in the future. The motion was approved to recognize this level, and the USEA staff have been hard at work preparing all of the rules, guidelines, and standards that will go along with this level’s recognition for the 2024 season.
Karma is developing into one of the fastest and most-reliable cross-country horses in the West. The 9-year-old bay Oldenburg mare and James Alliston won their third-straight blue ribbon together at either the four-star or Advanced level in the CCI4*-S at the Twin Rivers Fall International in Paso Robles, California, with the only double-clear cross-country round on Saturday.