The United States Eventing Association (USEA) is pleased to announce the athletes selected for the 2023 USEA Emerging Athlete U21 Program (EA21). This year's program received nearly 200 applications, proving to be a very competitive program in 2023.USEA Young Rider program members aged 21 and under are eligible for the program. The purpose of the EA21 program 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. The intention is to provide young athletes with access to an added level of horsemanship and riding skills to further their training and skill development with greater consistency.
Participants in the USEA Emerging Athlete U21 Program will have the opportunity to work with USEA Eventing Coaches Program (ECP) coaches that have been selected for each regional clinic by the EA21 Task Force, and the EA21 Director of Coaching, David O’Connor. O’Connor will coach the national camp in the winter, which will be comprised of Young Riders selected from the regional clinic athletes.
Once again, O’Connor will mentor the ECP coaches selected for the regional clinics, and will develop a curriculum that leads to the national camp in January of 2024. The 2023 EA21 regional clinic venues, dates, and coaches are listed below, along with the athletes selected for each clinic:
*Athletes are listed in alphabetical order per clinic, and the wait lists appear in the order the athletes will be accepted should openings occur at each clinic.
Central Clinic | Holly Hill Farm (Benton, LA) | Saturday-Sunday, June 10-11, 2023:
Coached by Bec Braitling
WAITLIST 1. Sylvia Byars
WAITLIST 2. AnniePearl Stroud
WAITLIST 3: Addison Craig
East Coast I Clinic | Morven Park International Equestrian Center (Leesburg, VA) | Tuesday-Wednesday, June 27-28, 2023:
Coached by Shannon Lilley
WAITLIST 1. Jordan Crabo
WAITLIST 2. Noah Stanlaske
WAITLIST 3. Carlin Keefe
East Coast II Clinic | Stable View Farm (Aiken, S.C.) | Tuesday-Wednesday, July 25-26, 2023:
Coached by Emily Beshear
WAITLIST 1. Carly Stiller
WAITLIST 2. Annabelle Friend
WAITLIST 3. Crockett Miller
West Coast I Clinic | Twin Rivers Ranch (Paso Robles, CA) | Tuesday-Wednesday, June 27-28, 2023:
Coached by Rebecca Brown
WAITLIST 1. Mackenzie Davison
WAITLIST 2. Lizzie Lynch
WAITLIST 3. Adelaide Rudkin
West Coast || Clinic | Aspen Farms (Yelm, WA) | Tuesday-Wednesday, July 11-12, 2023:
Coached by Rebecca Brown
WAITLIST 1. Caterina Ritson
WAITLIST 2. Olivia Keye
WAITLIST 3: Simone Clark
The USEA will cover the regional clinic cost and stabling fees for all accepted applicants. Applicants will be responsible for their own travel and lodging costs. Athletes will be contacted by the USEA and on-site Young Rider Coordinators with more information and scheduling.
The USEA would like to thank the following sponsors for their support of the USEA EA21 program: Kerrits, Ride iQ, Sidelines Magazine, WeRideTogether
With the start of the New Year just days away, now is the time to consider how your actions can have a positive impact on the sport of eventing in 2025. Each and every member of the eventing community has an important role to play in ensuring the sport continues to grow and thrive. From fostering educational opportunities to supporting grassroots initiatives and participating at all levels of the sport, there are so many ways to get involved.
Ride iQ’s popular “Ask An Expert” series features professional advice and tips from all areas of the horse industry. One of the most-downloaded episodes is an expert session with Peter Gray, an accomplished dressage judge and Olympic eventer. He has recently judged at events like the five-star at the Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event, and he served on the ground jury at the 2022 FEI World Eventing Championships in Pratoni, Italy. His background as a competitor in the Olympic Games riding for Bermuda and as a coach and selector for the Canadian eventing team adds depth to his understanding of the sport.
With a total of 382 volunteer hours in 2024, Catherine “Cathy” Hale not only topped the USEA Area III VIP Volunteer leaderboard, but she also ranked fourth out of all eventing volunteers across the country. Hale (The Villages, Florida) has worked as a travel agent for over 30 years, a career that suits her love of travel nicely. At the time of being interviewed for this article, Hale was passing the equator on a cruise to Tahiti, New Zealand, and Australia.
The USEA office will close at 5:00 p.m. EST on Friday, Dec. 20, 2024, and will reopen again on Thursday, Jan. 2, 2025. The USEA staff will return emails and phone calls when the office re-opens on Thursday, Jan. 2, 2025 or at their earliest convenience.