Get Excited!!

The Adult Rider Camp will be held at Otter Creek Farm in Wheeler, WI.

Allison Springer Educational Opportunities

May 4-5th: Carriage House Farm; Hugo, MN
May 24th-25th: XC Educational Event: Catalpa Corner; Iowa City, IA
June 29-30th: Stone Ridge Eventing; Miller, MO
July 5th-7th: Educational Camp: Versailles Equestrian; Virgil, IL

The Area IV Young Riders Program is pleased to offer numerous educational activities with Area IV Young Rider Coach Allison Springer. All camps, clinics & educational events are open to ALL riders; adults and youth. Follow the links provided above for details and registration.

What Goes on Behind the Scenes at NAYC as an FEI Official?

Have you ever wondered what goes in to running an international level eventing competition? What exactly does a Technical Delegate do? What was that course designer thinking?

Young Rider members have the opportunity to job shadow some of the most prestigious eventing officials in the world at The FEI North American Youth Championship held during The Event at Rebecca Farm in Kalispell, MT July 24th-28th, 2019.

Area IV Young Rider Youth Council Announced

The Area IV Young Riders are excited to announce the addition of a Youth Council. The Area IV Young Riders Youth Council consists of Young Rider members throughout our region who are interested in taking an active role in the development of opportunities for youth in the sport of eventing.

Area IV Youth Council members spearhead the social media activities of Area IV Young Riders, provide a voice for the Area IV youth to the Area IV Young Rider Coordinators and organize and promote social events throughout the season.

The Area IV YR Youth Council will meet via conference call once monthly with the Area IV Young Rider Coordinators and are encouraged to hold Youth Council meetings throughout the year.

Congratulations to:
Bailey Albertson: Stillwater, MN
Madeline Batchelor: Germantown, WI
Winifred Branscum: Foristell, MO
Lillian Cederlund: Union, IL
Ava Davis: Janesville, MN
Michaela Frye: Shawnee, KS
Emily Hedberg: Maple Plain, MN
Alexis Johnson: Eden Prairie, MN
Kate McGown: Minnetrista, MN
Madi Page: Carl Junction, MO
Greta Schwickert: Minneapolis, MN
Madeline Thoma: Twin Cities, MN

Young Riders are encouraged to reach out to members of the Youth Council to help voice their ideas and concerns about the Young Rider program.

NAYC Training 3-Day Team Championships

The Adequan/FEI North American Youth Championships (NAYC) competition is held annually in the summer. Teams from all areas of the U.S. as well as from Canada, Mexico, Bermuda, the Bahamas and the Caribbean are invited to compete in this international event.  The championship models the format of the Olympic Games. In the Eventing competition, each area will send a team and/individuals to represent their area at the CCI-L** and CCI-S*** levels. From very early on, many young riders see this as a potential goal for themselves as they progress through the levels of competition.

 For the first time ever NAYC will be hosting a Training 3-Day Team Championships held July 24-28th, 2019 at The Event at Rebecca Farm in Kalispell, MT. One team of 4 Young Riders will be selected to represent Area IV. Team members will be included in all aspects of NAYC:  meals, team clothing, coaching and camp. T3D members will be stabled together but will be separate from the NAYC CCI-L** and CCI-S*** teams due to FEI requirements.

Applications to represent Area IV Young Riders at the Inaugural NAYC Training 3-Day Team Championships must be received by May 1st, 2019.

Inaugural XC Educational Event offered by Area IV YR

May 24-26th, 2019 Catalpa Corner Horse Park; Iowa City, IA

Kick off the 2019 with New Area IV Apparel

Apparel is available through Squadlocker to declare your allegiance to USEA Area IV as well as to the Area IV Young Riders and Area IV Adult Rider Programs. Proceeds from the sale of Area IV merchandise benefit the Area IV Young Riders program to help build the future of eventing in the Midwest. Featuring a variety of short sleeve, long sleeve, zip pullovers, hoodies and jackets with the USEA Area IV logo, Area IV Young Riders logo or Area IV Adult Rider logo, the Area IV store is sure to have something you just must have. Hats, backpacks and duffel bags are available as well!

US Eventing Website Revision Leads to Broken Links at Area Level

In December 2018, the United States Eventing Association launched a new platform for www.useventing.com . This has caused numerous broken links throughout Area affiliate websites.

The Area IV website links will be updated as soon as possible. This is requiring man power to locate the pages on the new USEA site and manually update the links on our Area IV website.

An inquiry has been submitted to the USEA IT department for a revised link for the 2018 Leaderboard. This information will be corrected as soon as it is made available by USEA.

Area IV Young Riders Overall Low Score Awards

The Area IV Young Riders Program, through the generosity of Woodloch Stables, is excited to add an Overall Young Rider Low Score Award for the 2019 season. As an inaugural season, the Young Rider Coordinators have selected six events in Area IV at which to present these awards. It will be presented to the Area IV Young Rider who finishes on the lowest score across all levels (overall) at the horse trial.

Riders must be a paid Area IV Young Rider member to be eligible for awards. The Young Rider Coordinators receive an updated membership roster from USEA approximately once every 3 months. Be sure to join early so that your name will be on the roster for the following events. Your name must appear on the roster provided to the YR Coordinators by USEA to be eligible.

The 2019 Area IV Young Riders Overall Low Score Awards will be presented at Mill Creek Pony Club Horse Trials, Fox River Valley Pony Club Horse Trials, Catalpa Corner Horse Trials, Sundance Farm Horse Trials, Otter Creek Fall Horse Trials and Heritage Park Horse Trials.

2019 North American Youth Championships Selection Procedures Announced

January 5th, 2019

The 2019 North American Youth Championships will be held July 25-28th, 2019 in conjunction with The Event at Rebecca Farm in Kalispell, MT. The successful applicant must meet the requirements of the Official USEF Selection Procedures as well as the USEA Area IV Selection Requirements.

Please be aware that the FEI has adopted a new star system and language for 2019. For more information, please review the USEA’s article What the *****? The New FEI Star System Explained.

• Athlete/horse combinations wishing to compete on the NAYC-J Team must have earned one (1) Minimum Eligibility Requirement (MER) at either a CCI-S2* or CCI-L2* within the Qualifying Period which began January 1, 2018 and ends on June 23, 2019. Additionally bot the athlete and the horse, though not necessarily as a combination, must have achieved 3 MERs at the Preliminary level or higher plus an additional MER at the Preliminary or higher with no more than 20 jumping penalties on cross country.

• The age requirements will remain unchanged. Competitors at the NAYC-J level must have been born on or between January 1st, 2001 and December 31st, 2005

• Since NAYC is not an FEI Championship, either a valid National Passport or an FEI Passport will be accepted. All horses must be microchipped.

• Athletes will be able to ride in both the NAYC-J and CCIO-S-Y if selected.

• Applications deadline will be March 1, 2019 at 12:00pm EDT

• Balloting language: Based on the total number of entries in the NAYC-J and the CCIO-S-Y, additional individuals may be invited in proportion to the total number of nominated entries per Area.

The format and qualification for the CCIO-S-Y will remain unchanged for the 2019 NAYC with the exception that a National or FEI passport will be accepted.

Learn More

 Smart Tie Products & Woodloch Stable Partner with Area IV Young Riders

Area IV Young Riders are excited to announce new partnerships with Smart Tie Products and Woodloch Stables. 

Please welcome Smart Tie Products as a National Level Sponsor for the Area IV Young Riders Program. Their support will help fund programs for our youth at all levels in an effort to grow the sport of Eventing in Area IV.

Smart Tie provides numerous safe tying options for your horse including The Clip, The TetherRing and “Do Or Do Knot” Rope Halters.

Safe, versatile, and convenient, The Clip™ will change the way you tie your horses. Designed by horsemen with years of experience training horses, The Clip™ is designed to help safely tie horses that tend to pull back or panic when tied. The unique design provides resistance while allowing a release of pressure, so that a panicking horse can calm down while remaining safely tied.

Not only can The Clip™ prevent damage to property or injury to horses, but it is extremely convenient! Just a quick pull of the rope adjusts the length, and you can easily clip and unclip your horse without having to tie a single knot. You can also use The Clip™ to hang water buckets or hay nets, while camping or showing, and in the trailer.

"Do or Do Knot" rope Halters are made with your horse’s safety and comfort in mind, using high-quality rope to help prevent chafing on sensitive areas of your horse’s face. Whether you’re grooming, trail riding, or training, “Do Or Do Knot” Rope Halters are lightweight and easy to use. They are a “snap” to put on, without fussing with extra rope or buckles.

Visit www.smarttieproducts.com or The Clip by Smart Tie on Facebook for more information or to purchase. 

The Area IV Young Riders are also excited to announce Woodloch Stable as a Regional Level Sponsor.   Woodloch Stable is based in Hugo, MN and provides numerous services to equestrians. In 1977, Dan and Elaine Ramberg opened Woodloch Stable with the intent of “putting some food on the table.” Woodloch began with 22 stalls, a truck and trailer, and a handful of good horses. Over a 40-year period, Woodloch has grown to 98 stalls for boarding, training, and lessons, as well as two indoor arenas (one heated), 2 outdoor arenas, a new cross-country area, a one-mile track for exercising and leisure riding, and a larger outdoor stadium arena that holds many horse shows and rodeos throughout the year.  Woodloch is currently operated by Bill and Ingvill Ramberg and offers English and Western lessons, full board facilities, training and a breeding program.

Ingvill Ramberg has selected a small herd of quality broodmares to produce foals from proven international bloodlines. The evolution of the Woodloch breeding program began with their foundation mare named Finale; from her, Woodloch has bred and raised over three generations of sporthorses with emphasis on correct conformation, trainable temperaments, and athletic abilities to excel in any discipline. WL horses come from performance lines in the Oldenburg, Hanoverian, and Belgian Warmblood breeds, with recent focus on Irish Sport Horse bloodlines for the ultimate performance horse that riders can enjoy in all levels of competition.

Visit www.woodlochstable.com or Woodloch Stable in Facebook for more information. 

The Area IV Young Rider program is offered through the USEA for riders twenty-one years of age and younger at all levels of riding. The purpose of the program is to encourage our younger members to become involved in the sport of Eventing and continue this involvement into their adult lives. Our organization seeks to promote a love of the sport, as well as an appreciation and understanding of the horse while fostering the wonderful relationship that can develop between horse and rider. Further, involvement in this program helps to instill important moral values, such as responsibility and work ethic, as young riders grow into mature adults. Please read more if you are interested in supporting the future of eventing.