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Eventing 18 Applications Close September 28th

The 2019 Eventing 18 Application is now available!

Eventing 18 is an Emerging Athlete program for riders with an FEI age of 18 or younger with the potential to evolve into future team candidates. 

This is a comprehensive program that includes unmounted sessions in addition to normal mounted lessons. Riders are invited to training sessions throughout the winter with top level instructors. 

 Applications will be located in the Athlete Dashboard area of your MY USEF Member Account.             
 
Log in to your My USEF Member Account → Athlete Dashboard → Online Applications→ Eventing→Select 2019 for the year
 
2019 Eventing 18 Eligibility and Application Requirements:
 

• Rider must be 18 years old or younger according to the FEI (born on or after January 1, 2001).
• Rider must currently be competing at the CI* level or above.
• Rider must be an USEF Active member.
• Rider must be a member of their Area Young Rider Program.
• Rider must submit 2 links to current professional videos of Preliminary or above competition. The videos must include all three phases in competition. 

 
Applications for the 2019 Eventing 18 Program will be due Friday, September 28, 2018.  Videos and applications may be edited up until the closing date of the applicaiton. No late applications will be accepted! Only those who have applied will be considered.

 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. 

Area IV Riders Medal at North American Youth Championships

Four horses,  three riders and three grooms were selected to represent the Area IV Young Riders at the 2018 Adequan/FEI North American Youth Championships held July 18-22nd in  Kalispell, MT.  Grace Peters and Caitlyn Ruud competed in the CCI*J, Greta Schwickert competed in the CIC** with 2 horses. Kim Wollenburg, Camryn Duke and Emily Lehman were chosen to groom.  Riders were coached by USEA ICP Level IV certified instructor and Rolex CCI**** veteran Allison Springer. 

The Adequan/FEI North American Youth Championships are run in a format similar to the Olympics. It's often difficult to understand the intricacies and nuances of the event, but the simplest perspective is that each Area is treated like its own country. Riders represent a particular "country" and each country is required under FEI Championship rules to have its own coach. Area IV was unable to field a full team of 3 riders at either the CCI* or CICOY** levels this year. As a result, our riders were combined with riders from other areas to form full teams.  Teams are combined by the powers that be and due to FEI policies, it is not known in advance of the arrival how many riders will be available and what teams they will be combined with. 

Greta Schwickert was combined with riders from Area I and Area VIII to form a team of four.  Greta's horse Charles Owen was selected to be a part of the team, her horse Matchless competed as an individual.  Greta's combined team of Alexandra Baugh, Heather Jane Morris and Katie Kichten earned CICOY** Team Silver at the 2018 FEI/Adequan North American Youth Championships.

The CCI*J competition was a more complicated situation. Area IV was combined with Area VII riders to form a team. This combination was assigned by the officials.  Area VII already had 3 riders, Area IV had 2 riders at the CCI*J level.  Area VII in essence had a full team of 3, but would be required to add a 4th through this merger. Area VII and Area IV worked together to determine that Area VII would keep their 3 spots and Area IV would only have one position on the team. Caitlynn Ruud and Up to You De Lorage was added to the team and Grace Peters and Whynot Glen would compete as individuals based upon an agreed upon coin toss witnessed by Area IV riders, coach and, chef d'equipe. 

Caitlyn combined with Area VII's Harper Click, Isabella Gunningham and Callia Englund to earn Team Silver in the CCI*J.

Area IV would like to thank Greta Schwickert, Caitlyn Ruud, Grace Peters and their parents for their positive attitudes, understanding and hard work and positive attitudes throughout the process of representing Area IV at this event. Thanks are also extended to Allison Springer, chef d'equipe Brewster Walker and NAYC Young Rider Coordinators Meaghan Marinovich and Lianne Burgess.

Special Edition: Young Riders' View of a Championship

Adult Rider/Young Rider Team Challenge

In addition to the three competitors, Area IV has chosen three grooms to represent Area IV at the North American Youth Championships;  Kim Wolllenburg, Camryn Duke and Emily Lehman.