Lexington, Ky. – The United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) is pleased to announce an updated list of locations accepted into the USEF Elite Training Center Designation Program. The program allows venue owners, who have hosted at least one USEF sanctioned team, developing rider or horse training session within the last year, in one of the eight disciplines that the USEF runs programs for developing and preparing teams to compete internationally, to apply for Elite Training Center status. These venues have been instrumental in providing USEF high performance training sessions. In order to be granted Elite Training Center status, venues must have met certain criteria in regards to the facilities offered and their quality. 

“It is exciting to welcome two additional Centers to the list of recognized Elite Training Centers.  We remain extremely grateful to and reliant on, facilities that are developed and maintained to the necessary high standards required for the training of our Teams and athletes that will represent the U.S. on the international stage. We want to recognize the contribution these facilities, which are often privately owned, make to the development and success of the Equestrian Teams. Without facilities of the very highest standard no team in any sport can train and prepare for major competitions; we are lucky within equestrian sport to have a number of such facilities across the United States and we will be recognizing these with this designation,” said Will Connell, USEF Director of Sport.

The following venues have officially been designated as USEF Elite Training Centers. Additional information on these USEF Elite Training Centers is available on USEF.org:

Newly designated USEF Elite Training Centers:

• Hermitage Farm owned by Laura Lee Brown and Steve Wilson, Goshen, Ky.
• Morningside Training Farm owned by Connor Husain, The Plains, Va.

Previously designated USEF Elite Training Centers:

• Hillcroft Farm owned by Misdee and James Miller, Paris, Ky.
• Havensafe Farm South owned by Betsy Juliano, Wellington, Fla.
• Epona Farm owned by Michael Fowler, Thousand Oaks, Calif.
• Riveredge Farm owned by John and Leslie Malone, Chesapeake City, Md.
• Cascade Stables owned by Barbe Smith, New Orleans, La.
• Global Dressage Festival Show Grounds owned by Wellington Equestrian Partners, Wellington, Fla.
• Shannondale Farm owned by David and Julie Shannon, Alpharetta, Ga.
• Stonehall Farm owned by Jacquie Mars, The Plains, Virginia and Ocala, Fla.
• The Grand Oaks Resort and Museum owned by B. Thomas Golisano, Lady Lake, Fla.
• USET Foundation, Hamilton Farm, Gladstone, N.J.
• Kentucky Horse Park, Lexington, Ky.
• Live Oak Plantation owned by Charlotte Weber, Ocala, Fla.

For a full list of application requirements and to submit a request please visit USEF.org or email Christy Baxter, USEF Project Director, High Performance Programs, at [email protected].