Lexington, KY – With more than a thousand high school equestrians already working to earn their varsity letters, and new registrations arriving daily, it’s clear the United States Equestrian Federation’s new High School Equestrian Athlete program is a huge hit across the country.

Applications are still being accepted for the 2009-2010 school year, and there’s still plenty of time left for those who would like to apply by the June 1, 2010 deadline.

The USEF’s High School Equestrian Athlete program offers specially designed emblems and pins, exclusively for equestrian athletes in grades 9-12. In addition, there will be opportunities to purchase custom-embroidered varsity jackets, varsity vests, riding jackets and hats, through a special link coming soon at http://ShopUSEF.com.

“High school equestrians have earned their place among the most dedicated athletes,” shared John Long, USEF Chief Executive Officer. “Not only are they putting in long hours to train for and compete in the sport they love — they do so while taking the concept of teamwork to the highest level, forming a partnership with a horse to achieve their goals.

“Until now, most high school students haven’t had the opportunity to letter in equestrian, simply because there are so few school-sponsored programs,” Long continued. “We look forward to the beginning of a new tradition, where equestrians are able to earn the recognition they deserve, alongside their fellow athletes and classmates.”

The new High School Equestrian Athlete program is open to equestrian athletes in all breeds or disciplines who are enrolled in grades 9-12, and are currently USEF members, or become USEF members. The program will run June 1–May 31 of each year, and will honor those who document their training and competition involvement by awarding emblems and pins. These are designed to be worn on existing high school letterman’s jackets, or any jacket of the athlete’s choosing, as a symbol of achievement.

This new program requires enrollment and documentation prior to lettering. For more information, or to complete an enrollment application, simply visit this link on the USEF Youth Programs page:
www.usef.org/_IFrames/Youth/highschool/highschool.aspx

In addition, there is a new application available to current high school students who are interested in earning their letters for previous school years. Applications must be received by June 1, 2010, with the required logs, results or competition verification, and current transcripts following by June 15, 2010.

For more information on the USEF’s High School Equestrian Athlete program, or to request the new retroactive application, please contact Lauren Fahey at [email protected], or Mary Vance at [email protected].