Lexington, Ky. – The US Equestrian (USEF) Eventing High Performance Committee has approved the following athletes for the Emerging Athlete Eventing 18 program for 2018. The Emerging Athletes List designates athletes with the potential to evolve into future team candidates.

“We look at each rider’s resume and videos, and in many cases we have seen them ride in person,” said Mike Huber, Chairman of the USEF Eventing Sport Committee and Emerging Athlete Working Group. “We look for talent from the rider or the horse/rider combination’s talent – selection is based more on the rider than the horse’s ability. We are looking for riders who will ultimately go to the highest level, and we are there to nurture that talent along. We look forward to having the repeat riders that are joining us from last year, and we are excited about the new riders. When they get into the training sessions, we begin to see what they are made of.”

In addition to those athletes participating in the training sessions, other athletes will be able to audit the training sessions. USEF Eventing Emerging Athlete Coach Leslie Law will provide the Eventing 18 athletes and auditors with skill instruction and insight in their respective training sessions. The athletes and auditors will also participate in lectures on horse management, physiotherapy, and show jumping course design. The Eventing 18 athletes’ winter training sessions will be located in Ocala, Fla., and Temecula, Calif. Confirmed dates will be forthcoming.

“We are looking for talent that will, hopefully, one day develop into high performance riders to represent the U.S. on an international level,” said USEF Emerging Athlete Coach Leslie Law. “Besides that, we are selecting those who have dedication. It’s a long road in equestrian sport, so dedication is important. We need to try to identify that [dedication] and those who are in it for the long haul and prepared to work hard for it.”

When asked about the addition of the auditing portion of the program, Law said: “We were looking for that next level of athletes who haven’t quite gotten there in one way or another yet, but we thought it would be a very good idea for them to be able to still join us at our January sessions and see what they are about. We do a lot of lectures before and after we ride, which is very beneficial. I think it is good to start bringing them in and involving them in some way. I thought it was a way to try to have them involved and see how they took it on forward.”

 

Eventing 18 Accepted Participants

Alexandra Baugh (Georgetown, Ky.)

Joe Bowersox (North East, Md.)

Mia Braundel (Clayton, N.C.)

Haley Carspecken (Purcellville, Va.)

Kalli Core (Orange, Texas)

Isabella Dowen (Santa Barbara, Calif.)

Mia Farley (San Clemente, Calif.)

Cosby Green (Lexington, Ky.)

Mallory Hogan (Belvedere, Calif.)

Carson Richards (Charleston, S.C.)

Alice Roosevelt (Stanfordville, N.Y.)

Madison Temkin (Sebastopol, Calif.)

Sophie Tice (Danville, Calif.)

Megan Traynham (Arbuckle, Calif.)

Delaney Vaden (Nevada City, Calif.)

 

Eventing 18 Auditing Participants

Isabella Gunningham (Medina, Wash.)

Maia Kantorowski (Aberdeen, N.C.)

Ryan Keefe (Sandy Spring, Md.)

Maddie McElduff (Ocala, Fla.)

McKinsey Wickman (Prosper, Texas)

The Eventing 25 list of accepted and auditing participants will be released in late November 2017. Learn more about the Eventing 18 Program.

The USEF International High Performance Programs are generously supported by the USET Foundation, USOC, and USEF Sponsors and Members.