Lexington, Ky. – US Equestrian has announced the restructuring of the USEF/USDF Dressage Young Horse Emerging Program as part of the U.S. Dressage Program, aimed to provide strategic support and educational opportunities for scouted and selected horses in each of the identified Young Horse divisions including Five, Six, and Seven-Year-Olds. The purpose of the program will not only provide new, structured developmental opportunities for young horses and allow for more accessible talent identification, but also serves as a stepping stone to the USEF Dressage Development program to ensure future success at the elite championship level.

Horses will be identified and observed based on their aptitude and potential to be future team contributors within the Elite Program, as well as their capability to produce podium results within three quadrennials of international championship competition. Former Olympian Christine Traurig will lead the program as the US Equestrian Dressage Young Horse Coach. Traurig will provide valuable insight and competition planning, supported by communication and training guidance for selected horses and combinations. Eligible horse-and-athlete combinations will also have the opportunity to participate in identified educational opportunities specifically tailored to the development of young horses.

“I am very excited about the newly restructured USEF/USDF Dressage Young Horse Emerging Program because it provides a clear understanding as to what we are looking for in the young horses, ages four to seven, as well as providing strategic planning and guidance for these young talents and their riders to develop into top horses with the potential to represent the United States,” commented Traurig. “One of the aspects of this Young Horse Emerging Program is to identify talent as early as possible. It is during their younger years that horses are given the foundation that sets them up for their future in the sport. This is why the Young Horse Emerging Program is so important as the part of the base to our pipeline to High Performance.”

Opportunities for membership to this Program will utilize the USEF Dressage National Championships, FEI World Breeding Championships for Young Horses in Dressage, CDI-YH events, and qualifying CDNs for national championships. As part of the selection process, eligible horses will need to earn specific objectives or scores at CDNs or CDIs, but also can be selected from participation in Training and Evaluation sessions.

The USEF/USDF Dressage Young Horse Emerging Program will prioritize the support of educational and training opportunities for participating horses, and include observation and coaching assistance at identified competitions, as well as possible home-base observation and training opportunities with Traurig’s oversight.

For more information on the USEF/USDF Dressage Young Horse Emerging Program, please contact Hannah Niebielski, Director of Dressage, National Programs at (859) 225-6918 or via email at [email protected] or click here to learn more.

Stay up to date on news and information about USEF’s dressage programs and teams by following USA Dressage on Facebook.