United States Eventing Association

Anticipation for the 2025 USEF Eventing Young Rider Championships at Loch Moy Farm in Adamstown, Maryland, is building, and the USEA is here to help all program members get in on the action. If you are a non-competing Young Rider interested in participating in the Championships on June 27-29 with your Area, consider applying for the USEA Youth Mentorship Program!

The USEA Youth Mentorship Program was established in 2008 to give aspiring equine professionals the opportunity to shadow eventing officials at large-scale FEI competitions and learn more about the behind-the-scenes professions that make our sport possible. The mentorship program strives to achieve the goal of giving participants an intensive and personal experience to understand the demands of officiating at a championship level event and encourage future involvement in the sport.

Selected candidates for the USEF Eventing Young Rider Championships will be invited to Loch Moy Farm to shadow an official, or a group of officials, for the entirety of the event. Participants will join the official(s) in their briefings, experience their decision-making processes, learn the methods of scoring, and receive one-on-one instruction from some of the best in the country as they learn how a championship competition is conducted under USEF and USEA rules. While the education is intense, it is also fun, and the officials are welcoming and encouraging to all the young riders that participate.

The application process for the USEA Youth Mentorship Program at the 2025 USEF Eventing Young Rider Championships will be as follows:

1. Interested candidates must be 25 years of age or younger and a current member of their Area’s Young Rider program. If the candidate is under the age of 18, parental consent will be required.
2. Qualified candidates must fill out the Youth Mentorship Program application to be considered. Applications can be obtained from your Area Young Rider Coordinator.
3. Young Rider Championships Mentorship applications will be due to the USEA Mentorship Coordinator no later than Sunday, June 15.
4. The USEA Mentorship Coordinator will select the top candidates from the applications provided, and those participants will be contacted via email by Friday, June 20 to prepare to attend.

The Area Young Rider Coordinators have been provided the application and are anxiously awaiting your outreach. Once selected, the USEA Mentorship Coordinator, Holly Covey, will assist the participants before, during, and after the Championships with program requirements. Participants will be a part of their own Area Young Rider teams during the Championships and are encouraged to participate in team activities when they are not busy with their duties, but they are not allowed to compete in the event. Due to the time commitment required for the program, participants will not be able to dedicate the time to competing in the Championship as well.

Following the successful completion of the program, participants will be required to write a brief reflection on their experience for publication and may be asked to participate in other post-event promotions through the USEA. The program is free for qualified applicants, but travel, accommodation, and meals will be at the applicant’s expense.

For more information or to ask questions about the USEA Young Rider Mentorship Program being offered at the 2025 USEF Eventing Young Rider Championships, please contact the USEA Mentorship Coordinator, Holly Covey, at [email protected].

About the USEA Young Rider Program

The purpose of the USEA Young Rider Program is to encourage younger members up to 25 years of age to become involved in the sport of eventing and continue this involvement in their adult lives. This program is divided into 10 Areas throughout the country, and each Area program is facilitated by a volunteer Young Rider Coordinator. Each coordinator oversees the program for his/her Area and sets up different educational and developmental activities for their young riders to attend. Under the Young Rider Program umbrella, the USEA runs the Young Rider Mentorship Program, the Emerging Athlete U21 Program (EA21), supports the USEF Young Rider Championships presented by the USEA, and offers the USEA Intercollegiate Eventing Program and Championship, as well as the USEA Interscholastic Eventing League (IEL) Program and Championship. Additionally, the USEA offers Young Rider leaderboard points and recognition nationwide. Finally, the USEA Foundation provides grants for Young Riders through the MARS Bromont Rising U25 Grant. To learn more about the Young Rider Program, click here.