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Steps Along the Eventing Pathway

by Kathleen Landwehr | Jul 24, 2019, 10:00 AM

The NAYC’s team experience and added pressure is an important steppingstone for young athletes.

Photo credit: Taylor Pence/US Equestrian

Young eventing athletes with big aspirations are able to gain experience from the Adequan® North American Youth Championships presented by Gotham North (NAYC) and the Emerging Athlete Program. Both form part of the pathway to help riders develop their skills for the present and the future.

The NAYC, with its team experience and added pressure, is an important steppingstone for young athletes hoping to represent their country at the senior level. United States Eventing Association areas, or a combination of areas, form a four-person team to compete in and potentially win a medal in the athletes’ first major championship. The 2019 NAYC competitions, CCIJ2*-L and CCIY3*-S, will again be held in conjunction with The Event at Rebecca Farm, an existing CCI2*-L, CCI3*-L, and CCI4*-L, as well as a CCI4*-S, July 24 through 28, 2019. Rebecca Farm, located in Kalispell, Mont., boasts a cross-country course set on a 640-acre parcel of land that stretches for four miles and features over 150 obstacles and four water complexes designed by Olympian and Hall of Fame equestrian Ian Stark.

The Emerging Athlete Program is an athlete-focused talent identification and developing talent confirmation program with the aim to provide basic skills necessary for future team athletes and athletes focused on reaching Elite Status. Within the Emerging Athlete Program, the Eventing 18 Program is for riders with an FEI age of 18 or younger, while the Eventing 25 Program is for riders with an FEI age of 25 or younger. Both programs focus on developing potential candidates for future U.S. teams through informative unmounted and mounted sessions.