As most youth riders would probably tell you, Young Riders is a magical experience. But when those fantastic years come to an end, it can be easy to think, now what? The Grand Prix Senior tour is an incredibly big jump, but for many people, stepping into the national arena lacks luster after the CDIs. When my time at Young Riders came to an end, I jumped headfirst into the world of U25.
U25 is a unique experience where riders ages 16 to 25 compete in the I2 and U25 Grand Prix tests against other riders of a similar age and, therefore, similar experience. Riders get to experience the movements of the Grand Prix in the ring and at international competitions, but with a group of peers who are in the same boat; riders who are new to the level and learning. It provides up-and-coming riders with team and competition opportunities, as well as a community of riders learning together, and acts as a bridge between the two levels.
There is a unique level of difficulty and learning curve that comes from the jump from Young Riders to the Grand Prix. The jump from Young Riders (PSG) to the Grand Prix senior tour can seem logical and manageable, but the jump can seem smaller on paper than it is in the test itself. As someone who did both Juniors and Young Riders, the jump from Young Riders to U25 felt significantly larger than the jump from Juniors to Young Riders.
I remember coming out of my first U25 test completely stunned by how much more technical and faster-paced it felt in the ring compared to what I had expected, having trained all the movements and combinations at home. I can only imagine how much harder the transition would have felt if my first experience at that level had been straight into the senior tour, even after two years at the U25 level. With both horses and athletes, small steps that build confidence are almost always better than massive leaps into higher skill levels, which can cause frustration and disappointment. Although the U25 is certainly not a small step, it helps make the jump from Young Riders to Grand Prix more manageable and positive, which I believe ultimately keeps people in the sport.
The U25 gives riders the opportunity to compete internationally relatively quickly, with the competition to qualify for championships bringing other riders also new to the level. This provides riders with championship experience with the Grand Prix movements, but in an environment where success is more feasible than it would be going against senior riders and Olympians who are well-versed in the Grand Prix. The U25 level also offers riders more team opportunities, which are so valuable, and one of my favorite parts of dressage.
These teams, as well as the level in general, lend themselves well to forming a community of other riders going through the same transition to the upper echelons of the sport, which makes the jump more manageable and relatable. The beauty of competing in the U25 level is that everyone is facing these same challenges together. You have a space to learn the movements, transitions, and tests with others learning the same. Mistakes and learning experiences are part of every competition, but so is immense growth and learning. It’s this environment that makes U25 so important.
I have come out of my test after messing up the one tempis to a group of friends laughing at awards, having just messed up their two tempis, piaffe, or passage. There is a certain understanding that comes with everyone being in a similar place and learning the same things at the same time. It makes the experience more enjoyable and gives me more confidence in being in a group of similar riders.
Confidence for me is a huge part of why the U25 matters, especially for riders who were successful as Young Riders. Sometimes, successful youth riders get pushed up the levels very quickly, and people forget how difficult it can be to go from feeling like one of the top riders in the class to suddenly being at the bottom while learning a new level. Many successful Young Riders are used to scoring in the low 70s, and it can be a shock to suddenly score much lower while learning the Grand Prix. The U25 helps make that adjustment more manageable while still pushing riders and horses to develop correctly at a high level. It is also easier for the horse and rider combination as the U25 allows some leniencies, like having 11 one tempis versus 15 in the team test or having 2/3 as many required piaffe steps. The test is undoubtedly still hard and quite a jump coming from the Young Riders, but it is more manageable and positive for both horse and rider.
For me, that is what makes the U25 so valuable. It gives both horses and riders a place to develop confidence, gain experience, and learn about the Grand Prix in an environment designed for growth and learning. It is still challenging, still technical, and still a major step forward, but it allows riders and horses to build toward the senior Grand Prix with opportunities for success and community along the way.