Ella Fruchterman and Holts Le'Mans. ©KTB Creative Group Traverse City, Mich. – A phenomenal week of equestrian competition concluded on Sunday at the 2022 FEI North American Youth Championships with the Juniors and Young Riders presenting their freestyle tests. Ella Fruchterman (Woodbury, Minn.) and Holts Le’Mans struck gold in the Junior division, while Erin Nichols (Yorba Linda, Calif.) and Handsome Rob AR topped the Young Riders podium. 2022 FEI NAYC Junior Dressage...

Traverse City, Mich. – A dream came through for Erin Nichols on Saturday at the 2022 FEI North American Youth Championship (NAYC) as she finished in gold-medal position for the Individual Young Rider Dressage division. Erin Nichols and Handsome Rob AR. ©KTB Creative Group Nichols (Yorba Linda, Calif.) expertly guided her own Handsome Rob AR, a 2012 Dutch Warmblood gelding, through a precise and flowing test that earned a 69.000% from the judges. The victory comes after Nichols and...

Day three of the Gotham North FEI North American Youth Jumping Championships, presented by USHJA, invited Junior and Young Rider teams to take center stage and vie for their podium positions. Over two rounds, teams battled it out for top honors, but it was ultimately Zone 4, with team members Caroline Mawhinney (Wellington, Fla.), Ella Duffy (Alpharetta, Ga.), Hailey Royce (Wellington, Fla.), and Mia Albelo (Miami, Fla.), taking gold in the Junior Team Final. A combined team of athletes from...

Lucinda Donaldson and Audi. ©Andrew Ryback When 15-year-old Lucinda (Lucy) Donaldson gave her final salute in the opening junior dressage test of the 2022 FEI North American Youth Championship , it was the realization of dreams. The top-15 finish in her NAYC debut was an accomplishment for her, her horse Audi, and her entire family. Lucinda, who represents Region 1 from Parkesburg, Pa., is the daughter of equine vet Mark Donaldson and stepdaughter of USDF gold, silver and bronze medalist...

Herning, Denmark – Kimberly “Kimmy” Palmer (Half Moon Bay, Calif.) topped the standings again for the U.S. Vaulting Team again today in the FEI Individual Female Technical Test, earning a personal best score of 8.329, to hold sixth place overall with a combined score of 8.129 heading into the final day of competition. Teammate Tessa Divita earned a 7.724., with an overall two-test score of 7.782, to hold tenth place, while Emily Rose (Santa Cruz, Calif.) received a 6.495, for...

Ocala, Fla. – Four newly minted USEF National Champions exited the arena on Sunday, March 6, at the conclusion of the 2022 Live Oak International CAI. After the event was cancelled in 2021 due to COVID-19, competitors and their families were happy to be back at Live Oak International in Florida’s warm and sunny late-winter weather. Sunday’s competition brought the cones phase to the main arena, and the athletes and their horses and ponies rose to the occasion with numerous...

Mill Spring, N.C. – With the second day of competition at The Dutta Corp Tryon International Three-Day Event in the bag, Area II is dominating the leaderboards in the inaugural Adequan®/USEF Eventing Youth Team Challenge – East Coast Final. The Youth Team Challenge invited athletes ages 14-25 to compete as team members and individuals in the CCI1*, CCI2*-L, and CCI3*-L divisions. Teams consist of three or four members and may be composed of members from different USEA Areas to...

Dear US Equestrian Members, We all take pride in equestrian sport and our community. Equestrians show up, equestrians achieve, and they care. We don’t settle. We strive every day to do better in our partnerships with our horses and are committed to continuous growth. Additionally, we have also made great strides in making our sport safer and better for all equestrians, especially our youth, and we must continue with those efforts. I am writing this today because almost daily I, along with...

Allentown, N.J. – Two of last year’s combined driving national champions successfully defended their titles this week at the Garden State Combined Driving Event. Taylor Bradish (Windsor, S.C.) secured the 2021 USEF Advanced Single Horse National Championship, and Chester Weber (Ocala, Fla.) took home his 18th USEF Advanced Four-in-Hand National Championship. Taylor Bradish and Katydid Duchess. ©Taylor Pence/US Equestrian Bradish drove Katydid Duchess, a 2009 Welsh Pony cross...

Unionville, Pa. – The final short format competition on the East Coast for the inaugural year of the Adequan ® /USEF Eventing Youth Team Challenge (YTC) series took place Sept. 15-19 in Unionville, Pa. Three teams contested the CCI2*-S and two teams went head-to-head in the CCI3*-S. Jack Curtis and Luska Candy Clover. ©Amy K. Dragoo The Unionville event drew competitors from across the country, with athletes representing a total of seven USEA Areas. Teams are composed of three or...