Horse Illustrated Magazine

The United States Equestrian Federation has launched new 2007 Dressage Developing Programs as an initiative to recognize and reward up-and-coming talent in the sport. The programs will include:

• 2007 USEF National Junior Dressage Championship (riders 14 – 18): Formerly the Junior Team Dressage Championship, the top 12 junior riders in the country will now qualify for the National Championship contested in head-to-head competition.
• 2007 USEF National Young Rider Dressage Championship: A brand new national Championship offered to riders 16 – 21.
• 2007 USEF National Young Adult “Brentina Cup” Dressage Championship (riders 18 – 26 at the FEI Intermediaire II level): The second year for this well received National Championship.
• 2007 USEF National Developing Horse Dressage Championship: A new National Championship division for 7 – 9-year-old horses at the FEI Prix St. Georges level.

In a new format this year, the Collecting Gaits Farm USEF National Junior, Young Rider, and Young Adult (“Brentina Cup”) Dressage Championships will all take place in Gladstone, N.J., June 14 – 17, 2007, in conjunction with the Collecting Gaits Farm/USEF National Intermediaire I and Grand Prix Championships at the USET Foundation/Collecting Gaits Farm “Dressage Festival of Champions.”

The USEF National Developing Horse Dressage Championship (for 7 to 9-year-old horses) will take place in Lexington, Ky., Sept. 14 – 16, 2007, in conjunction with the Markel/USEF National Young Horse Dressage Championships (4, 5 and 6-year-olds). Inspired by a popular German championship for this age division, this program continues USEF’s initiative to recognize up-and-coming dressage talent, not only for riders, but for horses as well.

Dressage competitions throughout the country have been designated as official 2007 Qualifying Competitions for these USEF Developing Dressage Programs. In addition, new score tracking and ongoing USEF ranking lists will be implemented for each division, which will be used not only for the championships themselves, but also to determine invitations to training sessions with U.S. coaches Klaus Balkenhol and Debbie McDonald, and possible participation in foreign invitational competitions.

For more information, visit www.usef.org