Who run the world? Baby horses — those four and younger, to be exact. They’ve taken the spotlight over the past week with three USEA Future Event Horse Championships being held across the country. To keep the evaluations consistent from coast to coast Peter Gray and Chris Ryan have judged each competition.
Read on to meet your champions, and make sure to check out the USEA’s coverage for more stories and even more gorgeous photos.
USEA FEH West Coast Championships
Twin Rivers kindly hosted the USEA FEH West Coast Championships in Paso Robles, California. The coolest part about these winners is that they are all U.S. bred with dams who are successful event horses in their own right.
Peter Gray, Chloe Smyth, Linda Paine, and Chris Ryan with the 4-year-old Champion Nite Life. USEA/Kate Lokey Photo.
4-year-old Champion: Nite Life, a Thoroughbred gelding (Blaur Vogel and out of Happy Hour) owned by Chloe Smyth and bred by Linda Paine. Nite Life won on a score of 78.
3-year-old Champion: Iluminada, an Irish Sport Horse (Mighty Magic x La Patrona) mare owned and bred by Ann Patton. Iluminada was also the 2-year-old Champion last year, and this year won on a score of 74.1.
2-year-old Champion: Nsf Bye The Way, an Oldenburg Mare (The Twain x R-Star) owned and bred by Randy and Kristi Nunnink. She’s the product of an eventing dynasty with a five-star eventer for a dam and Earl and Jen McFall’s increasingly sought after stallion for a sire.
Yearling Champion: Ferao DFEN, a Hanoverian cold (Flexible x Bella Patriot) owned by Sarah McCarthy. He had the highest score of the day: 78.1.
[FEH West Coast Championships Crown the Next Generation]
USEA FEH Central Championships
5o1 Kiva Han. USEA/Claire Kelley photo.
The baby horse championship parade moved next to Haras Hacienda in Magnolia, Texas, where once again all victors were U.S. bred.
4-year-old Champion: 5o1 Kiva Han, and Oldenburg (Soprano x Adelaide) gelding owned by Erin Jameson and Jacob Fletcher who scored 81.25.
3-year-old Champion: Dark Shadows d’Avalon, an Oldenburg mare (Dracula d Avalon x Chanel d’Avalon) owned by Marcella Pinell and bred by Avalon Equine. She earned a score of 81.69.
2-year-old Champion: AMP Chantilly Lace, a Trakehner filly (Platinum vom Rappenhoff x Cast a Glow) owned by Anna Pierce who scored 75.6.
Yearling Champion: At The Moment, a Thoroughbred (Saketini x Shezagreatgal) colt owned by Audrea Dyer. He scored an 81.
[The Future Looks Fine at the 2019 USEA FEH Central Championships]
USEA FEH East Coast Championships
Revel In Soul. USEA/Jessia Duffy Photo.
The grand finale of the FEH Championship tour takes place this weekend at Loch Moy Farm in Adamstown, Maryland.
4-year-old Champion:Revel In Soul, a Holsteiner/Anglo-Arab gelding (Riverman x Shadais China Moon) owned and bred by Andrea Manley.
3-year-old Champion: Wise Lolita Linda, an Ango-Arab/Belgian Warmblood filly (Caraminal Del Jaral x Kwin Wise Christine), owned and bred by Ronald Zabala-Goetschel. She earned a score of 82.9.
2-year-old Champion: Royal Casino, an Oldenburg gelding (Rosenthal x Lady Logan) owned and bred by Cynthia McNemar. He’s now a double champion, winning this year on 85.38 after being crowned the East Coast Yearling Champion last year.
Yearling Champion: Arden Nike, a Trakehner/Thoroughbred filly (Songline x Noblest Yet) owned by Anita Antenucci won on a score of 85.3.
[Wise Lolita Linda Wins Big at the USEA FEH East Coast Championships]
[Royal Casino Comes Up Aces at the USEA FEH East Coast Championships]
Click here to learn more about the USEA Future Event Horse Program.
9/30/19: This post was updated to include the East Coast 2-year-old and Yearling Champions.
