Young Riders Academy: APPLICATIONS FOR 2023 SELECTION TEAM FOR EUROPEAN NATIONAL FEDERATIONS ARE NOW OPEN

Young Riders Academy continues to develop, and it has come to its 9th edition. 

We are therefore very honored to pass this invitation on to your promising riders between 18 and 23 years of age.
The project is becoming more and more successful, we would have never imagined ending up dealing with such a scenario and for this we are grateful also to you for the support over the years. We were not expecting to live and enjoy so many exciting situations with these athletes, nor to collect such results. Several medals and placements at the YR European Championships and several riders representing their countries during Senior Championships in 2017, 2019,2021 and 2022 even with medals. We really hope the feeling of satisfaction is same for you as a Federation. 

What we have done since the beginning is to start the process of building bridges between teams from different years, and we will continue the same path; again in 2023, in addition to sports and academic training, athletes will be invited to participate to clinics and to other events with the aim of welding the bonds of friendship and collaboration, at the base of YRA’s mission. 

The purpose of YRA is and remains to assist in training show jumping young talents and preparing their career as future professionals in this sport. Once again, the program will give the chance to five to e i g h t promising riders to live several months of training and boarding at an established and experienced professional stable. The program also provides professional education on topics as: Veterinary, Business & Economics, Sponsoring & Communication, Athlete’s Well-being, and Legal Aspects. 

Each European Federation is encouraged to enter up to three candidates. Each candidate will be invited with two horses to the selection, one horse competing in classes up to 145 and one young horse (5 - 7 years). This adjustment is necessary to give selection committee a broader basis for assessing riding skills and ensuring a more objective process. 

Out of these entries, a selection committee consisting of Emile Hendrix, Otto Becker, Jean- Maurice Bonneau and Sven Holmberg will select about 25 riders who will be invited to two days of selection in Peelbergen, most likely March 6 - 8 , details will be communicate by Mr. Holmberg the beginning of February 2023. 

The selection will be based on jumping results (140 -150 classes), availability of horses and candidate’s personal profiles. The trainers involved have been professionals as Franke Sloothaak, Marco Kutscher, Scott Brash, Jos Lansink, Henk Nooren, Ben, Wim and Gerco Schro¨der and Rob Ehrens. The assignment of the trainer to each participant will be decided by the selection committee in agreement with the applicant himself. Other trainers may also be part of the team. 

Entries should be sent b ef o r e F e b ru ary 10 th . There are no obligations for the NF and the program will not conflict with other plans the NF may have for their young promising riders. On the contrary we are fully prepared to find ways of cooperation both in planning and follow-up. 

At the latest by the end of March, selection panel will communicate Team 23. 

Source: YRA website