Road to NAYC/ Youth Olympics?

[RAyers]

I definitely suggest you learn spelling.

Sure, you can defiantly do what you want but it definitely shows a lack of attention to details and the ability to review past performances.

[Angela_Freda]

@blackbeauty

I just find it incredibly curious that OP has the skills, horses, trainers, and money to show at this level, yet has never shown before. Not unbelievable, but curious. I would think that a rider of that caliber would be an asset to any trainer’s show program, especially a junior that could ride sale horses/ponies.

NP comes to mind.

[skydy]

@kitequestrian

Road to NAYC for Jumping?

Hey everyone! Recently, I’ve decided I’d like to advance my show jumping career and look towards NAYC, or any sort of recognized Equestrian Team for the United States. Maybe Youth Olympics?

I just turned 17, and I’ve been riding horses my entire life, and I’ve grown up on my family’s horse farm. I’ve done everything from barrel racing, to training/ schooling prelim eventing. I’ve trained and done clinics with numerous olympians and FEI stars, but I’ve never shown. I’ve always just been in it for the enjoyment and experience, but now I’d like to get deeper into it!

I can get access to numerous horses, so I’d defiantly have a mount for any of these competitions/teams. My personal horse is a 18 y/o German Sporthorse who has experience jumping 6ft+ in Germany, and he has about 3 more years of extensive showing before he eases into retirement if he wants to (he loves his job and could be off for weeks, but still dominate a 4 foot course without thinking about it, ex-prelim eventer who hates dressage) Obviously im not expecting to show him 6ft, just whatever height I need to qualify!

I know these are not competitions I can just sign up for, but how do I go about qualifications? Is this a goal I could reach in a year, given I have the resources and skill set? I’m in Zone 4 (GA), so what teams do I/my trainers need to look at? I do not know the rules/regulations for these events, so I defiantly need to do research as well.

Are there certain organizations I need to register for, or my horse needs to register/qualify for?

Without bragging I have the skill and technique to ride at this level, plus I come from a well-known racing family, I just have absolutely no show experience.

Any help is greatly appreciated! I will also be discussing this with my trainers if I can think of a plan

The FEI has limits on the height of obstacles, so even hypothetically, there are no 6ft+ courses to jump.

[OutsidersOpinion]

@skydy

The FEI has limits on the height of obstacles, so even hypothetically, there are no 6ft+ courses to jump.

This is what I was thinking…

[supershorty628]

Perhaps the 6’ thing came from the OP mistaking a 4-bar or 6-bar class with a course? Trying to give her/him the benefit of the doubt.

[skydy]

@supershorty628

Perhaps the 6’ thing came from the OP mistaking a 4-bar or 6-bar class with a course? Trying to give her/him the benefit of the doubt.

The big grand prix jumps look huge and the OP has never shown, so perhaps OP is guessing. FEI trainer should know better though.

[supershorty628]

@skydy

The big grand prix jumps look huge and the OP has never shown, so perhaps they are guessing. FEI trainer should know better though.

Meh, I wouldn’t assume that someone who has done FEI level eventing would know the heights of various jumpery things, other than @RAyers and a small handful of other people. I don’t know eventing heights, I just know things don’t fall down when you hit them.

[skydy]

@supershorty628

Meh, I wouldn’t assume that someone who has done FEI level eventing would know the heights of various jumpery things, other than @RAyers and a small handful of other people. I don’t know eventing heights, I just know things don’t fall down when you hit them.

You’re a kind person. I wouldn’t expect them to know every height they might encounter up the levels until they’re moving up, but I’d expect them to know that 1.82m courses are not a thing, in either Eventing or Grand Prix show jumping.

[RAyers]

Prelim Eventers would be 1.10-1.15 max in terms of stadium.

The brush on XC could hit 6’ a long time ago. The solid was still 3’6”. Drops can go to 6’. Spreads around 6’. The killer is the speed is still 550mpm (about another half faster than you can generally go in an arena). If the OP is truly a racing kid, no problem there.

In the “old” days we always joked that your horse had to jump 6’ if they weren’t willing to brush through the brush. And, I had one that skipped brushing through the brush at 5’.

As for NAYRC, in our area we have kids start out as grooms for the competing kids so they learn the process and the people from the ground up.

[supershorty628]

@skydy

You’re a kind person. I wouldn’t expect them to know every height they might encounter up the levels until they’re moving up, but I’d expect them to know that 1.82m courses are not a thing, in either Eventing or Grand Prix show jumping.

We don’t know that the trainer said or thinks that the horse did 6’ courses, just that OP does.

I feel like I’m trying really hard to give people the benefit of the doubt here, although I can’t give a good reason for why that is.

[skydy]

@supershorty628

We don’t know that the trainer said or thinks that the horse did 6’ courses, just that OP does.

I feel like I’m trying really hard to give people the benefit of the doubt here, although I can’t give a good reason for why that is.

It’s because you’ve always been a nice person and perhaps because you’ve been treated unfairly by ignorant strangers online.

I hope the OP can find the instruction he/she needs to make progress toward showing at the big time levels. Unfortunately the pandemic makes this a bad time to attempt to qualify for championships.

[kitequestrian]

@lintesia

OP – totally off topic, but why do you keep writing “defiantly” when you probably mean to write “definitely”?

I’m still apparently learning how to type and write words lol

[kitequestrian]

@skydy

People often spend a “bunch” of money and don’t win. You’ll have to get used to it.

Thats just the truth of the sport I suppose- oh well! I will still enjoy my time and experience while I can, you only live once!

[kitequestrian]

@skydy

You will want to familiarize yourself with the rules. https://www.usef.org/compete/resources-forms/rules-regulations/rulebook

Since your parents are paying, they will need to be involved when you speak with your jumper trainer about your goals.
Showing is very expensive. :yes:

They are very supportive and want me to pursue this if I’m really involved/ interested, but I also don’t want to be ‘too much’ and ask for so much since they’ve already done so much for me. I wish it wasn’t such a wallet drainer!

[kitequestrian]

@largo

That’s great your horse enjoys jumping at that level still! For the jumper championships, the horse accumulates points for your zone ranking. If you switch to another horse you will need to reapply with that one and qualify with that. The link I posted has the rulebook, where you can see the selection process. My zone is not very big and is not terribly challenging to qualify for, it will probably be more difficult in zone 4. Your USEF age is the age you were December 1, so if you are showing as 17 you can do the juniors. However, the team is canceled this year because of COVID and if you show as 18 next year, you are an adult.

I will make sure to familiarize myself with the rules, thank you! I love him so much, i’m hoping he’ll enjoy going back into the ring as much as I want to start in the ring, but I won’t push him if he, for some reason, just isn’t feeling it,
I do wish Zone 4 was easier, but not much I can do about that lol.
Thank you for your advice!!

[kitequestrian]

@AOinCA

A lot of good feedback above.
The finals themselves included 3 days of jumping competition at that level too which is a lot to ask of a horse as well and important to keep in mind.

I totally agree. He has an extensive show record from the past, and has done open water/ did lots of higher-level cross country so it shouldn’t be a problem for him, but it’s been awhile since he’s done anything like that so i’ll have my trainer work on that first.
Since he is older i’ll really need to consider his well-being and fitness, because even though he’s doing great right now thats not a certainty for the future. I know that showing and schooling at home are very different, so i’ll reach out and see if there are some schooling shows in the near future that we could go to before we go to the big shows to refresh his mind, and get myself accustomed.
Thank you for the advice!

[kitequestrian]

@supershorty628

OP, still wondering what you’ve actually shown up to. If you haven’t been showing in the 1.40m+ classes, being in a competitive zone like Zone 4, it’s unlikely that you’d qualify for NAYC in your first year doing that height (it’s not impossible, but that’s a steep uphill climb in a zone like that). Not an eligibility issue since you have a few years left, but it makes it more likely that you’ll be aiming for the Young Rider section.The USHJA site has information on both the zone team championships and the platinum championships (for those jumping 1.40-1.45m but not yet doing the 1.50m GP classes) here: https://www.ushja.org/competition/jumper/zone-jumper-team-championships . Those didn’t exist when I was showing so I don’t know much about them, but a friend of mine went to the zone 6 one and had an absolute BLAST.

I’ve never actually shown before, so this post was to see my chances of getting to that level without any show experience. While i’ve done the height at home, I know that showing and schooling are two different worlds, and there are many other riders who have been showing that level for years, who i’m sure would crush me in the ring haha.
It’s not that i’m really aiming for Young Riders, as now I see that in a year it’s pretty much not going to happen, I would just like to see how far I could go in a year with absolutely no ring mileage, although that seems extremely fun! As of right now, i’ll be aiming for those Zone Jumper Teams.
Thank you for your input/advice!!

[kitequestrian]

@poltroon

At this level, money is always an issue. For a one year campaign, you’d be very lucky to get it done for only 20k on top of your regular ongoing expenses. You could potentially spend 100K (or more, if it involved buying or leasing another horse) and not get there. Others here might be able to help you come up with a ballpark, but when you talk to your trainers, the budget should be part of the discussion.

In addition, if the shows are not local, it adds not just to expense but to the time required from you and possibly your parents to get to venues out of state, and between school and work that time may be in short supply.

All very true. I did not think of the time frame, between hauling and actually showing what I would assume be mostly out-of-state.
I’m pretty independent from my parents, in where I don’t need them to be there for every single accomplishment, it would be nice to have them there. Plus, i’m pretty involved in school, so I need to look at my true time frame and start mapping things out. Thank you for bringing this to the forefront of my mind!

[kitequestrian]

@blackbeauty

I just find it incredibly curious that OP has the skills, horses, trainers, and money to show at this level, yet has never shown before. Not unbelievable, but curious. I would think that a rider of that caliber would be an asset to any trainer’s show program, especially a junior that could ride sale horses/ponies.

I’ve had multiple offers from my trainers to be apart of their show team (granted this was Eventing, and I hated dressage so that kept me back) but i’ve never really been interested in showing. To me, it was always about the experience, riding as many different horses as I could, and meeting new people in case I ever needed some allies, like right now. Personally, I think seeing a lot of the girls from my barn showing was enough for me, but now I want to see what all the hype is about!

[kitequestrian]

@RAyers

I definitely suggest you learn spelling.

Sure, you can defiantly do what you want but it definitely shows a lack of attention to details and the ability to review past performances.

Good idea. Being away from school has definitely taken a toll :ambivalence: