Eirin Bruheim will represent the United States at the first Youth Olympic Games, held in Singapore, Aug. 14-26. Bruheim will be traveling from her family’s Nordic Lights Farm in Houston, Texas.

Bruheim, 18, was selected by the U.S. Equestrian Federation, based upon the 2010 Youth Olympic Games Ranking List.

Bruheim first became aware of the Youth Olympic Games at the North American Junior and Young Rider Championships (Ky.) last year. “I received word that I had qualified at Young Riders, so it was sort of a summer surprise,” she said. “When I found out I had qualified, I wanted to work as hard as I could to be selected as the representative.”

The teams will consist of five members, representing Europe, North America, South America, Asia, Australasia and Africa, and show jumping will be the only discipline contested. The North American team will include Bruheim, along with riders from Canada, Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean Islands.  Team and individual medals will be awarded.

Riders won’t transport their own horses to the Games and will instead ride borrowed mounts that are currently in training in Australia. The jumping courses will be set at approximately 3’9”.

“The horses have been in preparation for a little over a year now. I’ve seen some videos of the horses, and they all look good and respectable,” said Bruheim.

“It is an awesome feeling being selected to represent the U.S. in the Youth Olympics,” she continued. “If someone would have told me a year ago that this was going to happen, I wouldn’t have believed it.”