The United States Equestrian Federation has announced the inaugural host locations for the 2021 Adequan/USEF Eventing Youth Team Challenge, the newly evolved format of the former North American Youth Championships (NAYC). The Adequan/USEF Eventing Youth Team Challenge offers opportunities for eventing athletes ages 14-25 to gain valuable experience in a team competition environment representing their respective United States Eventing Association (USEA) Areas at the FEI CCI 1/2/3* levels. The Adequan/USEF Eventing Youth Team Challenge will host multiple bi-coastal legs in the short format and culminate with two long format finals in the fall of 2021.

“We have spent a great deal of time developing this concept to provide an important development opportunity for our youth athletes to gain valuable team experience and participate in a championship format that we believe can be successful across the country,” said Jenni Autry, Managing Director of Eventing. “We are working to finalize additional West Coast short format competitions, which we will announce in the coming weeks, and look forward to launching this new pathway competition for our youth eventing athletes in 2021.”

The selected locations for the 2021 Adequan/USEF Eventing Youth Team Challenge are listed below and have been approved by the USEF Board of Directors:

East Coast

Adequan/USEF Eventing Youth Team Challenge Aiken (Stable View) – March 25-27, 2021 – Levels: CCI1*, CCI2*-S, CCI3*-S – Aiken, South Carolina

Adequan/USEF Eventing Youth Team Challenge Adamstown – July 2-4, 2021 – Levels: CCI1*, CCI2*-S, CCI3*-S – Adamstown, Maryland

Adequan/USEF Eventing Youth Team Challenge Unionville – Sept. 15-19, 2021 – Levels: CCI2*-S, CCI3*-S – Unionville, Pennsylvania

Adequan/USEF Eventing Youth Team Challenge Ocala (World Equestrian Center) – October 21-23, 2021 – Levels: CCI2*-S, CCI3*-S – Ocala, Florida

East Coast Final: Adequan/USEF Eventing Youth Team Challenge Tryon – November 10-14, 2021 – Levels: CCI1*, CCI2*-L, CCI3*-L – Tryon, North Carolina

West Coast

Adequan/USEF Eventing Youth Team Challenge Yelm – June 11-13, 2021 – Levels: CCI2*-S, CCI3*-S – Yelm, Washington

West Coast Final: Adequan/USEF Eventing Youth Team Challenge Temecula – Nov. 3-7, 2021 – Levels: CCI2*-L, CCI3*-L – Temecula, California

Each team will consist of three to four horse/athlete combinations to be chosen from qualified applicants by the USEA Area Selectors based on performance, soundness, experience, and suitability for the competition. All interested U.S. athletes must submit an Area Declaration and a one-time application for the upcoming competition year by February 15, 2021. Selection procedures for the Adequan/USEF Eventing Youth Team Challenge are available here.

A second Adequan/USEF Eventing Youth Team Challenge Informational Webinar will be hosted in partnership with the USEA on February 8 at 6:00 p.m. Please register for the webinar here.