Lexington, KY – November 4, 2014 – The United States Para-Equestrian Association  (USPEA) would like to thank the United States Equestrian Federation ( USEF) for their support of the Para-Dressage Young Rider Program. As a USEF International Discipline Association the USPEA fosters the Para-Equestrian sport from the grassroots to the high performance level. The USPEA was recently awarded a USEF Affiliate Grant. Through this awarded USEF Affiliate Grant, the USPEA is able to further support the discipline at the young rider level. Offering high-level opportunities to young rider para-dressage athletes benefits not only the para-dressage sport and future international teams but the equestrian discipline as a whole. Those benefits include the new Para-Dressage Young Rider Championships.  With the collaborative efforts of USEF and USPEA, the FEI fully embraced inclusion for the Para-Dressage Discipline to be represented at the Adequan/FEI North American Junior & Young Rider Championships, starting in 2015.

President of the USPEA, Hope Hand, noted, “I am excited to finally have the opportunity to showcase these talented Young Riders at the 2015 Adequan/FEI North American Junior & Young Rider Championships. With the support of the USEF grant programs, the USPEA and our collaborative USEF coaching staff, we were able to successfully campaign two of our young riders all the way to Normandy, France, to represent us at the World Equestrian Games. We thank our ambassador and nominee for the USEF Youth Sportsmanship Award, Sydney Collier. Sydney and her dog Journey have tirelessly campaigned across the globe, spreading awareness about the high performance sport of Para-Dressage. We are proud to have Sydney on our USEF Team.”   

Sydney Collier agreed, “I would like to thank USEF for their incredible support of the USPEA Young Riders Program. The continued growth and development of the program has allowed my education as an equestrian to advance both in and out of the saddle. Carrying on my mentor and friend Jonathan Wentz’s dream of a thriving Young Rider program in the USPEA is a very important part of my mission, and continues to be possible because of this support.  A huge thank you to everyone at USEF from all the young riders of past, present, and future as we work towards our goals of becoming the best equestrians we can be for our country, and our horses. ”     

The USPEA is grateful to the USEF for providing this grant for the education and support of the young athletes in this sport.