You don’t have to be a record-setting
quarterback, point guard or track star to letter in high school
sports anymore. The United States Equestrian Federation (USEF)
is writing a new chapter in the recognition of high school
sports — one that honors Equestrian athletes. The USEF’s High
School Equestrian Athlete program will offer specially designed
emblems and pins, exclusively for equestrian athletes in grades
9-12.
“High school equestrians have earned their
place among the most dedicated athletes,” shared John Long,
USEF Chief Executive Officer. “Not only are they putting in
long hours to train for and compete in the sport they love
— they do so while taking the concept of teamwork to the highest
level, forming a partnership with a horse to achieve their
goals.
“Until now, most high school students haven’t
had the opportunity to letter in equestrian, simply because
there are so few school-sponsored programs,” Long continued.
“We look forward to the beginning of a new tradition, where
equestrians are able to earn the recognition they deserve,
alongside their fellow athletes and classmates.”
The new High School Equestrian Athlete program
is open to equestrian athletes in all breeds or disciplines
who are enrolled in grades 9-12, and are currently USEF members,
or become USEF members. The program will run June 1–May 31
of each year, and will honor those who document their training
and competition involvement by awarding emblems and pins.
These are designed to be worn on existing high school letterman’s
jackets, or any jacket of the athlete’s choosing, as a rite
of passage and symbol of achievement.
This new program requires enrollment and documentation
prior to lettering. For more information, or to complete an
enrollment application, simply visit this link on the USEF
Youth Programs page:
http://www.usef.org/documents/Youth/HighSchoolAthlete.pdf
Please note: current Seniors
are offered the opportunity to enroll by January 29, 2010,
and complete the requirements by May 31, 2010, to earn their
letters on a shortened schedule. For more information on the
USEF’s High School Equestrian Athletes Program, please contact
Lauren Fahey via e-mail at lfahey@usef.org.
The vision of the United States Equestrian
Federation® is to provide leadership for
equestrian sport in the United States of America by promoting
the pursuit of excellence from the grassroots
to the Olympic Games, based on a foundation
of fair, safe competition and the welfare of
its human and equine athletes.
