Officially a Young Rider

Today I mailed all the paperwork to the USDF…Jess is officially a Young Rider! 

This past weekend Jess rode in a clinic with Axel Steiner and the change in her was evident.  She is no longer a Junior rider…she is a young woman ready for new challenges.  So Monday morning I went to the USDF website, downloaded all the forms to fill out to declare her a Young Rider and got to work.  It isn’t a simple task…there are lots of forms and lots of numbers (USDF, USEF, FEI, Passport).  Then there’s making sure the horse’s passport is current and all the shots and Coggins are up to date.  And picking the shows (who are the judges, are they CDI’s or not, how far away are they) to attend and finding their prize lists on the web can sometimes be a frustrating endeavor!  Jess ordered herself a new Shad Belly…I have no idea what that cost!  And we worked on writing her bio.  Seeing all my daughter’s accomplishments put down in writing took my breath away…and solidified how truly ready she is for this new test of her riding ability. 

Jess and Karen have choreographed her freestyle and we’ve chosen a new company to put it together for us.  Selecting the music isn’t as straight-forward…Jess took advantage of having the time with Mr. Steiner and asked him for some guidelines when selecting music.  He was very helpful…especially in making it clear what was not appropriate.  Next week I will video her riding the test and mail it off with our ideas for the music.  She won’t worry about riding the freestyle until April.

For now, Jess’s sights are set on February in Wellington, Florida.  We’ll be trailering down with her horse, Coda, for her first show as a Young Rider.  It’s a CDI…with tough but fair judges…and lots of great competition!