FEI.TV, the international Equestrian Federation’s (FEI) online television platform, will be providing all its coverage of past events and special equestrian features free of charge to everyone while live sport is on hold until end of June.

Under normal circumstances, FEI TV live-streams all major FEI series and championships, with an extensive range of replays, special features and historic events coverage available on-demand combining to provide unparalleled coverage of equestrian sport year-round.

But with no live sport, access to FEI.TV will be free and existing subscribers will be compensated for the months of April, May and June. They will automatically be refunded on their account. All content on the platform, including video on demand, will be freely available to all users who will need to register, meaning that fans can re-live all the action from past events so there’s no need to miss out on your fix of equestrian sport.

“Premium content like this usually sits behind a paywall and is normally available only to subscribers, but while there is no “live” sport, we want to give equestrian fans the chance to binge-watch for free during this terrible pandemic,” FEI Commercial Director Ralph Straus says.

The Longines FEI Jumping World Cup and FEI Dressage World Cup Finals in Las Vegas were one of the early high-profile victims of the COVID-19 outbreak when they were cancelled in mid-March. But jumping and dressage fans now have the opportunity to relive some of the very best moments of the FEI World Cup Finals from the past five years—2015 to 2019—live and free on FEI.TV, FEI Jumping and Dressage Facebook pages, and the FEI YouTube channel daily. And if you can’t watch it live, catch it on replay on FEI.TV.

For fans of the other equestrian disciplines, FEI.TV has lots more unique content, ranging from FEI Vaulting and Driving World Cup highlights to wrap-ups of the FEI Eventing and Dressage Nations Cup series.

An additional broadcast offering has been made available by the FEI, equestrian sport’s global governing body, providing free access to video archive footage to TV broadcasters in European Broadcast Union (EBU) member territories across Europe through its partnership with EBU, and to key territories in the rest of the world via its partnership with IMG.

“Our broadcast partners are struggling to fill their air-time without live sport, so this initiative has been put in place to ensure that they have access to top equestrian footage and, together, we can keep our fans around the world happy with their daily dose of equestrian content,” Straus says.

Complete COVID-19 Coverage

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U.S. Equestrian announced Devin Sell of Georgetown, Ky, as the winner of the 2019 USEF Youth Sportsman’s Award in recognition of her 2019 contributions and achievements. The USEF Youth Sportsman’s Award identifies outstanding youth members actively involved in their respective discipline or breed organizations and acknowledges their potential as future leaders in the equine industry. The American Saddlebred Horse Association (ASHA) nominated Sell, who is involved with ASHA and her local chapter of the National Future Farmers of America (FFA) Organization.

Sell’s achievements in the competition ring are amplified by her dedication to her horses, barn family and the sport as a whole. She is active in the ASHA youth programs, including the ASHA Youth Conference, and volunteered at the Saddle Seat World Cup and Kentucky State Fair World’s Championship Horse Show. She participates in youth judging clinics and is a member of the U.S. Equestrian Lettering Program and is on track to complete the program as a varsity athlete upon high school graduation next year. Sell also organized an informational meet-and-greet at her public library to promote the American Saddlebred breed.

Sell is a member of the National Honors Society and an accomplished tennis player, and she intends to study pre-veterinary sciences and equine business management in college. Her dream is to become a large animal veterinarian, specializing in horses, and run her own lesson program for children and adults to help them learn proper riding and horse care.

“Devin is our barn’s youth group president, and she is an invaluable mentor for the younger girls,” said Nancy Brannon, Sell’s trainer. “In her role as president, she has spearheaded multiple community service events, including a coat drive for the homeless shelter and a back-to-school supply drive for the local women’s shelter.”

The reserve overall winner of the USEF Youth Sportsman’s Award is Ella Doerr of Avon, N.C., who was nominated by the United States Hunter Jumper Association (USHJA). Doerr served as the youngest chair of the USHJA Youth Committee at just 16 years old and has been an ambassador for USHJA in many different capacities. She received the USHJA Youth Leadership Award in 2016 and received the USHJA Foundation Gochman Family Grant to attend the 2017 USEF Pony Finals presented by Collecting Gaits Farm.

Doerr is committed to improving access to equestrian sport. She has been studying American Sign Language for the past four years to assist in lessons with deaf children. She also volunteers her time by helping prepare ponies to be used in therapeutic riding programs for differently abled youth.

Passionate about education, Doerr is a tutor and plans to attend college and major in public relations and communications. An avid writer, Doerr intends to continue being a freelance writer to equine magazines throughout her high school and college careers.

Nominees for the USEF Youth Sportsman’s Award

The other national nominees includes nominees from U.S. Equestrian’s other affiliate organizations.

Nina Barretts of Holland, Penn. – Arabian Horse Association (AHA)

Barretts is an active member of both U.S. Equestrian and the Arabian Horse Association and regularly competes at shows in both dressage and English pleasure. She is involved with several different academic clubs and volunteers with the Laurel Nobilis Arabians and the Appalachian Service Project.

David Botana of Portland, Maine – United States Para-Equestrian Association (USPEA)

Botana is a rising star for the U.S. Para Dressage Team and is actively pursuing a spot on the U.S. Para Dressage Team for the 2020 Tokyo Paralympic Games. Botana is a passionate advocate and leader in his community for equity, social justice and public policy.

Isabelle Braden of Decatur, Ga. – United States Dressage Federation (USDF)

Braden is an accomplished dressage athlete with the United States Dressage Federation who has competed at major competitions, including the Adequan®/FEI North American Youth Championships (NAYC), and a dedicated volunteer. Braden is passionate about history and understanding the political climate and global issues, and she intends to pursue a career in law.

Korbin Eckert of Spokane, Wash. – Western Dressage Association of America (WDAA)

Eckert is a member of multiple breed and discipline organizations and was presented with the 2018 Western Dressage Association of America (WDAA) Youth Sportsmanship Award. He continues to promote equestrian sport and the WDAA through his volunteer and peer role model endeavors.

Francesca Franzosi of Hammonton, N.J. – American Vaulting Association AVA)

Franzosi has been a member of the American Vaulting Association since 2018 and is passionate about the vaulting discipline, volunteering for and participating in open houses to promote the sport. She enjoys competing with her team, the Shooting Stars.

Nora Goldfarb of Franklin, Tenn. – American Connemara Pony Society (ACPS)

Goldfarb is a member of the American Connemara Pony Society Youth Board and the United States Pony Clubs. She is co-secretary for the Middle Tennessee Eventing Association and aims to be a part of a board of directors for her local eventing or show jumping community after college.

Elizabeth Henry of Lafayette, Ind. – United States Eventing Association (USEA)

Henry, who was nominated by the United States Eventing Association, was part of the 2019 Area VIII NAYC Eventing Team and is actively involved with the Interscholastic Equestrian Association as a volunteer. Henry works at the Pletch Equestrian Center, and she is wholly dedicated to ensuring the health and comfort of her and others’ horses.

Samantha Holyfield of Concord, N.C. – American Hackney Horse Society (AHHS)

Holyfield, who was nominated by the American Hackney Horse Society, is an accomplished horsewoman, with many driving accomplishments on her resume. Her ambition is to work in the therapeutic horsemanship or occupational therapy industries, using horses as a way to help people heal from mental or physical traumas or disabilities.

Taylor Hudson of Fairview, Penn. – American Morgan Horse Association (AMHA)

Hudson has served as a Regional Delegate for the American Morgan Horse Association Youth Council since 2017 and is the organizer and manager of the Tristate Morgan Horse Show Youth Contest. She is a member of the Morgan Patriots and has completed Level Three of the AMHA Horsemastership Badge Program.

Anna Aubrey Hutchinson of Boyle, Miss. – Welsh Pony and Cob Society of America (WPCSA)

Hutchinson is a member of the Welsh Pony and Cob Society of America and currently rides for Rollingwoods Farm, where she assists in the day-to-day operations of the farm twice a week. She volunteers at Bayou Academy and is a member of her school’s National Junior Honor Society.

Gabriella Santaniello of Suffield, Conn. – International Friesian Show Horse Association (IFSHA)

Santaniello, who was nominated by the International Friesian Show Horse Association, is a member of the National Honor Society and volunteers as a coach at her school’s writing center. She has also served as president of Hearts and Hoofbeats 4-H Club for four years.

Madison Waller of Beaumont, Texas – International Andalusian and Lusitano Horse Association (IALHA)

Waller has competed at the International Andalusian and Lusitano Association National Championships for the past four years. She is a dedicated volunteer in her community, donating her time and talents to organizations like Texas Children’s Hospital, Ronald McDonald House and Helping Hands.

Learn more about the U.S. Equestrian Youth Sportsman’s Award. For additional information, please contact Natalie Norwood, Championships Program Manager, at nnorwood@usef.org or (859) 225-6951.

Stay up to date with U.S. Equestrian’s youth programs and all 29 recognized breeds and disciplines by following US Equestrian on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Further Reading

• Julia Stone Named the 2019 U.S. Equestrian Junior Equestrian of the Year

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U.S. Equestrian is proud to recognize Sydney Schimack of Laporte, Colo., as the 2019 U.S. Equestrian Vaulter of the Year. Schimack, who competed for the bronze medal-winning U.S. Vaulting Team Squad at the FEI Vaulting World Championships for Juniors, stood out among the applicant pool based on her 2019 competition scores, personal essay and letters of recommendation.

Seventeen-year-old Schimack competed in Europe for the first time this year, securing impressive placings in both the squad and individual female sections. Schimack placed in the top 10 in the CVIJ2* Individual Female and, along with fellow squad members from the Rocky Mountain High Performance Team, finished third in the CVIJ2* Squad in Saumur, France. Schimack went on to compete with the squad at the prestigious FEI Vaulting World Championships for Juniors in Ermelo, the Netherlands, where they won the bronze medal. She also competed in the World Championships as an individual, advancing to Round 2 and finishing in the top 10 as the highest-placed U.S. individual female athlete.

Back home in the U.S., Schimack vaulted in seven high-level squad and individual CVIJ2* competitions in 2019, including the Pacific Cup CVI, Rocky Mountain Cup Utah, and Woodside Vaulters Spring Fest, and placed either first or second at every one.

Schimack is undeniably a rising star in the U.S. vaulting community, recently competing in the senior individual section for the first time at the American Vaulting Association Region IV Octoberfest. Backed by her supportive family, friends, and vaulting club, Schimack is eager to continue learning and gaining experience in senior-level competitions in Europe and the U.S.

Stay up to date with U.S. Vaulting by following USA Vaulting on Facebook and US Equestrian on Instagram and Twitter. Use #USAVaulting.

Further Reading

• What is Equestrian Vaulting?

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After jogging up and down the barn aisle several times to warm up, I donned my old ballet slippers that I haven’t worn since 8th grade (and they still fit!). I practiced my mount-up with the help of the instructor, and at the walk and trot, we worked on my basic seat, the mill, the flag, kneeling, and even standing.

It was kind of scary. I was nervous about doing these exercises at a walk, so it’s going to take a long time before I’m ready for the canter. My instructor said I’m doing very well and praised the fact that I was able to stand on the horse for several strides before having to grasp the handles again (my quads were screaming at me by the end of the lesson, though). Whether or not my nerves can really handle this sport is still up in the air, but I’m not ready to throw in the towel yet!

Stay tuned for more entries. Hopefully I will be able to share some photos with you soon.

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My first session consisted of watching an educational DVD and practicing some of the compulsory exercises on a stationary barrel raised to the height of a small horse. These included the basic seat, the flag, the flank, the scissors, the stand and the mill (aka around the world). Mounting and the scissors were the hardest exercises for me. It’s a little scary to think that 16.3-hand horses are generally used for this sport. That’s a pretty tall horse to jump onto from the ground!

One of the most important aspects of vaulting is upper-body strength, which I don’t really have. I’ve been doing pushups to help, so my arms have been quite sore lately. You also have to remain relaxed and move with the motion of the horse, so balance is also necessary. Since I’ve been riding horses for a while, I think I am good with that.

Once I had tried all of the exercises on the barrel, we moved on to the Equicizer, which is a mechanical “horse” that is used to improve riders’ skills (www.equicizer.com). I was surprised, and proud of, how well I was able to balance and stay with the motion of the Equicizer.

I am a little nervous about this new sport, but I’m also very excited. I will bring you updates on my progress. Wish me luck!

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