Love Takes the 2024 MZ Farms/USHJA Emerging Athletes Program National Training Session

Sweet Briar, Va.—Nov. 12, 2024—Rowan Love emerged as the top athlete among 16 standout participants after four intensive days of riding and stable management at the 2024 MZ Farms/USHJA Emerging Athletes Program National Training Session, held at Sweet Briar College in Sweet Briar, Virginia, from November 7-10.

"It feels very surreal to have won," exclaimed Love, 25, of Sweet Briar, Virginia. "It was cool to return to the National Training Session after doing it last year because I knew a little bit of what to expect and how [the week operates]."

In preparation for this year’s National Training Session after riding in the Regional Training Session this past summer held at Sweet Briar College, Love dedicated herself to improving her comfort with riding unfamiliar horses and building on techniques learned during her time at the 2023 National Training Session. She also honed her skills with her personal horse, which she describes as challenging.

"I was definitely a lot more comfortable riding unknown horses at this session," she said. "My personal horse can be an unconventional ride, so I was telling myself, if I can ride him, I can ride anything."

Despite her familiarity with the program and competing, nerves can get the best of anyone going into the ring. "I struggle sometimes with nerves in the jump ring when finding the jumps and distances. Before going into the ring, I like to hype myself up by taking a deep breath and telling myself a confidence mantra to get focused."

Love’s skillful performance on an unfamiliar horse, combined with her attention to stable management, caught the eye of Lead Riding Clinician and Olympian Joe Fargis, Stable Manager Colleen Reed, and the Emerging Athletes Program Committee, securing her the top spot in this year's National Training Session.

Currently a Stable Fellow at Sweet Briar College, Love has her sights set on a professional career in the equestrian industry and views this week’s win as a valuable step forward.

"I would like to go professional eventually," she shared. "I currently do not have my professional card, but making the connections with the EAP committee members, fellow participants, and staff, I think will help guide me in developing my future career."

"This is my second time being the lead clinician at EAP Nationals," said Fargis. "The quality of athletes at this event was very good. They were all polite, well-turned-out, and grateful. Overall, it was just wonderful to be here at Sweet Briar with quality donated horses and event organizers."

The National Training Session winner is chosen not only for their riding skills on an unfamiliar horse but also for their horsemanship, stable management practices, attention to detail, and team camaraderie.

"It was a difficult decision to pick the winner because there were quite a few top riders," noted Fargis. "What really separated out the top two against the group was their attention to detail in stable management practices."

"This year was an unbelievable year full of lots of talent," remarked Reed, the Lead Stable Management Clinician. "We probably had one of the strongest groups ever, and it was tough to decide on the winner."

Reed highlighted Love’s dedication to stable management throughout the week. "Rowan was a standout from the earlier part of the week to me as she was very thorough and diligent about her horse care, her space, her equipment, and her demeanor around all of the horses. She was quite spectacular in stable management and that easily stood out to me against the other competitors."

"She was a natural leader in her group, and other competitors were seeking her out for help and advice on what to do," continued Reed. "She's soft and quiet with the horses, which made them very relaxed around her, and I felt confident in her follow-through with anything that I asked her to do."

Champion Love and reserve champion Amaya Bellfield, 17, of Longmont, Colorado, were invited by the committee and clinicians to participate in a ride-off after the team Nations Cup-style competition on new horses to finalize their rankings. Ultimately, Love emerged on top.

Love was awarded an invitation to participate in a 2025 or 2026 USHJA Gold Star Clinic, a $3,000 grant toward advanced training with an approved trainer, a gift certificate from SmartPak, a pair of Parlanti paddock boots, and a YETI Roadie cooler.

Reserve champion Bellfield received an invitation to a 2025 or 2026 USHJA Gold Star Clinic, a handwoven belt from Boy O Boy Bridleworks, and a gift certificate from CWD.

In the modified Nations Cup competition, Team Ward consisting of Hailey Bergstrom (Camas, Wash.), Natalie Gannett (Hingham, Mass.), Rowan Love (Sweet Briar, Va.), Ellie Welte (Dublin, Ohio), ands Stable manager Sophie Shohet (Las Vegas, Nev.) claimed the gold medal. 

Team Farrington made up of Lila Badham (Honolulu, Hawaii), Meredith Denton (Corydon, Ky.), Emma Hakim (Greenwich, Conn), Nora Pieters (Chepachet, R.I.), and stable manager Jane Harrigan (Middleburg, Va.) claimed silver. 

Team Kraut earned bronze with Amaya Bellfield (Longmont, Colo.), Josie Galvin (Free Union, Va.), Samantha Hieb (Littleton, Colo.), Finley Scheffel (Georgetown, Ky.), and stable manager Catherine Zurcher (Dayton, Texas). 

Team Cook consisting of Tyler Anderson (Novi, Mich.), Rosemary Bilson (Los Angeles, Calif.), Liam Gaspar (New York, N.Y.), Carys Murray (South Dartmouth, Mass.), and stable manager Madison Aguilar (Loxahatchee, Fla.) took home fourth. 

Educational sessions at the National Training Session included special presentations from Danny and Keli Warrington of LandSafe Equestrian on safely falling from a horse, Dr. Alyson Ainsworth on equine lameness, and Jennifer Fessler on equine biomechanics. 

Stable Management Clinician Reed also worked with participants throughout the week on their stable management skills, walking them through different potential scenarios that they may come across in the barn, equine injury management case studies, and best practices for the health and safety of the horses.

Aguilar, Harrigan, Shohet, and Zurcher assisted riders as the week's stable managers. All four were invited to participate in a 2025 or 2026 USHJA Gold Star Clinic as a stable manager.

Aguilar was awarded the Sunny Stevens Memorial Outstanding Stable Manager Award in honor of Sunny’s longstanding dedication to horsemanship. She was selected by stable management clinician Reed and the EAP Committee in recognition of her meticulous attention to detail, dedication to maintaining the health and welfare of our horses and the concern for the safety of all displayed during the National Training Session. For her efforts, she will receive a unique two-week hands-on experience in the barn of 2011 EAP National Champion Jacob Pope, as well as a $1,000 grant to be used toward expenses associated with this experience and a Crossroads backpack from YETI.

This year’s Best Turned Out Horse Award went to Hemingway, ridden by Anderson and donated by Sweet Briar College. Anderson received a handwoven belt from Boy O Boy Bridleworks for her efforts.  

The Emerging Athletes Program Outstanding Horse Award is presented to the equine athlete who displayed the highest level of consistency, soundness, safety, and dependability throughout the 2024 EAP National Training Session. This year’s winner was Uno Mas, donated by Sweet Briar College and the Flattich family. 

Welte was awarded the Emerging Athletes Program Sportsmanship Award and was presented with a gift certificate from SmartPak. This is presented to the rider who has exhibited integrity, supported his or her fellow competitors, showed commitment to the sport and the welfare of the horse, was a role model for his or her peers, and displayed generosity, fair play, and respect for others.

USHJA’s Zone 2 recognizes an athlete each year with the Jim Rice Award. Based on Long Island, Jim Rice was a leader and visionary in our sport. This award dedicated in his honor provides support to a Zone 2 rider attending the EAP National Training Session. This year’s winner of the Jim Rice Award was Gaspar. 

Denton was awarded the Charles "Chuck" Keller Grant for Equestrian Excellence. It was created to honor Chuck Keller's commitment to teaching and training riders and horses in the Hunter, Jumper, and Equitation disciplines and his dedication to instilling horsemanship and sportsmanship in his riders during his 45-year career as an owner, trainer, rider, and licensed official. She received $500 to be used to further her training in pursuit of equestrian excellence. 

"I have to hand it to Sweet Briar College and other donors for loaning such nice horses to use this week," said Fargis. "It's a wonderful event, very organized, and everyone is polite and helpful. I think we all also have to be grateful for what brings us together, and that's the horses."

The USHJA thanks title sponsor MZ Farms for supporting the Emerging Athletes Program and National Training Session; Official Sponsors CWD, Parlanti, and Nutrena; Supporting Sponsors Essex Classics, Schneiders, SmartPak, Taylor Harris Insurance Services, and YETI; and Award Sponsor Boy O Boy Bridleworks. 

We would also like to thank all of those who generously donated horses for use during EAP Nationals: Nichole Chartrand, Lauren Satola, Sweet Briar College, Kelly Taplin, Myrna Treuting, University of Lynchburg, Ashley Watts, and Katie Wood. The Emerging Athletes Program is also made possible thanks to the USA Equestrian Trust. 

For more information about the Emerging Athletes Program visit ushja.org/EAP.

Photos: Rachel Milewski/USHJA, MaryJo Peters/USHJA