USHJA Gold Star Clinics

Open to Individual Medalists from USHJA Zone Jumper Team Championship/Platinum Jumper Championship, Wildcard riders, and their Parents and Coaches. (A complete listing of who is eligible is below.)

USHJA Gold Star Clinics are the pinnacle of the USHJA Emerging Jumper Rider Program, which identifies Jumper riders who have the skill and desire to excel in the sport while educating these riders to become well-rounded horsemen on their path to excellence.

Earning the Gold Star

USHJA will recognize all individual medalists at the MARKEL/USHJA Zone Jumper Team Championships and the Platinum Jumper as Gold Star Emerging Jumper Riders and all individual medalists at the MARKEL/USHJA Platinum Jumper Championships as Show Jumping Platinum Athletes. Each Athlete, along with their coaches and parents, will be invited to attend one of the Gold Star Clinics scheduled for the early part of the following year. USHJA reserves the right to extend a Wild Card invitation to Jumper riders that demonstrate their exceptional talent during the USHJA Zone Jumper Team Championships or Platinum Jumper Championships but did not secure an individual medal. For more information about the Gold Star Clinics or on becoming a Gold Star Emerging Jumper Rider, email USHJA at EJR@ushja.org.

What to Expect

  • Two Gold Star Clinics held across the country with Olympic-caliber clinicians
  • Four days of mounted and unmounted instruction covering a variety of topics
  • Stable management education with experienced stable managers
  • Horse health and nutrition discussions with top veterinarians
  • Education about what to expect as a member of a competitive Jumping team
  • Information about travel documentation and considerations for International Jumping competition
     

2023 Gold Star Clinics

Below are the dates and locations of the 2023 clinics and the closing dates for Declarations and Wild Card applications. Please email EJR@ushja.org with any questions. 

WEST
Desert International Horse Park
Thermal, California
January 25-29, 2023
Riding Clinicians:
Lauren Hough and Kirsten Coe
Stable Manager Clinician:
Colleen Reed
Deadline to Submit Applications: January 9, 2023

EAST
Jim Brandon Equestrian Center
West Palm Beach, Florida
February 15-19, 2023
Riding Clinicians:
Anne Kursinski and Kirsten Coe
Stable Manager Clinician:
Colleen Reed
Deadline to Submit Applications: January 9, 2023

  2023 Medalist Declaration Application      2023 Wildcard Application   

*2023 Medalist Declaration Application ONLY for ZJTC and PJC medalists

2023 Gold Star Rider Selection

Riders who meet the criteria listed below will receive an invitation to the Clinics. Riders must declare their intent by the given deadline on their invitation to secure their spot.

If any remaining spots are available, USHJA will admit a select number of Wild Card participants for the Clinics. Any member who has earned a minimum of 20 points to have qualified for the USHJA Zone Jumper Team Championships or a minimum of 250 points to have qualified for the USHJA Platinum Jumper Championships may submit a Wild Card application.

New for 2023

Fees:
ZJTC and PJC Medalist - $250 Clinic Fee
Wildcard participants - $1,500 Clinic Fee

Once the deadline for Medalists to submit their commitments to participate in the Gold Star Clinics has passed, the Task Force will then accept Wild Card applications from these identified groups as follows: ( All applications must be returned to USHJA by December 31, 2022)

Group A: Individual medalists in the Junior Jumper National Championships (Prix des States), NAYC Children’s (any rider that jumped a clear round), Pre-Junior, and Junior, USEF Pony Jumper Championship, and the USHJA Jumper Classic Series (top rider in each of the four fence heights).

Group B: Once Group A commitments are secured, the Task Force will consider any athlete from the ZJTC and PJC who successfully competed without elimination.

Group C: If available space remains, then consideration will be given to any athletes from Group A who finished below the podium in the individual final of their specific championship.

Group D: If no additional athletes from Group A, B, or C are available, Wild Card applications from ZJTC and PJC athletes who did not meet the above criteria will be considered.