May 4, 2026 – Gladstone, NJ – With just 99 days until the 2026 FEI World Championships in Aachen, Germany, and preparations for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic and Paralympic Games well underway, the United States Equestrian Team (USET) Foundation is proud to announce the public launch of its Pathway to the Podium campaign.
Since entering its quiet phase in 2022, the campaign has raised $41 million toward its $55 million goal, building strong momentum at a defining moment for U.S. equestrian sport.
From the outset, Pathway to the Podium was designed not as a future promise, but as an active investment in performance. Funds raised to date are already at work each year across four coordinated priorities: supporting US Equestrian (USEF) High Performance Programs, growing the USET Foundation’s endowment, expanding direct athlete grant opportunities to reduce financial barriers, and contributing to critical initiatives tied to the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Los Angeles.
These investments support athletes and teams across seven international disciplines, while strengthening the full competitive pathway, from developing talent to championship performance, and ensuring the systems behind the teams are fully resourced. Importantly, growing the endowment provides long-term sustainability for the sport, helping to ensure that U.S. equestrian programs remain strong and competitive not only through LA28, but for generations to come.
Co-chaired by USET Foundation Trustees, Chairman Emeritus W. James McNerney Jr., Signe Ostby, and Secretary Akiko Yamazaki, the campaign’s public launch marks a pivotal moment in this Olympic and Paralympic quadrennial.
Photo from USET Foundation Archive
This summer, six of the seven international disciplines will converge in Aachen to compete for medals at one of the most revered venues in the sport. Shortly thereafter, the U.S. equestrian community will look ahead to a once-in-a-generation opportunity: a home Olympic and Paralympic Games in Los Angeles, where the world will once again turn its attention to U.S. equestrian excellence.
As the philanthropic partner to USEF, the USET Foundation’s sole mission is to raise funds for the USEF High Performance Programs that play a vital role in identifying, developing, and preparing the next generation of U.S. equestrian athletes and horses for the highest levels of international sport.
Photo by Kit Houghton Photography
“There is nothing more powerful or patriotic than competing on home soil, but it also raises the stakes,” stated USET Foundation Executive Director Bonnie B. Jenkins. “We want to ensure that when our athletes step into the arena in Aachen and Los Angeles, they are not just participants, but true contenders for the podium, and that is where funding from our Pathway to the Podium campaign comes into play. Developing horses and athletes takes time. Therefore, investment in the sport must be continuous.
“We all know that to be successful in this sport, it takes a village,” continued Jenkins. “Donors are integral to this village, and we’re extremely grateful for their unwavering commitment to supporting USEF High Performance Programs. We are very proud of what the Pathway to the Podium campaign has accomplished to date and look forward to inviting the wider community to join us on this journey.”
Funding from Pathway to the Podium currently and will continue to bolster a wide range of components within USEF’s High Performance Programs and its Pathway Programs including training sessions, international competition opportunities, direct athlete grants, and support for the team behind the team which includes coaches and Chefs d’Equipe, grooms, veterinarians, farriers, physiotherapists, and logistics personnel that manage equine wellbeing safeguards, global travel, quarantine protocols, competition planning, and more.
Photo by Avery Wallace/US Equestrian
“The USEF High Performance Pathway is designed to identify and nurture both horse and human equestrian talent,” noted US Equestrian Director of FEI/High Performance Sport, Hallye Griffin. “In recent years, USEF expanded the footprint of its Pathway Programs, offering more opportunities for athletes and horses, which contributed to impressive, consistent international success across the FEI disciplines. These Pathway Programs are largely made possible thanks to USET Foundation funding. We’re grateful to the USET Foundation and its loyal donors for supporting the U.S. teams every step of the way.”
Unlike many nations, the U.S. does not receive federal government funding for equestrian sport. Therefore, the success of U.S. teams relies on sustained philanthropic support to ensure athletes and horses have access to the resources required to compete and succeed at the highest levels.
“Our Pathway to the Podium campaign reflects a shared commitment across our community,” said USET Foundation Chairman, President, and CEO Kristi Mitchem. “It’s more than preparing for one championship — it’s about building a sustainable, robust pathway that supports excellence today while simultaneously developing the champions of tomorrow.”
As attention turns to Aachen this summer and ahead to the home Olympic and Paralympic Games in Los Angeles in 2028, the Pathway to the Podium campaign underscores the crucial importance of long-term investment to continue the legacy of our lasting impact.
This moment marks more than a countdown; it reflects like-minded dedication to sustaining excellence. From developing athletes to seasoned veterans, and from youth programs to championship podiums, the pathway is continuous and essential to U.S. equestrian success on the world stage in Los Angeles and beyond. The USET Foundation invites the entire equestrian community to be part of this effort and help power an exceptional future for U.S. equestrian teams.
This is our moment. This is our mission. This is our Pathway to the Podium.
