Lexington, Ky. – US Equestrian is pleased to announce updates to the 2025 Platinum Performance/USEF Show Jumping Talent Search Finals. This year’s Finals will feature new format adjustments, including the addition of a horse inspection and an updated approach to the flat and gymnastics phases.
Talent Search Finals – East will take place October 3-5, 2025, at USET Foundation Headquarters in Gladstone, N.J. Serving as judges for the Finals – East are Olympic gold medalist Chris Kappler and prominent ‘R’ judge Caitlin Venezia White. The Finals will begin on Friday with a rider meeting at 10:00 a.m. ET, followed by the horse inspection at 12:00 p.m., and the schooling class at 2:00 p.m.
On Saturday, athletes will take on the flat and gymnastics phases. In a change to the format from previous years, the flat phase will be performed individually. Each athlete will demonstrate a set number of flat exercises to prepare their horse for the gymnastic phase, which will follow directly after their completion of the flat. The third phase will begin on Sunday, featuring a course designed by the judges, which will begin at 9:00 a.m. ET, followed by the final ride-off phase, at 1:00 p.m. ET, where the top four athletes will swap horses and tackle a shortened course to determine this year’s winner.
Talent Search Finals – West will be hosted November 7-9, 2025, at Desert International Horse Park in Thermal, Calif., with international jumping athletes Jimmy Torano and Lillie Keenan set to judge. Competition will open on Thursday with the rider meeting, horse inspection, and schooling class. Official start times will be announced in the coming weeks. On Friday, athletes will compete in the flat and gymnastics phase, in the same format as the Finals – East with Saturday’s schedule including phase three followed by the fourth ride-off phase to determine this year’s West Coast winner.
The Platinum Performance/USEF Show Jumping Talent Search Program has long been a cornerstone in the development of top young athletes, creating an opportunity for them to showcase their horsemanship, riding ability, and potential in a championship setting. Many past competitors have gone on to represent the United States on senior teams, including Olympians Lauren Hough, Beezie Madden, McLain Ward, and Jessica Springsteen, among others, throughout the years.
The entry deadline for Talent Search Finals – East is Friday, September 5. The entry deadline for the Talent Search Finals – West is Monday, October 20.
For more information on the Talent Search Program, click here.
If you have questions regarding the Talent Search Program and the U.S. Jumping Pathway Program, please contact Erin Keating, US Equestrian Director of Jumping Development Programs, at ekeating@usef.org.
For questions regarding the Talent Search Finals, please contact Rachel Denning, Director of Jumping Coordination, at rdenning@usef.org.
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The USEF International High Performance Programs and the USEF High Performance Pathway Programs are generously supported by the USET Foundation, the philanthropic partner to USEF. High Performance Program support is also provided by the USOPC and USEF sponsors and members.
