“A very tough task for this year's Selection Panel!” declared the professionals Marco Kutscher, Dirk Demeersman, Emile Hendrix and Gianluca Bormioli when announcing the Young Riders Academy's teams for 2018. This year the Board and the Selection Panel have had an even more challenging chore in choosing the final line-up. National Federations, again, presented a group of athletes remarkably motivated with an "excellent technical side” commented Sven Holmberg. After having evaluated all applicants’ attitude, capabilities, motivation together with technical skills and competition results, the YRA Board and the Panel came up with the official assessment concerning the Young Riders Academy Team 2018.

Seven riders among the 28 made it to Full Program team, while six of them entered in this year Educational Program squad.

The Full Program offers a long stay (about six months) of “tailor-made” training and boarding at a renowned professional stable and includes qualified education in communication, business and economics, veterinary, anti-doping and legal practice connected to showjumping.

The Educational Program team will gather during the year for the four to five academic sessions - on the above topics. This group will also benefit from YRA support during jumping seasons which consists of clinics, sport training and shows invitations.

Clinics during the year will be held by Jean Maurice Bonneau, Jos Lansink, Rodrigo Pessoa and Franke Sloothaak while the trainers for the full program are going to be Marcus Beerbaum, Rolf Göran Bengtsson, Henk Nooren, Marco Kutscher, Jos Lansink, Ben, Gerco and Wim Schröder. Gianluca Bormioli will also be supporting the group of trainers.

The YRA teams for 2018 will be as follow:

Full Program:

Harry Charles, GBR

Ventsislav Izov, BUL

Lisa Nooren, NED

Jenny Rankin, IRL

Sanne Thijssen, NED

Lisa Ulven, NOR

Chloe Whinchester, GBR

Educational Program:

Pieter Clemens, BEL

Guido Franchi, ITA

Matteo Leonardi, ITA

Dimme d´Haese, BEL

Christopher Kläsener, GER

Darragh Ryan, IRL

As usual, both teams will meet in Lugano in mid-June for the 2018 program kick-off at Franklin University of Switzerland.

The Young Riders Academy is a program conceived for European talented young show jumpers with the cooperation of the International Jumping Riders Club (IJRC) and the support of Rolex since its first edition.

Founded in 2014 by Athenaeum, a non-profit association, the program will give talented riders between the ages of 18 and 23 the chance to get six months of training and boarding at a well-known professional stable. On top of that, professional education in communication, business and economics, veterinary and legal practice related to show jumping. The objective is to develop future champions as well as potential managers of this sport.

For further information:

[email protected]

www.ridersacademy.eu