United States Eventing Association

The United States Eventing Association (USEA) is pleased to announce that Darwinn, owned by Caroline Moran and ridden by Phillip Dutton, is the likely recipient of the 2026 Holekamp/Turner Grant and The Dutta Corp. prize. The 7-year-old Holsteiner gelding (Denver x Emma V) is aiming to represent the U.S. at the 2026 FEI WBFSH Eventing World Breeding Championships for Young Horses in the 7-year-old CCI3*-L Championship at Mondial du Lion in Le Lion d’Angers, France, from Oct. 15-18.

The intention of the Holekamp/Turner Grant is to further develop an upward pathway for future U.S. team horses in the sport of eventing. Grant recipients who are North American-bred are awarded the full cash grant of $17,500, while imported horses receive $8,000. The recipient also receives The Dutta Corp. prize, which provides one $10,000 flight credit from the Eastern United States to Europe to the grant recipient. The grant will be officially awarded after Darwinn passes the first horse inspection at the championship in France.

“I first saw Darwinn as a 4-year-old in Germany,” Dutton recalled. “Dirk Schrade told me I had to look at him, as I was not really looking for a 4-year-old. Darwinn had a great Thoroughbred conformation and type with a nice, supple jump and movement, so we ended up bringing him home.”

Owned by Caroline Moran, Darwinn was introduced to the USEA Young Event Horse (YEH) program as a 5-year-old in 2024, ultimately finishing 25th overall in the USEA YEH 5-Year-Old Championships between both coasts. From there, Dutton has carefully progressed the gelding through the levels, with Darwinn stepping up to the two-star level as a 6-year-old in 2025 before continuing his progression toward the three-star level this season.

That progression reached an important milestone this spring when Darwinn earned a qualifying result in the CCI3*-S at the Tryon International Three-Day Event in May. One month later, he finished second in the CCI2*-L at Bromont, adding just 3.2 cross-country time penalties to his dressage score of 27.9 to finish on a 31.1 and complete the final requirements necessary to qualify for the 7-year-old championship at Mondial du Lion.

Since then, Dutton has continued giving Darwinn experience ahead of his planned trip overseas, including an outing in the USEA Open Intermediate Championship at the 2026 USEA American Eventing Championships presented by Nutrena Feeds at the Kentucky Horse Park in August.

For Dutton, however, the value of taking Darwinn to France extends well beyond the result he may produce there. Mondial du Lion is known for its championship atmosphere and large crowds, providing young horses with an experience unlike most they will encounter at this stage of their careers.

“I’m hoping that Lion will be a good education and next step in Darwinn’s career,” Dutton said. “I think the atmosphere and crowds will be a bit of a shock for him, but hopefully he will gain confidence in himself from the event and set him up for future international events.”

That opportunity to build confidence could be particularly valuable for Darwinn, whose development has required patience from Dutton and his team. While his talent caught Dutton’s attention from the beginning, his confidence has taken more time to develop.

“Darwinn is a naturally shy and not overly confident horse,” Dutton said. “I actually questioned in the beginning if he wanted to be an event horse. It’s been rewarding watching Darwinn develop and grow in his self-belief and bravery. Through the sport and his training, he is growing into a much more self-confident, forward-thinking horse.”

It is that kind of long-term development that sits at the heart of both the USEA YEH Program and the Holekamp/Turner Grant.

The horse with the highest score from the 2024 USEA YEH 5-Year-Old Championships that is also fully qualified, able, and willing to compete in the 7-year-old championship at Mondial du Lion receives the Holekamp/Turner Grant. If that horse does not qualify or is unable to attend, the grant moves to the next-highest-scoring eligible horse. The program is designed to reward horses that have been educated and prepared in a correct and progressive manner while creating a pathway from young horse competition toward the upper levels of the sport.

Dutton believes programs that encourage riders, trainers, owners, and breeders to identify and develop promising horses early in their careers are particularly important to the future of eventing in the United States.

“One of our sport’s weaknesses in the U.S. is the breeding and producing of horses for the future,” he said. “The Holekamp/Turner Grant and the YEH classes really give trainers, riders, and breeders a place to start this much-needed, crucial, and exciting part of the event horse’s career.”

For Darwinn, that pathway has taken him from a young horse in Germany who Dutton wasn’t initially looking for, through the USEA YEH program, and now toward one of the biggest stages in the world for young event horses.

About the USEA Young Event Horse (YEH) Program

The Young Event Horse (YEH) Program was first established in 2004 as an eventing talent search. Much like similar programs in Europe, the YEH program was designed to identify young horses aged four- and five-years-old, that possess the talent and disposition to, with proper training, excel at the uppermost levels of the sport. The ultimate goal of the program is to distinguish horses with the potential to compete at the four- and five-star levels, but many fine horses that excel at the lower levels are also showcased by the program.

The YEH program provides an opportunity for breeders and owners to exhibit the potential of their young horses while encouraging the breeding and development of top event horses for the future. The program rewards horses who are educated and prepared in a correct and progressive manner. At qualifying events, youngsters complete a dressage test and a jumping/galloping/general impression phase. At Championships, young horses are also evaluated on their conformation in addition to the dressage test and jumping/galloping/general impression phase. Click here to learn more about the Young Event Horse Program.

The USEA would like to thank Platinum Sponsor, The Dutta Corp., as well as Contributing Sponsors ARMA, Bates Saddles, CrossCountry App, FLAIR Equine Nasal Strips, Gallagher's Water, HorseWeek, The Jockey Club, Kerrits, Marshall+Sterling, Schneiders Saddlery, SmartEquine, and Standlee, and Prize Sponsor 100xEquine for sponsoring the Young Event Horse Program. The USEA also thanks Ocala Horse Properties for their support of the 2026 USEA YEH Symposium.

About The Holekamp/Turner Grant

Founded in 2015 by Timothy and Cheryl Holekamp of New Spring Farm and Christine and T.J. Turner of Indian Creek Farm, the Holekamp/Turner Grant provides a USEA Young Event Horse (YEH) Championship competitor with the opportunity to represent the United States at the FEI Eventing World Breeding Championships in the 7-year-old CCIYH3*-L Championship at Mondial du Lion in Le Lion d’Angers, France. With the sole purpose of paving a clear pathway for U.S. team horses to progress in the sport of eventing, recipients who are North American bred will be awarded the full cash grant of $17,500, while imported horses are awarded $8,000. Additionally, The Dutta Corp. offers a prize to the Holekamp/Turner Grant recipient, consisting of a $10,000 flight credit from the Eastern United States to Europe.