EDITED PRESS RELEASE
The U.S. Equestrian Federation has announced several updates to the qualification criteria, dates, and competition format for the 2026 Platinum Performance/USEF Show Jumping Talent Search Finals. These changes are designed to further test athletes’ ability to ride a jumper-style course effectively while maintaining the classic American forward style of riding.
Talent Search Finals—East
Qualification requirements for the Platinum Performance/USEF Show Jumping Talent Search Finals—East remain unchanged. To qualify, athletes must earn 90 points and a ribbon placing in a 2* or 3* Talent Search class. Winning a 3* Talent Search class will automatically qualify an athlete for the Finals. The qualifying period will run from Sept. 1, 2025, through Aug. 31, 2026. The 2026 Talent Search Finals—East will be held Oct. 2-4, 2026, at USET Headquarters in Gladstone, New Jersey.
Talent Search Finals—West
To qualify for the Platinum Performance/USEF Show Jumping Talent Search Finals—West, athletes must earn 15 points in Talent Search class(es) during the qualifying period. The qualifying period will run from Nov. 1, 2025, through Oct. 31, 2026. The 2026 Talent Search Finals—West will take place during Desert Holiday at Desert International Horse Park, from Dec. 2-6, 2026 in Thermal, California.
Competition Format Updates
The Talent Search Finals will continue with the combined Phase I and Phase II format, which includes flat and gymnastic components. One score will be awarded for the flat phase, and one score will be awarded for the gymnastic phase, with the gymnastic phase receiving a 1.5 multiplier. Judges will select a minimum of eight flat movements. Athletes will complete the flat movements in order of their own choosing within a two-and-a-half-minute time limit, after which they will proceed directly into the gymnastic course. All athletes will return the following day for Phase III, the jumping phase, competing in reverse order of their combined scores from the previous stages.
Phase IV will undergo significant updates, including the removal of the top four horse rotations. The phase will now feature the top 10 athlete-and-horse combinations, determined by cumulative scores from Phases I, II, and III.
Phase IV will be a modified winning round format held over a shortened, judged course with fence heights at 1.15 m. Judges will evaluate athletes’ ability to combine speed with short turns, accuracy, efficient track selection, and control, while maintaining classical riding principles and showcasing the horse’s ability to jump clear. Each rail down will result in four points deducted from the final score. While the phase will be timed, time and faults will not be the sole determining factors.
These updates reflect the Platinum Performance/USEF Show Jumping Talent Search Program’s continued commitment to identifying and developing top jumping athletes by encouraging junior and young riders to develop the skills that lay the groundwork for future international success.
