Icelandic horses enrich the lives of people of all ages and it’s never too early to fall in love with the horses. The USIHC is committed to providing opportunities for young Icelandic horse enthusiasts to learn about and experience the breed. Young riders build confidence, learn the values of patience and dedication, develop good sportsmanship, and make life-long friends. Youth members can compete at USIHC sanctioned shows, participate in educational seminars, enter the Spaeri AwardContest, and compete at the FEIF Youth Cup. Additionally, youth members have access to all new and archived issues of the Icelandic Horse Quarterly Magazine.
Membership also comes with access to WorldFengur.
Join today nd begin your Icelandic horse journey.
A community of supportive horse enthusiasts awaits you.
Questions? Email youth@icelandics.org.
This program is a unique opportunity that connects youth across the country. Youth members can sign up by filling out the form below and writing their first letter to their penpal. They will then be connected with another youth member to exchange letters with for the year. A sample list of topics and ideas can be found here. Each year, youth participants will receive a new penpal but can decide to also continue writing with their previous penpals. We hope this will forge new friendships for youth who love Icelandic horses!
SIGN UP HEREThe FEIF Youth Cup is an international Icelandic horse competition held in a different European country in July of even-numbered summers. The United States is allowed to send three riders.
Teams of six teen-age riders from different FEIF countries are made up the first day of the Cup. Renowned Icelandic horse trainers train the riders the first three days. The competition among the international teams is held the last two days. Ages for the competition are 14-17 (you must be turning 14 by December 31st of said year, and you must not be turning 18 by December 31st of said year).
Applicants must be a member of the USIHC. He/she must fill out an application, ask his/her riding instructor for an evaluation, and send a video showing a 4-gait or 5-gait program, and a tolt program. The videos are judged by a FEIF judge. Programs scoring over 4.5 are eligible for the Youth Cup team. The applications are evaluated by an independent panel to break any ties in the video scores.
FEIF Youth Cup Tryouts are always held in combination with a USIHC Virtual Show.
Next FEIF Youth Cup: 2026 (applications closed)
FYC Leader Appliation
FYC Country Leader Application
The North American Youth Cup is a bi-annual, premier youth development event organized by the United States Icelandic Horse Congress (USIHC).
Designed for young Icelandic horse riders across North America, the event combines intensive coaching, team-based activities, and friendly competition in a structured, educational environment.
Participants work with experienced coaches to refine their riding skills, deepen their horsemanship knowledge, and build leadership and camaraderie within the Icelandic horse community.
Next Youth Cup: 2027 (applications closed)
Spaeri is the Icelandic name of the Icelandic endurance horse known as Remington, famous for his determination, passion and indomitable will. This award is intended to inspire and encourage these same qualities in our youth when spending time with Icelandic Horses.
The Spaeri Award will be given annually to a youth who clearly demonstrates commitment to and love for Icelandic horses. The recipient of the award will be chosen from USIHC youth who submit articles demonstrating these sought after qualities for publication in the Quarterly during the calendar year. Articles will be reviewed at the end of the calendar year, and the Quarterly staff and Youth Committee will select one winner who will receive the award, along with $50.
A recipient must be a USIHC member under 18 years of age during the entire year the article is submitted.
The recipient must submit a self-written article for publication in the Quarterly, along with a high resolution photograph of him/her and the horse or activity.To demonstrate the desired qualities, the article may describe any horse-related activity, such as trail or competition riding, driving, gymkhana, endurance, dressage, team penning, or jumping. Participation in non-riding activities such as 4-H, therapeutic riding, rescue and adoption, or simply training or caring for Icelandic horses, as long as the activity demonstrates love and commitment to the Icelandic horse. The youth writing the article need not own the Icelandic horse.If the article concerns a specific Icelandic horse, it need not be USIHC registered.
Youth Articles for submission should be sent to quarterly@icelandics.org identified as a Youth Article submitted for the Spaeri Award.
Submissions must be received by December 31 to be considered. The winner will be notified early in the following year and announced in the first issue of The Icelandic Horse Quarterly the following year.
The FEIF Youth Camp is the flagship international youth program dedicated to the global Icelandic horse community. First launched in 1986 as an “International Youth Week” in partnership with the Netherlands, and officially established as the FEIF Youth Camp in 1988 in Germany, the camp has since been hosted every second year by a different member nation.
Designed to unite young equestrians from across the FEIF network, the Youth Camp brings together participants who share a genuine passion for the Icelandic horse. Beyond riding, the program offers a unique opportunity to experience the equestrian traditions and cultural heritage of the host country—creating a dynamic environment of learning, collaboration, and international connection.
Participants are not required to own or bring a horse. However, they should have prior riding experience and a sincere interest in Icelandic horses. Throughout the week, attendees engage in a carefully curated program of mounted and unmounted activities. Past experiences have included long trail rides, specialized riding instruction, outdoor adventures, cultural workshops, creative projects, and even polo lessons on Icelandic horses. Full participation is expected, fostering teamwork, leadership, and personal growth.At its core, FEIF’s youth programming is committed to:Elevating standards of horsemanshipEncouraging cultural awareness within the international horse communityBuilding lifelong friendships across borders
Next FEIF Youth Camp: 2027 (applications closed)
