The Level Up Licensing Event is transforming equestrian sports in the US by promoting equine ethics, wellness, and inclusivity for a more progressive future.
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — 5/8/2025
The inaugural Level Up Licensing Event is set to launch this weekend, May 9-11, aiming to reshape how the equestrian community measures progress, ethics, and the partnership between horse and rider. Limited to 24 horse-rider combinations, this intimate yet impactful event will feature judging by two renowned figures in the equestrian world: Linda Allen and Avery Jackson.
World-Class Judges Lead with Ethics and Innovation
Linda Allen, celebrated as the first woman to design an Olympic show jumping course at the 1996 Atlanta Games, brings decades of expertise and a global reputation for fairness and innovation. Joining her is Avery Jackson, founder of Equitatxn, a movement science-based dressage training program focused on equine welfare, ethics, resilience, and a horse-first philosophy.
Together, Allen and Jackson represent the best of both tradition and forward-thinking values, emphasizing technical mastery and humane evolution in equine welfare and horse/ rider partnership.
A Shift in Equestrian Standards
For years, the US equestrian community and beyond has faced criticism for being exclusive and resistant to change, particularly when it comes to equine ethics and welfare. The Level Up Licensing Event aims to challenge these perceptions. With its focus on relational riding, ethical licensing, and emotionally intelligent judging, the event seeks to demonstrate that excellence in equestrian sport can coexist with empathy and compassion for horses.
Can a Small Event Spark a Global Impact?
This event, limited to 24 participants, is intentionally intimate to foster meaningful change. Organizers believe this focused approach can set the standard for future equine events.
“A gathering this intentional and judged by leaders who embody both care and rigor is how real cultural shifts begin,” the event team said.
A Turning Point for the US Equestrian Community
The Level Up Licensing Event is more than a competition. Organizers hope it will serve as a model for the future of equestrian sport in the United States, promoting equine ethics, wellness, and inclusive equestrian standards.
"We've built this not just to license," the event team stated. "But to model what the next era of equestrian sport can look and feel like."
For more information reach out to Media Contact:
McKrell Baier
1707 Quinn Road
Collierville, TN 38017
mckrell@schoolseed.org
