USEA Adult Team Championships

August 31 - September 5, 2021 • The Kentucky Horse Park

The USEA Adult Team Championships (ATC) is the capstone event for the USEA Area Adult Team Challenges. The ATC provides adults with the chance to compete as a team and represent their Area in a friendly and fun environment.

About the Adult Team Championships

The USEA Adult Team Challenges have been generously sponsored by The Chronicle of the Horse for more than 20 years. The Challenges have given adult riders a chance to compete in a friendly team competition. For many years, the Challenges were held annually in different locations (Eastern, Central, and Western) around the United States, but in an effort to re-energize the program, the membership of the USEA voted to change the overall model of the program. Starting in 2014, every Area was encouraged to hold Adult Team Challenges to offer adult riders the opportunity to compete in team competitions leading up to the USEA Adult Team Championships held at the USEA American Eventing Championships. As a result, Adult Team Challenges were no longer isolated to the three challenges around the country. Instead, there may be as many as 10 opportunities to compete in a Challenge, with a final occurring at the Adult Team Championship at the AEC!

The 2021 calendar of Adult Team Challenges is to be determined. If your event would like to host an Adult Team Challenge, please email Kate Lokey at [email protected].

Divisions Offered

• Preliminary Team Championship
• Training Team Championship
• Novice Team Championship
• Beginner Novice Team Championship

USEA Adult Team Championships Area Team Selection Procedures

Each Area will have different procedures to identify teams selected to compete at the USEA Adult Team Championships. Interested adult riders are encouraged to contact their Area Adult Rider Coordinator for selection procedures specific to their Area.

USEA Adult Team Championship Rider Support

Many Areas are planning to provide sponsorship, support, and in some cases travel assistance to teams identified to represent them. More information coming soon.

USEA Adult Team Championships Prizes

$2,000 per level prize money was secured for 2019 ATC. Prizes for the 2021 ATC will be announced when they are available.

AEC Qualifications

In order to compete at the USEA Adult Team Championships at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, Kentucky, August 31-September 5, 2021, please read the following National Qualifications for Entry. Additionally, each area will have its own qualification standards which can be viewed below.

Qualifications for Entry into the USEA Adult Team Championships (National)

1. The qualifying period for each horse and rider pair is May 25, 2020 – August 23, 2021. Horses and riders qualified for the 2020 AEC are automatically qualified for the 2021 AEC pending completion within the time period of April 23, 2021 - August 23, 2021.
   
2. Horses and riders must be members/registered with the USEA at the time of achieving qualifications and during the USEA Adult Team Championships.
3. All riders must be 22 years of age or older (born in or before 1999).
4. Closing dates will be consistent with the USEA American Eventing Championships.
5. Each horse and rider pair must meet AEC qualifications for the level they are competing in.
6. The rider must be a current Adult Rider Member for their Area by the closing date of the Adult Team Championship.
7. Each Area can have up to eight teams of four riders at the USEA Adult Team Championship.
8. All teams should be coordinated through the Area Adult Rider Coordinator(s).
9. The Adult Team Challenge teams should be composed only of riders competing in the Amateur divisions and/or the Rider specific divisions hosted at the USEA American Eventing Championships. Riders competing in the Horse divisions should not be placed on ATC teams.
10. Mixed Area teams are allowed and encouraged. All horse and rider pairs without a full team of 3-4 members must be identified by the Area Adult Rider Coordinators as qualified and willing to compete and submitted to the USEA for inclusion on a mixed team. For more information please contact Kate Lokey at [email protected] or (703) 779-0440.

Request for exceptions for these qualification terms should be sent to [email protected] prior to the closing date of the competition.

Area I Qualifications

Area I requires that ATC team members register as members of the Area I Adult Rider program by July 15 of the current year.

Contact the Area I Adult Rider Coordinator for more information.

Area II Qualifications

Area II Criteria Adult Team Championship (in addition to National Requirements)

1. Riders may qualify as individuals or as part of a team.
2. Entire team must meet National Qualifications listed above.
3. You do not need to form a team to ride in the ATC. Individuals without a complete team will be placed on a team with members from Area II and/or other areas.
4. Maximum of 32 riders from Area II may participate (two four-person teams at each level).

Contact the Area II Adult Rider Coordinator for more information.

Area III Qualifications

Area III is only using the qualifications as stated for the national ATC.

Contact the Area III Adult Rider Coordinator for more information.

Area IV Qualifications

Identify your intent to compete at the ATC to the Area IV Adult Rider Coordinator by the ATC closing date. All teams must be coordinated through the Area IV Adult Rider Coordinator.

Contact the Area IV Adult Rider Coordinator for more information.

Area V Qualifications

Area V is only using the qualifications as stated for the national ATC.

Contact the Area V Adult Rider Coordinator for more information.

Area VI Qualifications

Area VI is only using the qualifications as stated for the national ATC.

Contact the Area VI Adult Rider Coordinator for more information.

Area VII Qualifications

1. Rider must be a current member of their Area VII Adult Rider Program.
2. Area VII is using the qualifications as stated for the national ATC.
3. Area qualification - must have shown team spirit.
4. Monetary compensation is available only to those competing in the ATC. May be on a team if you are riding in the AEC in a rider division only. Compensation is not available for AEC competitors.

Contact the Area VII Adult Rider Coordinator for more information.

Area VIII Qualifications

1. Area VIII is using the qualifications as stated for the national ATC.
2. Rider must be a current member of their Area VIII Adult Rider Program by the ATC closing date.
3. Identify your intent to compete at the ATC to the Area VIII Adult Rider Coordinator by the ATC closing date. All teams must be coordinated through the Area VIII Adult Rider Coordinator.

Contact the Area VIII Adult Rider Coordinator for more information.

Area IX Qualifications

Area IX is only using the qualifications as stated for the national ATC.

Contact the Area IX Adult Rider Coordinator for more information.

Area X Qualifications

1. Horse and rider combination, together, must have three clean cross-country jumping rounds (no jumping penalties). Qualifying score is void if a dangerous riding penalty (yellow card) was received.
2. Rider must be a current member of their Area X Adult Rider Program by the ATC closing date.
3. Non-amateur riders may not have completed any competitions at a level greater than their ATC competition level in the last 24 months.
4. Identify your intent to compete at the ATC to the Area X Adult Rider Coordinator by the ATC closing date. All teams must be coordinated through the Area X Adult Rider Coordinator.

Contact the Area X Adult Rider Coordinator for more information.