United States Eventing Association

When people see Haunted Blessings and me competing today, they see a horse-and-rider team that qualified for the 2026 USEA American Eventing Championships. What they don’t always see is the patience, trust, and hard work it took to get here.

Let's be honest. Most of us have spent far more time obsessing over grain, supplements, saddle fit, hoof balance, conditioning schedules, and whether our horse needs another massage … than we've ever spent thinking about water.

My name is Adilyn Cartwright, and I will be competing in the 2026 AEC on Chasing Gold, owned by Jessica Saari. "Chase" is a 14-year-old Quarter Horse who I have had the opportunity to event the past several years.

Eventers are masters of preparation. Success across dressage, cross-country, and show jumping is rarely determined by one dramatic advantage. Instead, it comes from consistently doing many small things exceptionally well. Elite riders' condition for fitness, develop strength, balance, and rideabi...

We found The Riddler when I had fallen out of love with riding. He was kind of my mom’s last effort to keep me in the saddle. If it didn’t work, it didn’t work, and I’d go play volleyball.

In April 2019, I adopted a Thoroughbred gelding named Master Rudy (Fusaichi Pegasus x Sacred Sue) from Heart of Phoenix Equine Rescue in West Virginia. At the time, I wasn’t searching for my next event horse. In fact, I wasn’t searching for a competition horse at all.

I have been riding since I can remember, but I grew up showing and raising American Saddlebreds. My old show mare, Desi, was 23 years old when my 9-year-old daughter, Lauren, had joined Pony Club and started eventing. Desi was the babysitter that any parent wants for their child. I didn’t know a ...

For event horses, success depends on the seamless integration of power, athleticism, and suppleness. Dressage demands engagement of the topline and hindquarters, cross-country requires strength and endurance, and show jumping challenges a horse's ability to flex, bascule, and push from behind. At...

The best part of the Road to the AEC is experiencing it through my daughter’s eyes. She is so determined and enthusiastic—it makes me feel like a 13-year old myself some days! And that is a cause for joy. I can’t wait to share this experience with her in August.