United States Eventing Association

Will Faudree strutted down the jog strip at the Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event horse inspection in a hot pink suit and cowboy hat with a big grin on his face. Fans love this version of Faudree: the easygoing persona, the smile, the laughter, the obvious care he has for his horses, and his love of Broadway musicals. But once you get to know his story, you begin to appreciate just how amazing it is that he approaches the chaos of his day-to-day life with comedy and a positive attitude.

Chelsea Luedke’s eventing journey leading up to this point has been the result of a lot of hard work and a little bit of luck on her side. The equine veterinarian based in Thornton, Colorado, did not grow up in a horse-involved family. It was by happenstance that she would wind up at an eventing barn at the age of 13 and find her true passion.

Since the mid-’80s, lifelong horsewoman and professional artist Debra Sue Waters has devoted countless hours to the sport of eventing, and last year topped the rankings of the USEA Volunteer Incentive Program in Area V. Assisting behind the scenes at an event just comes naturally to the Millsap, Texas, resident.

Bec Braitling was 23 when she tackled her first four-star, now five-star, level competition at Adelaide in East Park Lands, Australia.

Kelly O’Brien has her eye on a prize. “Pretty much the rest of this season will be targeted towards getting fired up for the AEC,” says O’Brien, 54. She and B E Never Say Never, a 19-year-old Dutch Warmblood, have qualified for the 2024 USEA American Eventing Championships (AEC) presented by Nutrena Feeds already, thanks to decisively winning all three of their 2024 outings thus far.

Gretchen Butts grew up in the long-format era of eventing in the 1970s, completing the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event in 2003 and 2004 and finishing one of the last long-format Burghley Horse Trials (England) in 2004 on her beloved Zydeco.

While many spousal partners may choose to keep business and family separate, such is not the case for the duo behind Alliston Equestrian. From riding and coaching to winning the American Eventing Championships, husband and wife James and Helen Alliston do everything together, every day.

Dear Benji, this is one of those notes I wish I wasn't writing. But if I didn't get my thoughts to you in some (albeit cheesy) way, I might go crazier than the situation is already making me.

When Alexa Thompson (née Ehlers) looks back at her eventing career, she can without a doubt trace where she is now back to a little Thoroughbred mare she got when she was just 10 years old named Crystal Clear (Far Out Wadleigh x Rollem Katrina).

Ava Chase wasn’t quite sure what to think as she was handed the lead rope of Kingston, a 21-year-old New Zealand Thoroughbred, in 2021. The gelding’s owner had heard of Chase, who runs a boarding barn in San Marcos, California, and knew she provided good care.