The United States Eventing Association (USEA) is pleased to offer the USEA Adult Team Championships (ATC) at the upcoming USEA American Eventing Championships (AEC), presented by Nutrena Feeds. The Adult Team Championships will be offered once again at the Beginner Novice, Novice, Training, and Preliminary levels for members of the USEA Adult Rider Program, and newly added this year, the Modified level will be included in the ATC as well.
The ATC are offered to USEA members who are part of their Area’s Adult Rider program (before July 1), and they must be 22 years of age or older. Riders must enter either the Amateur division or the Rider division at the AEC at their respective level (BN, N, T, M, P).
The USEA Adult Rider Coordinators are requiring that all ATC riders submit this letter of intent before the AEC opening date, July 18, 2023 in order to be considered for an ATC team. The letter of intent was introduced in 2022 as a way to streamline and organize the team-creation process. Please fill out the form as soon as possible and a copy will be automatically submitted to your Area Coordinator.
Fill out the ATC letter of intent here.
In order to compete at the USEA Adult Team Championships at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, Kentucky, on Aug. 29-Sept. 3, 2023, please see the national qualification requirements below. Additionally, each area will have its own qualification standards, which may be viewed here.
Qualifications for entry into the USEA Adult Team Championships (National Requirements)
For questions regarding the ATC and your team, please reach out to your Area Adult Rider Coordinator.
About the USEA American Eventing Championships
The USEA American Eventing Championships (AEC), presented by Nutrena Feeds, is the pinnacle of the sport at the national levels. Held annually, the best junior, adult amateur, and professional competitors gather to vie for national championship titles at every level from Beginner Novice to Advanced. This ultimate test of horse and rider draws hundreds of combinations from around the country to compete for fabulous prizes, a piece of the substantial prize money, and the chance to be named the National Champion at their respective levels. In fact, the 2021 AEC garnered over 1,000 entries and now stands as the largest eventing competition in North American history. The 2023 USEA American Eventing Championships presented by Nutrena Feeds will be held Aug. 29S— Sept. 3 at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, Kentucky. Click here to learn more about the USEA American Eventing Championships.
The USEA would like to thank Presenting Sponsor: Nutrena Feeds; Advanced Final Title Sponsor: Adequan; Platinum Level Sponsor: Bates Saddles Gold Level Sponsors: Parker Equine Insurance, Smartpak, Capital Square, Standlee; Silver Level Sponsors: Auburn Labs, Mountain Horse, The Jockey Club, Kerrits; and more!
About the Adult Team Championships
The USEA Adult Team 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 Championships at the AEC! The ATC is now offered at the Beginner Novice, Novice, Training, Modified, and Preliminary levels at the AEC. The USEA would like to thank The Chronicle of the Horse, FITS Riding, Nutrena Feeds, SmartPak, Achieve Equine/FLAIR, Kerrits, and Horse & Country TV for sponsoring the USEA Adult Team Championships.
Eventers who are new to the sport may feel a little overwhelmed by the often-misunderstood world of saddle fitting. Riders are often bombarded with information from peers online or self-described experts, putting them at risk of following bad advice related to equipment that impacts horse welfare perhaps more than any other piece of tack. Finding a qualified expert to answer these questions is crucial. Who better to turn to than both a qualified Master Saddle Fitter and a fourth-generation saddle designer to answer some of these questions?
Did you know that the USEA Foundation awards over 150 grants each year to deserving individuals who are involved in the sport of eventing? With grants that assist riders with accomplishing their competition goals, grants geared toward licensed officials, grants that are specific to continuing education for coaches, grants that assist competitions with obtaining frangible technology, and so much more, there really is a grant opportunity available to almost anyone!
With the start of the New Year just days away, now is the time to consider how your actions can have a positive impact on the sport of eventing in 2025. Each and every member of the eventing community has an important role to play in ensuring the sport continues to grow and thrive. From fostering educational opportunities to supporting grassroots initiatives and participating at all levels of the sport, there are so many ways to get involved.
Ride iQ’s popular “Ask An Expert” series features professional advice and tips from all areas of the horse industry. One of the most-downloaded episodes is an expert session with Peter Gray, an accomplished dressage judge and Olympic eventer. He has recently judged at events like the five-star at the Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event, and he served on the ground jury at the 2022 FEI World Eventing Championships in Pratoni, Italy. His background as a competitor in the Olympic Games riding for Bermuda and as a coach and selector for the Canadian eventing team adds depth to his understanding of the sport.