United States Eventing Association

The United States Eventing Association, Inc. (USEA) received several highly qualified bids for the role of Official Photographer at the 2026 USEA American Eventing Championships (AEC) presented by Nutrena Feeds. Careful consideration for the overall competitor experience was taken into account when reviewing these bids, and we are thrilled to share that AK Dragoo Photography was selected for the role. The 2026 AEC will take place Aug. 25-30, 2026 at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, Kentucky.

“As lifelong equestrians, my team understands the dedication, perseverance, and countless hours it takes to qualify for the national eventing championships,” said Amy Dragoo. “Our goal is to honor each rider’s achievement by capturing not only the competition itself, but the emotion, excitement, and meaning of the experience—creating a lasting record of a moment they have worked so hard to reach.”

“The sport of eventing is incredibly lucky to have a number of talented professionals working to capture the magic of the sport for all of us that have the privilege of competing in it,” said USEA CEO Rob Burk.

“While we wish we could select all bidders ultimately, we cannot,” he continued. “The AEC is an enormous undertaking for any team planning to cover it, and we are lucky to have worked with some incredible professionals capable of providing beautiful pictures that capture the joy that is the AEC. I am extremely happy that Amy Dragoo’s team has been selected to serve in this capacity. Amy is an exceptional photographer with a strong reputation. She is committed to providing the AEC competitors with the best affordability, the most comprehensive packages, and she brings with her a large professional on-site team. I genuinely enjoy working with Amy as her positivity and love for the horses and riders are her calling card.”

AK Dragoo Photography will bring forth a highly respected team of photographers who have shot at some of the world’s largest competitions including five-stars, other international events, and at the AEC. The team strives to capture a large curation of images that allows riders to select imagery that truly tells the story of their individual experiences at a competition.

A wide variety of packages will be available for competitors to choose from including digital and print options. There will also be a 20% off presale discount that competitors can take advantage of to get the best value on their investment in these memories from the AEC.

The role of Official Photographer comes open for a bid each year to ensure that competitor feedback from past years is taken into account when selecting the appropriate group to fill this role. This USEA does not receive compensation from the Official Photographer or pay the Official Photographer, so the evaluation of bids is entirely based on what quality of the product, cost to the competitor, and the overall competitor experience.

Due to the strong number of bids received this year, the USEA opted to undergo an initial blind review of bids to eliminate any external bias from the decision making process. Candidates were reviewed for their ability to handle an event the size of the AEC, demonstrated product quality, pricing for competitors, and overall professionalism. Following the blind review, company names were revealed to the members of the USEA Staff and the USEA AEC Task Force that served as the reviewing committee and all votes remained the same.

Private Photographer Clause

In an effort to better regulate and maintain horse and rider safety during competition, and out of respect for the partnership with the 2026 AEC official photographer, the USEA will be implementing the following freelance photography protocols during the 2026 AEC.

• No private photographers will be allowed onsite during the 2026 AEC. Any private photographers found to be promoting private photography services or soliciting clients prior to or during the event will be asked to leave the competition immediately.

• Only credentialed media personnel will be granted photography passes for the 2026 AEC.

• With the understanding that family members will want to capture memories of their loved ones during the AEC, personal camera usage is allowed. For safety purposes, those taking photos for personal use are not allowed inside any of the arenas, including during prize-giving ceremonies. We ask that those with personal-use cameras please respect credentialed media and photographers by being aware of their positioning and to please avoid areas that may be in the way of the area that the photographer is shooting. If at any time personal-use photography becomes a safety hazard or comes into conflict with that of a credentialed media person, personal photographers may be asked to relocate.

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 Starter 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 2026 USEA American Eventing Championships presented by Nutrena Feeds will be held on Aug. 25-30 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, Marshall+Sterling Equine Insurance; Gold Level Sponsors: ARMA, PulseVet, Schneiders Saddlery, SmartEquine, Standlee; and more!