United States Eventing Association

Are You Ready To Partayyy?. . . at the 2018 USEA AEC!

Competing at the 2018 USEA American Eventing Championships (AEC) presented by Nutrena Feeds will give eventers the chance to vie for hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash and prizes, all amidst the beautiful backdrop of the Rocky Mountains! The AEC will be celebrating its 15^th year in 2018 and the United States Eventing Association (USEA) and the Colorado Horse Park (CHP) have some fun things in store for competitors, owners, grooms, spectators, and everyone in attendance.

Less than an hour outside Denver, Colorado, this is a destination that competitors won’t want to miss this Labor Day weekend with plenty of fun for everyone to share. The USEA and CHP will kick things off Thursday evening at 6:00 p.m. with the 2018 USEA AEC welcome party including dinner, drinks, and music! AEC competitors will receive one entrance ticket or wristband to the welcome party, and AEC competitors with multiple AEC horse entries will receive a ticket or wristband per entry. Each AEC entry will also receive two drink tickets for the welcome party. AEC Presenting Sponsor Nutrena Feeds will be at the welcome party, giving away FREE Nutrena shirts to the first 200 AEC competitors to arrive at the welcome party, so get there early!

Friday night will host two parties: the Adult Rider party and the Young Rider party. The Young Rider party is open to all riders aged 21 and under who are a part of the USEA Young Rider Program. Young riders will gather in the pavilion at 6:30 p.m. for fun and entertainment with pizza, soft drinks, and the opportunity to meet and mingle with their peers. The Adult Rider party will take place in the VIP berm, with hors d’oeuvres provided along with a cash bar. Party attendees must be registered in the USEA Adult Rider Program and be 22 years or older. This is also a great chance for Adult Team Championship (ATC) riders to meet each other for a fun evening of team building and great laughs. The Adult Rider party is presented by Equestrian Athlete Training Camps at the U.S. Olympic Training Center and Coach Daniel Stewart will be in attendance to offer a quick discussion as well as hand out door prizes that could earn competitors a scholarship at the Training Camps!

The Adequan USEA Gold Cup Final Advanced division will show jump under the lights on Saturday evening during the AEC Competitors' Party. USEA/Leslie Mintz Photo.

Saturday night will host the infamous AEC Competitors’ Party, centered around that evening's show jumping competition for the Adequan USEA Gold Cup Final Advanced division. The party will open around 6:00 p.m. allowing competitors to enter and eat dinner. AEC competitors will also receive two drink tickets. Then, the Advanced division show jumping will begin around 6:30 p.m. or so, followed by a formal awards ceremony in front of the audience with a champagne celebration. Once the awards are complete and the 2018 Adequan USEA Gold Cup Champion is crowned, a DJ will begin playing music for everyone to kick up their heels and dance the night away with the splendid panoramic views of the Rocky Mountains. All AEC competitors will receive one complimentary ticket and two drink tickets, as will the non-championship ‘festival’ competitors.

Click on the links below to purchase your tickets in advance!

• Patron Tent Tickets
• Welcome Party
• Young Riders Party
• Adult Riders Party
• Competitor Party

Entries are already open for the AEC, and the closing date is August 14, so be sure to visit the Omnibus listing and enter before it’s too late. Current accepted riders may be found here.

The USEA would like to thank AEC Presenting Sponsor Nutrena, Gold Cup Advanced Division Title Sponsor Adequan, Platinum Sponsor Devoucoux, Gold Level Sponsors Parker Equine Insurance, Charles Owen, Standlee Hay, Merck Animal Health, Silver Level Sponsor Mountain Horse, Bronze Level Sponsors SmartPak, Dubarry, The Chronicle of the Horse, Stackhouse and Ellis Saddles, Auburn Laboratories, FITS Riding, CWD, and all of the rest of the generous AEC Sponsors!

About the USEA American Eventing Championships
The USEA American Eventing Championships (AEC) is the pinnacle of the sport for 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 horses and riders 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. This year, the USEA American Eventing Championships will be held August 30-September 2, 2018 at the Colorado Horse Park in Parker, Colorado. Click here to learn more about the USEA American Eventing Championships.