United States Eventing Association

Lexington, Ky.—Aug. 26—Laine Ashker has been partnered with Lovedance since the mare was 4. While their partnership has had some ups and downs as they’ve gone up through the levels, Ashker is thrilled to be riding an “up” wave this season with the 10-year-old Dutch Warmblood mare (Quality Time TN x S-Nodence) owned by Lovedance LLC as they headed to the USEA American Eventing Championships presented by Nutrena Feeds (AEC) this week.

The pair took the lead in the $60,000 Adequan© USEA Advanced Final this morning ahead of 20 other pairs on a score of 28.1 in front of judges Bea di Grazia and Helen Brettell.

Ashker said her good fortune this season with “Lottie,” which included a win in the Maryland International CCI4*-S in June, are proof her affirmations are working.

“I'm in a good mental place,” she said. “It's not always been up with my horse. I think it’s probably more down than up with my horse, and I feel like now I've been able to sort of figure her out to the extent that I can go in and have a strong test. We left a lot of points on the table. I thought there were some green moments, but I think there's still a lot more to come with her.”

Ashker is a dressage specialist, splitting her time between Grand Prix dressage and eventing. She felt her test today could have been better, but she feels like at this point in her partnership with Lottie that even an OK day in the sandbox will score well.

“When we started warming up, she was quite tense. She worked out of it, and Phillip Dutton has been really pivotal in helping me with that stuff,” she said. “I went in there, and she performed. I got a little greedy in the walk because she tends to hold herself a bit in the walk, and then I pushed her a bit too much, so she jigged. So that was on me, and I was a little bit disappointed in that. But I'm trying to get to the point where even my crappy test can be pretty competitive, and I think we're getting to that point, and it’s only because I've messed up a million times! I feel like I'm in a good place, and I feel like I'm there.”

Ashker brought Lottie to the AEC as a prep run before her big fall goal of the US Open of Eventing at Morven Park (Leesburg, Virginia).

“I thought it would be a good; it's a championship course, and boy, is it ever,” she said. “I walked it, and I'll be very nervous tomorrow! It's got really everything on there. It's got a few questions that I've not that I've actually done as an eventing competitor as well, like the bounce coming out of water.”

Ashker said she’s coming into this weekend feeling confident after her big win at Maryland, which was the first four-star win of her career. “We’re coming off a win from Maryland, and she felt absolutely amazing. I've been working on the fitness this summer,” she said. “We'll go to Plantation [Field] as another really great fitness round and challenge and then finish up hopefully at our first [four-star] long at the Open.”

She’s feeling good about tackling Jay Hambly’s cross-country course tomorrow but admits it’s taken some time to get used to riding at the Advanced level again last year after a seven-year break between Lottie and her last Advanced horse Call Him Paddy.

“Every time I come out, it’s like starting all over again,” she admitted. “My horse felt amazing at Maryland, and I felt I could do it. And then here, I walked around the course, and I'm getting nervous, but I finally have the feeling that I had. I've got the horse on my side. There's a marriage. I've had this horse since she was a 4-year-old. She's now 10, and I'm starting to understand where I can push her. It's not a matter of if we can do it, but how quickly we can do it, and it feels really special to finally have that. I just feel like the trust has now really come full circle, and I think it's because I do everything on her. I think all those things build a really cool trusting relationship and so I’m eager. I’m not nauseous, I don't want to turn and run for the hills! Once I'm out there, I feel confident in the horse that I'm sat on and that is a really great feeling to have.”

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About the USEA American Eventing Championships (AEC)

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 Sponsors: Bates Saddles, Marshall+Sterling Equine Insurance; Gold Level Sponsors: ARMA, Gallaghers Water, PulseVet, Schneiders Saddlery, SmartPak, Standlee; Silver Level Sponsors: Auburn Labs, Kerrits, The Jockey Club Thoroughbred Incentive Program, Rood & Riddle; Bronze Level Sponsors: 70°, Antech Diagnostics, Athletux, The Chronicle of the Horse, Devoucoux, D.G. Stackhouse & Ellis, Dubarry of Ireland, Equestrian Team Apparel, Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation, John Deere, Retired Racehorse Project, Ride EquiSafe, Santa Cruz Animal Health; Contributing Level Sponsors: AnimaSol, CrossCountry App, Foxhollow Farm, Georgetown/Scott County Tourism, Kentucky Equine Research, Kentucky Horse Park Foundation, Lexmark, LV Harkness, Only Fools and Horses, #WeRideTogether, YETI; and Prize Level Sponsors: ARRO Helmets, The Dad Den, Dandy Products, Equiluxe Tack, Equine IMED, FLAIR Equine Nasal Strips, I Love My Horse Boutique, The Infused Equestrian, Love Equestrian, Majyk Equipe, Mare Modern Goods, Natalie Hummel Coaching, Neighborly Tack, Outlaw Nutrition, Parkmore Supplements, Peak Performance Equine Spa, Poseidon Animal Health, Rachel Dory Fine Art, Right Path Equestrian, Saddle Bird Boutique, Sidelines Magazine, Strides For Equality Equestrians, STRIDER, Stylish in the Saddle, VTO Saddlery, and XLR8 Equine.

About the $60,000 Adequan USEA Advanced Final

The $60,000 Adequan® USEA Advanced Final will take place at the 2026 USEA American Eventing Championships presented by Nutrena Feeds at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, Kentucky on Aug. 26-28. Thanks to Adequan’s amazing support, the Adequan® USEA Advanced Final will bring together the country’s top riders to vie for $60,000 in prize money and the title of Adequan® Champion. To qualify for the $60,000 Adequan® USEA Advanced Final at the AEC in 2026, competitors will need to complete a minimum of two events without cross-country jump penalties at any USEA recognized Advanced horse trials, CCI4*-S, CCI4*-L , CCI5*-L, World Championships, or Olympic Games. Click here to learn more about the $60,000 Adequan® USEA Advanced Final.