United States Eventing Association

Temecula, Calif.—Aug. 31—Four Beginner Novice divisions and three Starter divisions wrapped up the USEA American Eventing Championships presented by Nutrena Feeds this afternoon and Galway Downs. Learn more about our champions below!

Marshall+Sterling USEA Beginner Novice Amateur Championship

Annie Desmond of Sebastopol, California, and her 13-year-old German Riding Pony, Little Elf (Cyrill WE x Donauwelle), steadily climbed the leaderboard in the Marshall+Sterling USEA Beginner Novice Amateur Championship. After sitting second following dressage, the pair delivered a flawless cross-country round to move into the lead on a score of 26.9. They carried that momentum into Sunday, where a clear show jumping round sealed the victory and earned them the championship title.

For Desmond, the win was especially meaningful with her longtime partner. “I love her so much,” she shared. “She’s like a family pet—very much like a big yellow lab. She’s the sweetest, dearest, kindest pony ever. I’ve had her since she was 3 1/2, and because she was too little for the trainers to ride, I had to do it all myself. I didn’t really know what I was doing, so we went through a lot together. Now she’s a very beloved part of our family.”

This marked the pair’s third appearance at the AEC, and while Desmond laughed about the many challenges along the way, this time everything came together. As she put it, the third time was the charm.

Nikki Lloyd of Petaluma, California, and ExcelStar Toblerone (Kings Cornet x Lady Obama), a 5-year-old Irish Sport Horse mare owned by Lloyd and Sue Buxton, impressed with a strong performance to finish on their dressage score of 28.1, earning the reserve champion title. The result marked a highlight in an already memorable week for Lloyd, who also claimed the USEA Novice Amateur Championship on Saturday aboard her mare, Lacey.

“I got her as a coming 4-year-old. She’s been amazing—really coming along—and I’m super excited about this horse,” Lloyd shared. “She’s just figuring out all the phases. Being a bit bigger than what I usually ride, she’s learning her body while I’m learning her, and it’s coming together. She’s got a great attitude, and she likes her job.”

Looking ahead, Lloyd added, “We’ll move up to Novice in the fall and then regroup from there.”

Rounding out the top 3 was San Luis Obispo, California’s Michlynn Sterling with ESI Harvard, who delivered another clear, consistent performance to finish on their dressage score of 28.3.

“I’ve had him for about a year. This is his fourth event, so he’s very smart and coming along really well,” Sterling shared. “There are no surprises with him—it’s like he’s done all of this before.”

Sterling added: “I think these Championships are such a great atmosphere for the young horses. Moving forward, we’ll aim for the USEA Young Event Horse 5-year-old championships and then step up to Novice from there.”

Marshall+Sterling USEA Beginner Novice Horse Championship

Madeline Backus (Larkspur, Colorado) and her homebred 5-year-old Trakehner gelding P.S. Sir Balinor (Stiletto x P.S. Arianna), clinched the Marshall+Sterling Beginner Novice Horse Championship, finishing the weekend on their dressage score of 25.8.

Backus, who previously competed the gelding’s dam through the five-star level, shared just how meaningful this young horse is to her. “He’s extra special because he is out of my five-star mare,” she said. “I’ve had him since day 1, which is cool. He has so much self-confidence in him, and that’s really awesome—he gets a lot of that from his mom. It’s been so fun to have a purpose-bred horse, too. I’ve put all the buttons on myself.”

The pair has already shown promise beyond Beginner Novice, with Backus noting: “He’s been very successful at the Beginner Novice level. He moved up to Novice last month and did very well there, too. He’s been just so wonderful. He loves this sport, and he’s so much fun to ride.”

Temecula’s Katherine Robinson piloted Janya Orfeyeva’s 7-year-old Connemara mare, Stella Blue DFEN (R Blue Moon x MG Baby), to reserve champion honors after a fault-free weekend, finishing on their dressage score of 26.9.

Although Robinson had worked with the mare in the past, they were only reunited a month prior to the Championship. “She’s been back in the barn for just a month,” Robinson explained. “She’s got super training behind her, so for me it was really a privilege to step on. We spent the last month getting to know each other again and tuning up a bit, but I can’t take much credit. It’s just one of those great situations where you get on a really good horse!”

Third place honors went to San Mateo, California, native Mickayla Howard with her 5-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding Petar D (Qatar Ter Saleghem x Ereda M). Affectionately known as “Petey,” the young gelding has quickly proven himself in the ring, most recently winning the Novice Three-Day at Rebecca Farm (Kalispell, Montana). “Petey is like, the most perfect thing for 5!” Howard said with a smile.

Although she originally hoped to compete in the Novice division at the AEC, their limited number of outings together left them just shy of the qualifications. Instead, Howard is looking ahead with excitement, noting that their focus will shift toward the USEA Young Event Horse 5-Year-Old Championships at the end of the season.

Marshall+Sterling USEA Beginner Novice Rider Championship

Laura Bentley of Phoenix, Arizona, secured the Marshall+Sterling USEA Beginner Novice Rider Championship aboard Allison Jackson’s 7-year-old Hanoverian/American Warmblood gelding, WokeUp (ES WakeUp x MS Benecia). From start to finish, the pair never relinquished their lead, finishing the weekend on their dressage score of 20.2.

“This horse was a dressage reject,” Bentley explained. “He’s young, and part of the process has been me teaching and training him for his owner so she can show him at some point.”

That partnership proved to be a winning formula. “He was fabulous this weekend—he came out here and did it. I think he’s over the ‘baby hill’ and ready to take on some new challenges. Overall, it was just a really nice weekend for him. He stayed relaxed and took everything in stride.”

Looking ahead, Bentley is optimistic about WokeUp’s future. “Hopefully I can keep putting more miles on him, and we’ll look to move up to novice and training.”

Vancouver, Washington’s Mikaela Kuiper and Jessica Wickersham’s 10-year-old Thoroughbred gelding Smitten (Minister's Wildcat x Tiz a Problem) kept their second-place positioning throughout the championship, though they had one rail down in the show jumping phase to end the weekend on 28.5.

“I have not evented in seven years,” admited Kuiper, “and I had a client ask me to step back into the eventing world. I started again this year. The goal was to get here, so I am very happy with the first year back.”

Kuiper, who is an FEI dressage rider, has a barn full of dressage horses back in Washington, but is happy to have made the transition back into the eventing world with “Kitten.”

Rosey Paulson (Newburg, Oregon) and Linda Lamprecht’s 8-year-old Oldenburg gelding Crown and Coke (Contendro I x Double Scotch) ended their weekend in third place, and finishing on their dressage score of 29.1.

Paulson summarized her weekend: “We were not as strong in our dressage as normal, but I was very happy with him. I just need to get a little more accurate with having two judges, but it was great to get those two different perspectives in the scores. Cross-country was a dream. I’m from Oregon, and we don’t get to ride on footing like that. It felt like riding on a beach; it was just such a nice course. Getting to ride a course with Clayton Fredericks designing was like a dream of mine. And I’m really happy with our show jumping. He was super and listened, and it just flowed.”

Marshall+Sterling USEA Beginner Novice Junior Championship

Amelia Solivan Busque of Portola Valley, California, piloted Kendra Mitchell’s 14-year-old Thoroughbred gelding, Russian Roulette (Count Me In x Viva Evita), to victory in the Marshall+Sterling USEA Beginner Novice Junior Championship. The pair delivered a confident cross-country round to hold their lead on a dressage score of 25.0 and sealed the win with a fault-free show jumping performance to finish as champions.

“I’ve been leasing Russian Roulette for about two years; we’ve only gone Beginner Novice, but I am hoping to climb up the levels with him,” Busque explained.

Their connection was clear to anyone watching over the weekend, though Busque admitted it wasn’t always effortless. “At the beginning, it was hard to follow him, to move with his gaits and go with his jumps. But I’ve had him for a while now, and we have developed a really close bond, so now I almost find it easier to ride on the bigger horses.”

Palo Alto, California, native Mia Budelli rode her own 9-year-old Thoroughbred mare Frankly Speaking (Noble Mission x Geographic) to the reserve championship on a 29.9.

Budelli got “Frankie” a year and a half ago. In April olast year, she bruised her coffin bone and was out until November. After a lengthy rehab, she came back in May.

“I helped a lot with the rehab, and with my trainer, making sure that we restarted her correctly because she had had so much time off,” she said.

As for their performance today,”I’m really glad with her; how she showed up, and I learned a lot about what she needs to be successful and what we need to do as a pair. Cross-country is both of our favorites. It was a lot of fun out there.”

Joclyn Nelson (Salt Lake City, Utah) and Amanda Nelson’s 7-year-old Hungarian Warmblood gelding HS Cool River Noble (HS Cool River Judgement x Princess O'Hara) rode into third on their dressage score of 30.0.

“I’m so proud of him,” Nelson said. “We’ve been working really hard on everything. I was very happy with his dressage; he was so calm and willing to give it his all. I was also happy with his jumping, specifically his show jumping. He was so cool and collected and really had his head in the game.”

USEA Starter Amateur Championship

Patricia Cameron of Citrus Heights, California, and her 6-year-old Azteca mare, Liberty Song, climbed from third after dressage to the lead following cross-country on a score of 28.8 in the USEA Starter Amateur Championship. The pair sealed the deal on Sunday with a clear show jumping round to take home the title.

Cameron started Liberty Song herself after purchasing the mare in 2023. “We pulled her out of the pasture and started her, and when I needed a horse, I bought her,” she explained. “She’s like my big puppy dog. We have a very good bond. It’s been a while, and we had some struggles, but we are just making breakthrough after breakthrough.”

Reflecting on the week, Cameron described cross-country as “not an easy ride” but a valuable challenge for her young horse. Show jumping, she said, was “very exciting for her, again, a lot that was new, but she did great. She got to her work ethic, and she did good.”

Her first AEC experience left a lasting impression. “It’s beautiful at Galway Downs. It’s very overwhelming and exciting. Thank you so much to all of the sponsors, Galway Downs, and all of the volunteers. It’s a very friendly, helpful team atmosphere—and I loved it.”

Laura Jaeger of Yucca Valley, California, piloted her own 10-year-old Oldenburg gelding, Dondero (Don De Marco x Pikfernadera), to reserve champion honors, finishing on their dressage score of 29.7. Primarily a dressage horse, Dondero’s future in eventing remains uncertain, but the pair quickly earned their spot at the AEC—qualifying in just three shows.

“Everything went wonderfully,” Jaeger reflected with a smile, before adding with a laugh, “I’m the one that’s out here struggling with the heat!”

Clovis, California’s Stefanie Gladen and her own 7-year-old Irish Draught gelding Millie's Diamond Lad climbed from fifth to third but stayed on their dressage score of 31.2.

Bred by Claire McNally, Gladen purchased the gelding three years ago from Ireland when her former horse had to retire. “He came out of Ireland three years ago. I bought him off a video. We just had a few short clips of him going [fox] hunting. So, we bought him on a whim.”

USEA Starter Rider Championship

San Francisco’s Mohamed Mostafa and Ruth Bley’s 20-year-old Selle Francais/Hanoverian gelding, Rodrigue du Granit (Robin II Z x Delight Gree), held onto their lead to secure the championship title. The pair had moved into first yesterday with a fault-free cross-country round, carrying a 25.5 into the final phase with just 0.2 points of breathing room. Despite adding 0.8 time penalties in show jumping, they finished on a score of 26.3 to clinch the win.

Mostafa, who has only been riding for a few years, took over the ride on “Rugby” from Bley after his Thoroughbred retired. “He is a school master for me—he actually destroyed my confidence at first,” Mostafa said with a laugh. “He was like, no, you’re not doing it right. We had to go all the way back to poles on the ground. Then I asked Ruth to watch her ride him, and once I started riding him the same way, that’s when my confidence began to build.”

Now a year into their partnership, the pair have already ticked off a major milestone together. “This year, Championships were a goal,” Mostafa said.

Cynthia Allen Lapp of Yucca Valley, California, piloted her 5-year-old Quarter Horse mare, Ruby Pearl (O Lucky Man x Bobies Royal Pepto), to a second-place finish on a score of 29.8.

“She was a COVID baby—we bought her in 2020 as a weanling,” Lapp shared. “We actually broke her to ride and started showing her as a cutting horse. I lost my eventing mare in September, and in November of 2024 we started jumping with her. Her first horse show was February.”

Reflecting on their rapid progression, she added, “To come here and do so well is a nice surprise.”

Sacramento, California’s Jessica McKendree and her 8-year-old Arabian gelding, Lumani (AM Good Oldboy+ x Chisled Sensation), wrapped up their championship in third place on a score of 30.1. The pair went clear on cross-country but picked up a rail and 0.4 time faults in show jumping.

Originally from the discipline of endurance, McKendree and Lumani have been eventing for three years. Like many, cross-country is their favorite phase, but McKendree also expressed a deep appreciation for dressage. “I really appreciate dressage. I used a lot of cross training in my endurance horses for them to be successful and correct. I’m interested in the biomechanics, our [the rider’s] influence on our horse’s biomechanics.”

Reflecting on her week at the AEC, McKendree said, “It was a positive, fun show—a big goal for this season. I’m really proud to have made it here. I’m continuing to learn about my stadium quite a bit. At this level, the quality of competition gave me the opportunity to keep learning and to appreciate my horse even more than I thought. The atmosphere was great, and that starter rider group was really friendly!”

USEA Starter Junior

Kenley Caflisch of Amarillo, Texas, and the 13-year-old Benmore Westonhouse Boy (Westonhouse Straboe x Benmore Betty), owned by Brittany Caflisch, produced a double-clear cross-country run to move from fourth after dressage into the lead on their dressage score of 30.8 in the USEA Starter Junior Championship. They carried that momentum into the final phase, delivering a clear show jumping round on Sunday to secure the championship title.

Caflisch noted that being at the AEC was a lot of fun, and the cross-country course was a particular highlight for both her and her horse. “Cross-country was my favorite phase. He’s a little strong, but it was really fun. I liked that the course was far out, and there was so much water, I really liked having multiple water!”

Grace Fahrenbruch and Lida McAllister’s 15-year-old Welsh mare, SF Sassafras (Smoke Tree Snapdragon x Rosie Time), made an impressive climb up the leaderboard, moving from seventh after dressage to finish as reserve champions on their score of 32.7.

“Cross-country was my favorite phase,” said Fahrenbruch. “I felt confident going into show jumping today.” Competing at the AEC has long been a goal for the pair, making their reserve champion finish a particularly meaningful accomplishment.

Bozeman, Montana’s Ellie Wendell rode her own 14-year-old Mustang gelding, Pippin, to third-place honors, finishing on their dressage score of 32.7.

“This was a beautifully organized show,” said Wendell. “I had an absolute blast. I came from Montana, made the haul out here, just started eventing last year, so qualifying this year was a huge deal. This was super exciting. He’s been super fun to teach how to do eventing, and I can tell he loves it. We’ve gotten to the point where we’re so in sync I see him as a brother in a way.”

Wendell has been partnered with Pippin for two years. Originally purchased for her sister, the Mustang proved to be a bit too strong, and Wendell took over the ride. Together, they learned the sport of eventing. Pippin has a unique background as a former Mustang Makeover project for a Montana State University student, later becoming a working equitation horse before finding his way to Wendell. She now trains with Ashlynn Meuchel of Kalispell who was college roommates with Pippin’s first owner.

Adams Horse Supply USEA Adult Team Championships (ATC)

In the Beginner Novice ATC, With A Little Buck topped the standings. The team consisted of Annie Desmond, Michlynn Sterling, Dede McCoy, and Nazila Hejazi.

In the Starter ATC, it was The Starter Pack who came out on top. The team consisted of Jessica Cusack, Jessicca Butorac, Patyon Pease, and Linda Lamprecht.

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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 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 2025 USEA American Eventing Championships presented by Nutrena Feeds will be held on Aug. 27-31 at Galway Downs in Temecula, California. 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; Gold Level Sponsors: ARMA, PulseVet, Schneiders Saddlery, Standlee; and more!

About the $60,000 Adequan USEA Advanced Final

The $60,000 Adequan® USEA Advanced Final will take place at the 2025 USEA American Eventing Championships presented by Nutrena Feeds at Galway Downs in Temecula, California on Aug. 27-29, 2025. 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 2025, 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.

About the Adams Horse Supply USEA Adult Team Championships

The Adams Horse Supply USEA Adult Team Championships, which debuted in 2014, is the capstone event for the USEA Area Adult Team Challenges, providing adults the chance to compete as a team and represent their Area of the country in a friendly and fun environment. Historically, adult riders had three regional Team Challenges in which to compete with fellow adults in a team environment, with the locations changing each year. In 2013, the USEA Adult Rider Coordinators voted to move to support Adult Team Challenges taking place in all 10 Areas across the country, with the finale being the ATC at the USEA American Eventing Championships presented by Nutrena Feeds. Each Area can send up to eight teams from Starter Level to Modified Level to the ATC. Adult Riders know how to have a good time, and there is no doubt that they bring an increased level of excitement and camaraderie to the AEC! Click here to learn more about the USEA Adult Team Championships.

The USEA would like to thank ATC Title Sponsor, Adams Horse Supply, and contributing sponsors ARMA, The Chronicle of the Horse, Kerrits, Marshall+Sterling, Nutrena Feeds, PulseVet, Schneiders Saddlery, Sidelines Magazine, and SmartPak for sponsoring the Adult Team Championships.