Applications for USEA American Eventing Championships (AEC) press credentials are now available. Applications are due on Aug. 18, 2023.
In order to be eligible to receive press credentials, you must:
1. Be an adult of legal age and a reporter, editor, or photographer associated with or on assignment for a recognized publication, news service, newspaper, website, radio, or television station;
2. Submit the official AEC press credential application and be approved.
Press credentials should be requested using this form and must be received by Aug. 18, 2023. Press passes will be available for pick-up at the Media Tent at the Kentucky Horse Park and more details will be released once an application is accepted.
Can't attend, but still want to cover the AEC? Daily press releases from the USEA will be e-mailed at the end of all competition days. Be sure to submit your email to [email protected] to be sure you are on the release list.
Contact Meagan DeLisle, Media & Communications Manager at [email protected]
In an effort to better regulate and maintain horse and rider safety during competition, and out of respect for the partnership with the 2023 AEC Official Photographer, the USEA will be implementing new freelance photography protocols during the 2023 AEC. No private photographers will be allowed onsite during the 2023 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 outlets will be granted photography passes for the 2023 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 where you may be in the way of the area that the photographer is shooting. If at any time your photography becomes a safety hazard or comes into conflict with that of a credentialed media person, you may be asked to relocate.
For more information on the 2023 AEC, please click here.
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 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. 29—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: Capital Square, Horse & Country, Parker Equine Insurance, Smartpak, Standlee; Silver Level Sponsors: Auburn Labs, Ecogold, Kerrits, The Jockey Club; Bronze Level Sponsors: 70 Degrees, Athletux, Black Petticoat, The Chronicle of the Horse, Devoucoux, D.G. Stackhouse and Ellis, Dubarry of Ireland, Equestrian Team Apparel, Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation, Horseware Ireland, Majyk Equipe, Retired Racehorse Project, Ride EquiSafe; Contributing Level Sponsor: CrossCountry App, Georgetown – Scott County Tourism, Lexmark, L.V. Harkness, Mountain Horse, Mrs. Pastures Cookies, #WeRideTogether; Prize Level Sponsors: Coach Daniel Stewart, EquiFit, Equilab, Equiluxe Tack, Equine Essentials, Equine Pulse Performance, FarmVet, Achieve Equine/FLAIR Equine Nasal Strips, Horses 4 Your Consideration, Hound & Hare, I Love My Horse Eventing Boutique, Jack’s Favorites, Jane Heart Jewelry, Kinetic Equine Services, LeMieux, Levade Kentucky, Mare Modern Goods, OneTouch Fly Spray, Parkmore Supplements, Practical Horseman, Sidelines Magazine, Spy Coast Farm, Strides for Equality Equestrians, and VTO Saddlery.
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.
With a total of 382 volunteer hours in 2024, Catherine “Cathy” Hale not only topped the USEA Area III VIP Volunteer leaderboard, but she also ranked fourth out of all eventing volunteers across the country. Hale (The Villages, Florida) has worked as a travel agent for over 30 years, a career that suits her love of travel nicely. At the time of being interviewed for this article, Hale was passing the equator on a cruise to Tahiti, New Zealand, and Australia.
The USEA office will close at 5:00 p.m. EST on Friday, Dec. 20, 2024, and will reopen again on Thursday, Jan. 2, 2025. The USEA staff will return emails and phone calls when the office re-opens on Thursday, Jan. 2, 2025 or at their earliest convenience.