Considered the capstone event for adult riders, the USEA Adult Team Championships (ATC) will take place at the USEA American Eventing Championships (AEC) on August 27-September 1 in Lexington, Kentucky. The USEA Adult Team Challenges have been held across the country for over 20 years. At first, the Adult Rider Program held three regional championships – East, West, and Central. In 2014, those three championships morphed into one as the USEA Board of Governors approved a new model to re-energize the Adult Rider Program. They claimed the ‘fun award’ in 2014 and have claimed it every year since.
Last year, avengers, chicks, divas, a dude, and a Wakanda tribe took home top honors at the 2018 USEA ATC. ‘Avengers Assemble’ with Ruth Bley, Mallory Stiver, Whitney Tucker Billeter, and Jeanette Gilbret won the Preliminary Adult Team Championship. ‘Area VI Chicks with Kicks’ with Tracy Alves, Dawn Robbins, Karen Bristing, and Michelle Capparelli won the Training Adult Team Championship. ‘Three Divas and a Dude’ with Erin Contino, Chris Kawcak, Kris Greenway, and Michele Smith won the Novice Adult Team Championship. ‘Wakanda Forever!’ with Annie Desmond, Nikki Lloyd, Pia Tucker, and Carrie Matteson won the Beginner Novice Adult Team Championship. For the fifth year in a row, the ATC team spirit will return to the AEC starting on August 27.
Who can compete at the 2019 ATC?
The Adult Team Championships are for adult riders. Riders must be current members of the USEA and must be 22 years of age or older. Riders must currently be enrolled in the USEA Adult Rider Program in their Area and entered in either the Amateur division or Rider division at the AEC. Click here to see the qualifications for Amateur and Rider divisions.
How do you qualify for the 2019 ATC?
Each horse and rider pair must meet AEC qualifications for the level they are competing in. Four divisions are offered at ATC: Preliminary Team Championship, Training Team Championship, Novice Team Championship, and Beginner Novice Team Championship. Each Area has different qualifications and interested adult riders are encouraged to contact their Area Adult Rider Coordinator for selection procedures. Click here to find a list of Area Adult Rider Coordinators.
How are ATC teams formed?
Teams are specific to each level and each Area can have up to eight teams of four riders at the ATC. Mixed Area teams are allowed and encouraged, and all teams should be coordinated through the Area Adult Rider Coordinator.
Separate from AEC prizes, the ATC will have their own prizes, prize money, and awards ceremony for the top three teams. The ATC awards ceremonies are built into the schedule after the Rider and Amateur divisions after each level. In order to make the award ceremonies memorable, attendance is required for the top three ATC teams. If a competitor is not at the ATC awards ceremony, they will not receive their ATC prize money or prizes.
The open and closing dates are consistent with AEC. Entries opened on Tuesday, July 16 and will close on Tuesday, August 13. For more information on the Adult Team Championships, click here. For more information on the 2019 AEC, click here.
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. The 2019 USEA American Eventing Championships will be held August 27-September 1, 2019 at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, Kentucky. Click here to learn more about the USEA American Eventing Championships.
After not running in 2020 and 2021, the MARS Bromont CCI Three-Day Event returned to the Bromont Olympic Equestrian Center in Quebec, Canada, in 2022. America's Jennie Saville (née Brannigan) and Twilightslastgleam won the CCI4*-L, as the chestnut Thoroughbred gelding (National Anthem x Royal Child) bred and owned by Nina Gardner moved up from eighth after dressage into the lead after cross-country with the fastest round on wet ground over the tracks designed by Derek di Grazia. Canada's Lindsay Traisnel and Bacyrouge, a bay Selle Français gelding (Mylord Carthago x Lelia) owned by Patricia Pearce, finished second, and they are among four from the top-10 in the CCI4*-L in 2022 that return in 2023.
Hannah Sue Hollberg of Kennett Square, Pennsylvania, was on a winning streak at the Essex Horse Trials on Sunday, claiming victory in both the $10,000 Open Intermediate and Open Preliminary divisions with two horses that are fairly new to her. Some difficulty on cross-country did not stop her mount Hachi from claiming victory in the Open Intermediate with a score of 101.6, while Open Preliminary partner Rockster finished on his dressage score of 27.3.
The great football coach Vince Lombardi said, “We win our games in practice.” With the goal of having the most effective practices possible for horses, their riders, and their coaches, Cathy Wieschhoff explains some signs that can indicate when horse and rider should repeat an exercise, switch it up, or be done with that activity. Wieschhoff brings perspective as a five-star rider that has competed at the Kentucky Three-Day Event and Burghley Horse Trials, a USEF “R” Course Designer for eventing cross-country and show jumping, a former Area VIII chair and member of the USEA Board of Governors, and a Level V USEA ECP Certified Coach based out of Carriage Station Farm in Lexington, Kentucky.
The United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) is pleased to announce the Land Rover U.S. Eventing Team for the FEI Eventing Nations Cup Poland CCIO4*-NC-S at the Strzegom Horse Trials (Poland) from June 21-25, 2023. The team will be under the direction of USEF Eventing Emerging and Development Coach Leslie Law.