United States Eventing Association

Fast Facts: 2018 USEA American Eventing Championships

It’s finally here! The 2018 USEA American Eventing Championships (AEC) presented by Nutrena Feeds at the Colorado Horse Park in Parker, Colorado kicks off tomorrow morning at 8:30 a.m. with dressage running in four arenas. Preliminary riders will be up first in Rings 1, 2, and 4, and Training Amateur division will start things off in Ring 3. This year the AEC is celebrating its 15^th anniversary of bringing together eventers from across the country to compete for national titles from the Beginner Novice through the Advanced level. The Advanced division at the AEC also serves as the Adequan USEA Gold Cup Final, offering up $40,000 in cash and even more fabulous prizes.

• This year the AEC received over 500 entries and there will be around 450 starters competing at the AEC this year between the championship and festival divisions.
• There are a total of 18 AEC divisions being offered this year including the Adequan USEA Gold Cup Advanced Final, Open Intermediate, and Junior, Rider, Horse, and Amateur divisions for Beginner Novice through Preliminary levels.
• Nine combinations will be competing for the Adequan USEA Gold Cup Advanced title this year: Rebecca Braitling and Soaring Bird, Ellen Doughty-Hume and Sir Oberon, Alexa Ehlers and Amistoso, Emilee Libby and Jakobi, Kim Liddell and Eye of the Storm, Jordan Linstedt and Revitavet Capato, Andrea Nielsen and LC O’Shawnisee, and Tamra Smith with both Fleeceworks Royal and Mai Baum.
• Junior Beginner Novice is the largest division and will see 31 horses and riders.
• Cross-country courses for all AEC levels are designed by Tremaine Cooper. Cooper also designed all the festival courses; this is his first ever Introductory course!
• Marc Donovan is the show jumping course designer.
• For the first time ever, the AEC will also host non-championship ‘festival’ classes for Introductory through Preliminary level, allowing horses or riders who did not qualify for the championship divisions to compete at the AEC as well.
• The Rider divisions, which were new last year for Beginner Novice through Preliminary level, have returned again this year. These divisions provides the opportunity for adult riders who cannot declare amateur status to compete in a division other than the Horse division at their respective level.
• There are 35 generous sponsors supporting the 2018 USEA AEC, and several have vendor booths on site this weekend for your shopping pleasure. Please go support the sponsors who support your event!
• 115 volunteers are donating their time and energy to make this event happen. Be sure to thank a volunteer this weekend, because none of this would be possible without them!
• The USEA Event College is returning to the AEC this year with a great lineup of educational content for competitors, owners, spectators, and more! Cross-country coursewalks will be hosted on Thursday for Training and Novice and the Virtual Event College will be sharing new lessons all weekend so stay tuned to the USEA website and social media. Click here for more information.
• There are several exciting parties for attendees at the 2018 USEA AEC, including the welcome reception on Thursday and the competitors’ party on Saturday night! The first 200 attendees at the Thursday night welcome party receive a FREE t-shirt from AEC Presenting Sponsor Nutrena Feeds. Click here to check out more information on all the events.
• General admission to the AEC is free for spectators! If you would like to purchase tickets for the events taking place throughout the weekend, click here.

USEA/Leslie Mintz Photo.

Helpful Links

• USEA AEC Website
• Colorado Horse Park Website
• 2018 USEA AEC Schedule
• Ride Times
• Stabling Assignments
• Live Scores
• Live Stream
• USEA's Coverage

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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 29-September 2, 2018 at the Colorado Horse Park in Parker, Colorado. Click here to learn more about the USEA American Eventing Championships.

The USEA would like to thank the following sponsors for their support of the USEA American Eventing Championships: Presenting Sponsors: Nutrena Feeds; Gold Cup Advanced Title Sponsor: Adequan; Platinum Sponsor: Devoucoux; Gold Level Sponsors: Charles Owen, Standlee Hay, Merck Animal Health, Parker Equine Insurance; Silver Level Sponsors: VTO Saddlery, Mountain Horse; Bronze Level Sponsors: SmartPak, Dubarry, The Chronicle of the Horse, Stackhouse and Ellis Saddles, Auburn Laboratories, FITS Riding, CWD, Ovation, Acuswede, and Equipparel; Contributing Level Sponsors: Nunn Finer, RevitaVet, Emerald Valley Natural Health, CrossCountry App; Prize Level Sponsors: Ride Safe, GumBits, Equus Magnificus, Scoring Chix, Ride Heels Down, C4 Belts, A Little Pet Vet, ChubbyCov LLC, The Jockey Club, Absorbine, Arenus Animal Health, Equestrian Athlete Camps at the U.S. Olympic Training Center.

About the Adequan USEA Gold Cup Series
The 2018 Adequan USEA Gold Cup Series features 11 qualifying competitions throughout the United States at the Advanced horse trials and CIC3* levels. The qualifying period begins August 2017 and continues through August 2018 with the final taking place at the 2018 USEA American Eventing Championships at the Colorado Horse Park in Parker, Colorado, August 29 – September 2, 2018. Riders who complete a qualifier earn the chance to vie for $40,000 in prize money and thousands of dollars in prizes and the title of Adequan USEA Gold Cup Champion in the Adequan USEA Gold Cup Final Advanced Division. Click here to learn more about the Adequan USEA Gold Cup Series.

The USEA would like to thank Adequan, Standlee Hay Company, Nutrena, Merck Animal Health, Parker Equine Insurance, and FITS for sponsoring the 2018 Adequan USEA Gold Cup Series.

About the USEA Event College
The USEA Event College was created by the USEA and the Professional Horseman’s Council to generate awareness of the sport of eventing. The Event College aims to educate spectators, interested parties, and the general public about the goals and function of each phase (dressage, cross-country, and show jumping) and the complexity and value of the sport. The Event College also aims to educate young riders, adult amateurs, and all those interested in the sport on horsemanship and different skill sets needed to be involved with eventing. High-profile eventing experts will act as “professors” and host casual, interactive dialogue with “students” of the Event College. The Virtual Event College is a special online series designed to educate competitors as well as the general public about the sport of eventing. Get hands-on information about grooming, learn the best way to walk cross-country, and understand the some of the best options for caring for your horse’s health, all from the best professionals in the country! Anyone interested in the sport of eventing can be a student, and “tuition” is free! Click here to check out the full syllabus of Event College videos.