It's officially USEA Intercollegiate Eventing Championship week, and this year's is shaping up to be one for the history books! The USEA is excited to meet up with a record-breaking 150 intercollegiate entries representing 18 schools who will join forces to create 39 teams competing in Aiken, South Carolina, this weekend. For the first time, the Intercollegiate Championship will also be joining forces with the inaugural USEA Interscholastic Eventing League (IEL) Championship at Stable View on May 4-5. Festivities are set to kick off this Friday, May 3, with the opening ceremonies.
The University of South Carolina - Aiken not only earn the title of hometown favorites for this year's event, but they will also be on the hunt to defend their 2023 Championship title with two full teams representing the Pacers. As is par for the course, the University of Kentucky will have the largest presence at the Championship with a whopping nine teams in contention, while Auburn University stays close on their heels with 6sixteams set to compete.
Florida State University, North Carolina State University, University of South Carolina, University of Virginia, and Virginia Tech will return after missing the 2023 Championship, while Otterbein University and University of Pittsburgh will participate for the first time. Before the action starts, find out which championship competitors moonlight as airplane pilots when they aren't in the saddle and who was recently on an episode of TLC's "90 Day Fiancé" in the Meet the Teams preview below.
The USEA would like to thank Bates Saddles, Horse & Country, Kerrits, Nunn Finer, Sidelines, U.S. Equestrian, WeRideTogether, and World Equestrian Brands for sponsoring the USEA Intercollegiate Eventing Program.
Horse trials, from local grassroots competitions to FEI-level events, are the heartbeat of the eventing world. These trials are more than just a test of skill for riders and horses; they are essential to the growth and sustainability of the entire equestrian community.
Whether you've brought your horse up from Novice or took on the ride later in their career, getting to your first five-star on a special partner is a huge accomplishment.
Are you following along with the action from home this weekend? Or maybe you're competing at an event and need information fast. Either way, we’ve got you covered!
The United States Eventing Association, Inc. (USEA) is excited to announce that Stable View has been selected as the host venue for the first standalone USEA Intercollegiate & Interscholastic Eventing Championships which will take place in 2026 and 2027.