United States Eventing Association

Today marked the first time competitors in the Nutrena USEA American Eventing Championships, presented by VTO Saddlery, traversed cross-country at the Texas Rose Horse Park in Tyler, Texas, the location of this prestigious annual event through 2015.

Adequan USEA Gold Cup Series Final and Advanced Championship
It was predicted that time would be the biggest factor on course, which proved to be true for all levels, and despite failing to properly start her watch in the startbox, Laine Ashker (VA) posted the fastest time in the Adequan USEA Gold Cup Advanced division with her off-track Thoroughbred Anthony Patch, moving up from tied for fourth to lead after the second phase. Coming off a win at Millbrook and a second place completion at Richland Farm, Ashker decided to route to the AEC after missing out on a grant to Pau CCI4* in France.

“I thought the course [Captain Mark Phillips] set up was quite difficult. I respected it immensely,” Ashker said. “Al is a fast horse. He doesn’t pull. He’s a dream to ride on cross-country. He was fast and forward and I think the turns caught up to him after the second water. I think maybe if I had had my watch I would have wanted to press to go and I didn’t. I scaled it back and it was good that I did because I felt like I had a horse to finish strongly….The turns made you have to slow down, but the questions were bold questions. You couldn’t come at them measly and lighthearted. I think you really had to ride against what the turns created.”

Ashker felt as though she had left points on the table in the dressage arena on Thursday, but says Anthony Patch’s best phase is show jumping, which takes place for the Advanced Saturday evening before the Competitor Party. “As long as I can stay out of Al’s way and not mess things up too much, he’s really solid in that phase and has given me a lot of confidence.”

Ellen Doughty, a Texas local and the only haul-in competitor of the event, shot up the leaderboard from 11^th to second after jumping clear and posting the second fastest ride of the day with her own Sir Oberon. They did their first Advanced at Texas Rose in March. It had rained significantly, leading to many scratching from the competition. Doughty rode, but took many of the long routes. This weekend, she said, she took all the straight lines.

“He was my first Prelim horse and we’ve moved up from there,” Doughty said. “He’s super adjustable and is like ‘where do you want me?’ He’ll go on a five foot stride or a fifteen foot stride. He’s just really good. He’s a great show jumper, doesn’t like to touch rails. He’s a nice mover. He’s a good event horse. We’ve had fun learning and moving up together.”

Having driven 31 hours to attend the AEC and the Gold Cup Final, Kristi Nunnink (CA) will be pleased with her third place position after a great cross-country round. Her mare, R-Star, though elegant and full of presence, is big and strong on course. Nunnink said today, however, she tried a crank noseband over their usual figure-eight, and the change had a very positive impact on their performance.

“That’s a really serious course!” Nunnink said. “I was able to go forwards and come back which is not her forte. She’s a monster.”

Nunnink said R-Star is more like a three-day horse, and short courses are hard for her to make time on. But she is excited for tomorrow because the horse is a very good show jumper. “We’re flying to France [for Pau] October 10, and felt it would be good to test myself and push myself a little bit. It’s been very rewarding coming here.”

Overall, competitors had high praise for the courses and the Texas Rose Horse Park as a whole. West Coasters in particular are glad to see the AEC closer to home, even if the drive takes a day or two. “It’s the closest it’s ever been to the West Coast,” Nunnink said.

Texas Rose is also home to the first Advanced cross-country course in Area V history. Upper level competitors in the Area have become very used to traveling long distances to compete. “It’s nice to have something that brings riders of Kristi’s caliber in that we can compete against,” Doughty said.

Merial Intermediate Championships
When Bonner Carpenter (TX) and her gelding Basco crossed the finish line after a clear, fast round, a crowd of friends and family gathered around the pair to congratulate them on a job well done. Incurring just 1.2 time penalties, they edged out Michael Pollard and Schoensgreen Hanni, who posted 3.2 time penalties, and Carpenter and Basco will start show jumping in first place on Saturday.

Julie Wolfert (KS) and Buenos Aires were another pair to benefit from a fast round, moving up from sixth to third. The second placed pair after dressage, Frankie Thieriot and Tory Smith’s Uphoria, unfortunately dropped to fourth with six time penalties.

Preliminary Championships
The Area V Young Riders are a force to be reckoned with, with all top five positions in the Junior Young Rider Preliminary division occupied by local riders. Elizabeth New (TX) and Uppercrust D maintained their lead with one of five double-clear rounds. They will enter show jumping with one rail in hand. Clara Cargile (TX) and White Indian moved up from fifth to second with a double-clear round, and Reagan LaFleur (LA) and Company Lafleur Farms Tawney moved up from seventh to third with their double-clear round.

Kimberly Keeton and Hope Thomas’s Accolade put in a nearly perfect round, crossing the finish line just one second over optimum time. They retain the Senior Preliminary Amateur lead regardless and have one rail in hand for show jumping tomorrow. Shelley Peters (TX) and Chablis moved from fourth to second with 2.8 time, and Yvonne Ocrant (IL) and ‘Sall About Me moved from third to fifth.

Tout de Suite has already won six horse trials this year and is on his way to capping off the season with a Championship title. Leslie Law (FL) piloted the horse, owned by Beatrice Rey-Herme, clear across the country today to maintain their leading position in Preliminary Horse on a score of 23.7. Clayton Fredericks (FL) and Sorrento are second with 28.6, and Rochelle Costanza (CO) and Lionhart remain in third with a 30.1.

Training Championships
The leaderboard was certainly shuffled in the Junior Training division, but Madeline Backus and her homebred, P.S. King of Hearts, held onto the top position with a double-clear round and a score of 30.0. Zoey Gudger (IL) and jiminy Cricket are second before show jumping, and Sam Kelly (MN) and Apres Ski are third. The top four in this division are within a rail of first place.

In the Senior Training Amateur division, clear, fast rounds rewarded riders with significantly improved placings. Many of the top fifty percent moved up ten places or more after cross-country. Beth Weisberger (OH) and R. Hocus Pocus leapt from fifth to first. Caroline Andrews and Will You Be Mine went from seventh to second, and Tracey Corey (KY) and Byrnwyck West launched from 11th to third.

The top three in the Training Horse division did not change following cross-country. Tamra Smith and Sunsprite Syrius, a recent winner at Aspen Farms Horse Trials, are still in first with a 23.6. Elisa Wallace (GA) and Corteo remain in second despite 1.6 time penalties, but Kyle Carter (FL) an Serengeti are close behind with a 28.2. While Smith has some breathing room in show jumping, the top nine are within striking distance of reserve champion.

Novice Championships
While the upper levels galloped and jumped today, the Novice and Beginner Novice were just beginning their Championships in the dressage courts. In the Junior Novice, Olivia Brashear (TX) and Apple Jack bested a field of 41 to lead on a score of 25.0. The scores are close, however, with the top 15 holding scores better than 30.

Sher Schwartz (GA) and Jamocean, past crowned champions and reserve champions, start the weekend in the lead in the Senior Novice Amateur division on a very good score of 22.5. Julia Denton (TX) and Win/Win Situation and Janet Gordon (CO) and Irish Beginnings are tied for second on scores of 25.5.

The lead in Novice Horse is held by Elliott Blackmon (FL) and Nancy Kilcrease’s W.H. Topgun. They carry a score of 25.0, but the following ten riders are within a rail behind. Emma Kate Fisher (OK) and Cooley Performer are tied for second on a 26.5 with Catherine Amrich (IL) and Viva’s Rachel.

Beginner Novice Championships
Due to the popularity of the Beginner Novice level championships, a new level was added this year: Junior Beginner Novice 14 and Under. And, unsurprisingly, it is one of the most populated divisions in the competition. Emilie Mudd (LA) and Le Cheval Royale lead with a 22.4. Halle Thomas (TX) and Trooper Pendragon are second with a 25.2, and tied for third with a 25.7 is Emma Ciafone (CO) riding Cady O’Daly Gabriel and Seguin Alexander (TX) riding Motion Granted.

In the regular Junior Beginner Novice division, which hosts riders between 15 and 18, Sierra Smith (TX) and Wintergeist lead with a 25.7. Lindsey Dalrymple (TX) and My Bold Eclipse hold tied to second with a 31.4, and Anna Conley and Reba’s Song are third with a 31.9.

Andrea Mitchell (WI) and Divine posted the best dressage score of the week and lead Senior Beginner Novice Amateur with a 21.0. Hannah Smitherman (TX) is close behind, having ridden to a 22.9 with Buster Brown. Finally, Meagan Counts (CO) and Formal Affair are third with a 24.8.

Beth Stelzleni (GA) and Giselle lead Beginner Novice Horse with a 26.7. Erin Bartle (VA) and Prima Contessa are second with a 28.6, and Elliott Blackmon (FL) and Foothill’s Field Marshall are tied for third next to Jenna Jones (TX) and Truly Twilight.

It is still anyone’s game with the upper level show jumping finals taking place on Saturday while Novice and Beginner Novice contend Captain Mark Phillips’ championship caliber cross-country courses. Stay tuned for much more from the 2013 Nutrena USEA American Eventing Championships, presented by VTO Saddlery!

For full AEC results visit livescore.useventing.com.

About the American Eventing Championships
Each September, over 500 horses travel from across the nation to participate in the American Eventing Championships. This prestigious national championships provides the opportunity for riders at every level of the sport – from Beginner Novice to Advanced – to compete for significant prize money and the chance to be named the best in the nation at their respective levels. Now in its tenth year, the Nutrena USEA American Eventing Championships will be held for the first time at the Texas Rose Horse Park in Tyler, Texas. The 2013 competition will run from September 26 – 29. For more details on the Nutrena USEA American Eventing Championships presented by VTO Saddlery, visit the www.useventing.com/aec.

About the Adequan USEA Gold Cup and PRO Tour Series
The Adequan USEA Gold Cup features 11 qualifying competitions throughout the United States at the Advanced Horse Trials and CIC3* levels with the final at the Nutrena USEA American Eventing Championships September 26-29 in Tyler, Texas. Riders who complete a qualifier earn the chance to vie for $40,000 in prize money in the Adequan Advanced Division and the title of Adequan USEA Gold Cup Champion.

The Adequan USEA Gold Cup Series is made possible through the support of its many sponsors: Adequan; Nunn Finer; SmartPak Equine; Nutrena; Broadstone Equine Insurance Agency, Point Two; Dubarry; and FITS.

The PRO Tour Series consists of 13 premier destination events in the United States and Canada in 2013 featuring the best riders and most entertainment. Riders and Horses are awarded points on the PRO Tour Rider Leader Board and PRO Tour Horse Leader Board. Riders can also earn points on the PRO Tour Series at the Intermediate or two-star level for the Multi Radiance Intermediate Challenge. The 2013 Multi Radiance Challenge Leader Board Champion will win a Multi Radiance MR4 ACTIVET Portable Laser System.

The Professional Riders Organization would like to thank the following sponsors for their support of the 2013 PRO Tour Series: Martin Collins USA, The Official Footing of PRO; Multi Radiance Medical, The Official Laser Therapy of PRO & Sponsor of the Multi Radiance Medical Intermediate Challenge ; Tex Sutton, the Official US Equine Air Carrier of PRO; SSG Riding Gloves; Finish Line Horse Products; Midlantic Ltd.; and Mythic Landing Events.