United States Eventing Association

The Nutrena/USEA American Eventing Championships Presented By Bit of Britain have only been in existence for eight years, but if you look back in the short history of the Championships you will find that many of our current top horses and riders got their start winning divisions at the AEC.

In the inaugural AEC in 2004, Adrienne Classen rode Rafferty’s Rules to a win in the Novice Horse division. Rafferty’s Rules has now gone on to have multiple three-stars top ten finishes with Sharon White and the pair is headed to the Burghley CCI4* this fall.

Karen O’Connor has been a regular at the AEC with her Olympic and World Equestrian Games mount, Mandiba. The pair won the Training Horse division in 2005 and returned to win the Preliminary Horse division in 2006. Karen also won the 2004 Training Horse division aboard A Phar Cry.

Wonderful Will won the very first Preliminary Horse division in 2004 with Mike Winter. Will is now being campaigned by Michael Pollard at the Advanced Level. They recently had fifth place finish at the Fair Hill CCI3* in addition to multiple top horse trials placings. The same year the Will won the AEC, his owner Sher Schwartz won the Novice division with Jamocean.

In 2005, Jessica Kiener piloted My Boy Bobby to a win in the Intermediate. Buck Davidson took over the ride on Bobby in 2008. Buck and Bobby were the highest placed American pair at Rolex Kentucky CCI4* in 2009 before having a banner year in 2010 with multiple wins at the Advanced level.

Woodburn followed in Bobby’s footsteps by winning the 2006 Intermediate division with Emily Beshear in the irons. Phillip Dutton had unprecedented success with Woodburn at the four-star level. The pair finished second at the 2010 Rolex Kentucky CCI4*, 12th in 2009, and 10th in 2008. They also were members of the U.S. Team at the 2010 World Equestrian Games where they finished 18th individually.

2009 Intermediate winners, Jennifer Brannigan and Cambalda, have found great success at the three-star level. In 2010 they claimed the top prize at the CIC3* at Plantation Field before traveling to California to win the CCI3* at Galway Downs. This year they won The Fork CIC3* and finished third at the Jersey Fresh CIC3.

Of course the Advanced division reads like a whos-who of some of the most talented horses in the country. Past winners have included: West Farthing, Antigua, Gryffindor, Dobbin, Fleeceworks Mystere du Val, and Courageous Comet.

Just imagine where this year’s winners will be in five years!

This year’s USEA AEC are being held from September 8-11 at Chattahoochee Hills in Fairburn, Georgia. For more information on the event check the AEC page on the USEA website or the Chattahoochee Hills site.