United States Eventing Association

On the final day of the Nutrena USEA American Eventing Championships, presented by VTO Saddlery, the Novice and Beginner Novice Champions at each level were decided and sent home with an abundance of prizes.

Novice Divisions

Corinna Garcia came from Ohio to Texas to win the Novice Horse division on Jamaica Skodstrupp with a double-clear round, finishing on their dressage score of 23.0. The 8-year-old mare is as eye-catching as she is athletic, with a unique color pattern that is characteristic of a rare breed.

“She’s a Knabstrupper,” explained Garcia. “Steve Willham owns Hinckley Equestrian Center (Hinckley, Ohio) and they were looking for someone to help out with their eventing program. They own seven Knabstruppers and they’re pretty excited to get this breed out and about. There are only about 1,500 of them in the world and about 200 in the U.S.”

Kristen Hardy had some help from an angel today, winning a huge Senior Novice Amateur division aboard Enchanted (Double Cream – Willma) on her dressage score of 27.5. Hardy rode with a purple streak in Enchanted’s tail in memory of Avery Dudasch; the team from Platinum Farms (Franktown, Colo.) and Dudasch’s mother, Vicki, stood ringside to cheer her on.

“I had my wings today,” she said. “And I’m in awe of this horse. Every time I get on her, I’m just in awe of her… I’m the lucky one.”

Texan Seguin Alexander and Motion Granted redeemed themselves after an imperfect finish at the AEC last year. The pair finished on their dressage score of 22.5 to win the Junior Novice division.

“I was kind of nervous because last year I had a good dressage score and then a stop on cross-country,” said the 13-year-old.

Alexander bought the now 12-year-old Thoroughbred gelding (Shaquin – Richsis) from Texas eventer Meg Johnson, but wasn’t convinced at first that they were a perfect match.

“We started training with Mary Darcy and ever since then, he’s just kept moving up and getting better,” she said. “At first I wasn’t too sure that I was in love with him, but over time our bond kept getting stronger and stronger. Now I don’t know what I’d do without him.”

Broadstone Beginner Novice Divisions

Erin Pullen and Jodi Koford’s Strider Can Fly (Loki - Thiselephantcanfly) won the Broadstone Beginner Novice Horse division on the lowest finishing score of the entire AEC: a 20.0.

“To get a 20 in dressage – holy cow! That’s totally amazing,” said Pullen of Louisville, Ky. “This horse has only been eventing since February and every question I’ve asked, he has answered full force.”

The Broadstone Senior Beginner Novice Amateur title went to Jill Wagenknecht and her own Irish Sport Horse mare, CD Dancer (Crosstown Dancer – My Valley of Dreams). They finished on their dressage score of 23.5.

“I was thrilled with dressage,” said Wagenknecht of St. Loius, Mo. “When I saw her dressage score, I started crying and didn’t stop crying for a long time. We had a really tough season last year, and this year we are more and more becoming a team. I’m just so glad we’re peaking now.”

Thirteen-year-old Maddalyn Hunt from The Woodlands, Texas, won the Broadstone Beginner Novice 14 and Under division aboard a horse that she found for sale online.

“It went awesome! In dressage he was a star, and on cross-country he was better than I could have imagined,” Hunt said with a grin of her Argentinian Warmblood gelding, Jos Estoico. This was Hunt’s first time at the AEC.

Melissa Morris has seen ups and downs with RSR Private Eye. Melissa’s parents bought the Appaloosa pony (AV Cowboys Cadillac – CR Private Dream) as a two-year-old stallion for $250.

“We never really thought he would jump or do anything special,” said Morris. “We were going to do 4H with him but he was super spooky and wasn’t very good at 4H.”

Today, they won the Broadstone Beginner Novice Junior (14 & Over) division on a 27.5. Melissa’s coach, Bridget Mason, said that 15-year-old Morris (Liberty, Mo.) has done all of the training on the pony herself.

“The first time he went cross-country, he was bolting and rearing and bolting and freaking out,” said the coach. “She got eliminated at her first event on him because he stopped within the first several fences; he didn’t even make it to fence four.”

Now, the once-naughty pony is an American Eventing Champion and even has an Instagram account called “appaloosalife” with about 5,000 followers.

USEA Adult Team Championship

Today also saw the conclusion of the Adult Team Championship competitions. The Preliminary Adult Team Championship was claimed by the Area V and VII “Run Four Roses” team with a combined score of 109. The Training level ATC title went to the combination team of Areas II, III and VIII with 107.2 penalty points. The Novice level team winners from Area V had the best score of all ATC teams, with only 97.0 penalty points. Finally, in the Beginner Novice Adult Team Championship, a combination team between Areas II and III scored a 103.0 to win.

Final Results

All AEC Coverage