The United States Eventing Association (USEA) American Eventing Championships (AEC) is the annual national championship for every level of the Olympic equestrian sport of eventing. The USEA is excited to announce a request for expressions of interest to host the AEC in the years 2025 through 2028, with preference being given to a western region venue in 2025. The USEA is ideally seeking two expressions of interest: one in the western United States region for 2025, and one in the eastern United States region for 2026-2028. The USEA will also entertain one bid for all four years, or a joint bid from two venues.
Host site(s) should; be attractive and presentable venues, have consistently good footing, have the ability to promote to and accommodate large numbers of spectators, and have a demonstrated record of a media plan with demonstrated ability to successfully work with local media.
The AEC has historically been conducted over five or six days and must be held at the end of the summer season, ideally across Labor Day weekend. The AEC has historically garnered large entry numbers, with the 2021 AEC currently standing as the largest eventing competition in North American history with over 1,000 entries and around 950 starters. The AEC includes seven levels of eventing competition from Beginner Novice to Advanced. Moving forward, the AEC Committee will be evaluating adding the Starter Level, to run eight levels total, and bidding venues are encouraged to add that into their plan. The USEA licenses the rights to run the AEC to a host site/organizer with a licensing fee, while retaining certain rights of control over the event.
Only organizers with an established relationship with a facility and proof of support for the expression of interest from the host site owners/operators, or the owner(s) and/or operator(s) of a prospective host site may nominate said venue for consideration. Expressions of interest should be submitted in the form of a letter and should consist of no more than 800 words.
All expressions of interest for an AEC host site located in the United States should also include the following:
All expressions of interest should be submitted by end of day Friday, Dec. 1, 2023.
The AEC has previously been hosted at the following locations:
2004 – 2006: Raeford, N.C. (Carolina Horse Park)
2007 – 2009: Wayne, Ill. (Lamplight Equestrian Center)
2010 – 2012: Fairburn, Ga. (Chattahoochee Hills – Bouckaert Farm)
2013 – 2015: Tyler, Texas (Texas Rose Horse Park)
2016 – 2017: Mill Spring, N.C. (Tryon International Equestrian Center)
2018: Parker, Colo. (Colorado Horse Park)
2019 – 2021: Lexington, Ky. (Kentucky Horse Park)
2022: Kalispell, Mont. (Rebecca Farm)
2023 – 2024: Lexington, Ky. (Kentucky Horse Park)
Please direct inquiries and expressions of interest to the following contact:
Kate Lokey, Director of Programs and Marketing
Phone: (703) 779-0440
Fax: (703) 779-0550
[email protected]
With the Paris Olympics on the horizon this summer, riders from the top eventing nations are gunning for a coveted team spot, and British team selection is particularly tough due to a plethora of talent. Tom McEwen came to the Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event to prove he’s on form with James and Joe Lambert and Deirdre Johnston’s JL Dublin, and he’s out in front after two days of dressage.
Derek di Grazia’s name is legend at the Kentucky Horse Park as the designer of the Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event cross-country course for over a decade, in addition to countless other influential tracks around the world. Now with the inclusion of the Cosequin CCI4*-S division, which runs alongside the famed five-star, riders at both the four- and five-star levels get to experience one of the iconic di Grazia Kentucky tracks while competing in the bluegrass. The USEA caught up with riders of both levels to get their feedback on this year’s courses.
Two riders will share the top spot on the leaderboard in the Cosequin CCI4*-S at the Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event upon the conclusion of dressage on Friday. Early in the morning, Great Britain’s Lucienne Bellissimo found herself launching up the scoreboard after a beautiful test with Dyri earned them a score of 26.0. While no other pair could top their performance, one team did match it perfectly near the end of the day– Liz Halliday (USA) and her 2023 Pan American Games silver medal mount Miks Master C.
Who is ready for another day of dressage at the 2024 Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event (DK3DE)? Just like yesterday's schedule, we will first see the CCI4*-S field compete this morning starting at 8:00 a.m. EST, followed by the CCI5*-L field at 1:00 p.m. EST.