United States Eventing Association

Road to the AEC: I’m Not Giving Up on My Dream, Just Changing the Path

My road to the USEA American Eventing Championships presented by Nutrena Feeds looks a bit different this year than it has in previous years. My name is Diana Craven, and I am a 21-year-old three-day event rider. I am currently competing with my longtime partner of 5 years, Fernhill St. Nick, an 11-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding.

"Nick," as he is known around the barn, and I have competed up through the two-star level going to events all over the east coast as well as Canada! However, our show season looks a bit different now as we are currently running Novice and are qualified for the Novice division at the AEC

I have been competing since 2015 and have done over 80 events in those nine years; over half of those events were done with Nick. I always had a love for this sport and as most young riders planned to do it as a career. When I was 15 I became a full time working student for a top level rider, and for six years I did everything from being a head groom, rider, barn manager, and everything in between. This is where I met Nick.

He began as a sales horse in our program, and a few months after his sale we received a call that he was not working out, so he came back to be resold. Honestly, he was not my favorite horse in the barn. He was a bit quirky and a chronic cribber, but my coach at the time said that we would be a perfect match, and I was in between horses at the time so I bought him. My original plan was to produce him through Prelim and get my first two-star done, then sell him. However, that clearly did not go to plan!

I had been having trouble at the Prelim level on my prior horse so when this horse jumped around a clear at his first Prelim, I could not sell him. Since buying him in 2020 Nick and I have jumped around 49 events with this AEC being our 50^th event together.

In 2022 Nick and I were attempting our move up to the Intermediate level when it seemed like everything began to fall apart. We were getting eliminated every other weekend, and I could not get through a jump school without crying because I felt like I had ruined this nice horse that my parents had put so much money into over the years. I spent so much time trying to figure out what was wrong with him when in reality I needed to be trying to find out what was wrong with me.

I kept telling myself I wanted to move up because that’s what I was what I was supposed to do. I wanted to get up and ride my horse every day because that’s what I was what I was supposed to do. I wanted to go to shows every weekend and compete every month because that’s what I was what I was supposed to do. In reality, I did not want to; I was burnt out and tired of the sport I used to love so much. I spent a year telling myself I was fine because I felt like admitting that I was burnt out meant that I had wasted all this time and money I put in all these years. I gave up so much for this sport, and my parents have given up so much for me to do this, how could I just give up?

Unfortunately, this thought process made a bad situation even worse. Towards the end of the year, I ended up having a pretty bad fall in our schooling field that thankfully we both walked away from with just a few bruises. Mentally however, I was wrecked. I almost quit and sold everything, including Nick, however, when I sat down to write his sales ad, I just could not do it. I have never been attached to a horse the way I was with him. He has been with me through so much.

He moved to college with me, he was there when my mom was diagnosed with breast cancer, when my dad lost his job, through all the petty drama, and through every bad day. How could I sell my best friend? That was when I decided to take a step back. I realized that I wasn’t giving up on my dream, just changing the path.

Since taking a step back I have slowly learned how to love the sport again. I have spent this year jumping around Novice and Training and taking the pressure away. I realized that it is not always about jumping the big tracks or winning the most events, it’s about loving what you do and the partner you are doing it with because at the end of the day the sport is too difficult to not enjoy it.

Going to AEC this year means more than any FEI or championship I’ve done because for the first time in a long time I am having fun. It’s been awhile since the sport has been fun for me and to feel excited about going to the barn and going to shows again is all I could ask for. The horse has already given me everything; he owes me nothing but I owe him the world.

About the USEA American Eventing Championships (AEC)

The USEA American Eventing Championships (AEC) presented by Nutrena Feeds is the pinnacle of the sport at the national levels. Held annually, the best junior, adult amateur, and professional competitors gather to vie for national championship titles at every level from Starter to Advanced. This ultimate test of horse and rider draws hundreds of combinations from around the country to compete for fabulous prizes, a piece of the substantial prize money, and the chance to be named the National Champion at their respective levels. In fact, the 2021 AEC garnered over 1,000 entries and now stands as the largest eventing competition in North American history. The 2024 USEA American Eventing Championships presented by Nutrena Feeds will be held Aug. 27—Sept. 1 at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, Kentucky. Click here to learn more about the USEA American Eventing Championships.

The USEA would like to thank Presenting Sponsor: Nutrena Feeds; Advanced Final Title Sponsor: Adequan; Platinum Level Sponsor: Bates Saddles, Horse & Country; Gold Level Sponsors: ARMA, Parker Equine Insurance, PulseVet, Schneiders Saddlery, Smartpak, Standlee; Silver Level Sponsors: Auburn Labs, Canter Culture Riding Apparel, Kerrits, The Jockey Club, Rood & Riddle; Bronze Level Sponsor: 70 Degrees, Athletux, The Chronicle of the Horse, D.G. Stackhouse & Ellis, Dubarry of Ireland, Equestrian Team Apparel, Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation, Kraft Horse Walkers, Retired Racehorses Project, Ride EquiSafe, Santa Cruz Animal Health; Contributing Level Sponsors: Cross Country App, Georgetown – Scott County Tourism, Lexmark, L.V. Harkness, #WeRideTogether; and Prize Level Sponsors: BEMER, Ecogold, EquiFit, Equilab, FarmVet, FLAIR Equine Nasal Strips, Horses 4 Your Consideration, I Love My Horse Eventing Boutique, Jack’s Favorites, Jane Heart Jewelry, Kentucky Equine Research, LeMieux, Mare Goods, Neighborly Tack, Outlaw Nutrition, Palmera Polo, Parkmore Supplements, Practical Horseman / Equine Network, Rachel Dory Equine Fine Art, Remond Minerals, Secretariat Center, Shapley’s, Sidelines Magazine, Strides for Equality Equestrians, and VTO Saddlery.