The 2023 USEA American Eventing Championships (AEC) presented by Nutrena Feeds has been a roaring success, standing as the third largest eventing competition in North American history, behind the 2021 and 2019 AEC at the Kentucky Horse Park. None of it would have been possible without the support of the many loyal sponsors.
Thanks to their generous support, the USEA was able to provide AEC competitors with nearly $110,000 in prize money and hundreds of thousands of dollars in prizes and in-kind donations. Whether an AEC competitor placed fifth or won their division, they walked away with a plethora of prizes donated by the wonderful sponsors. The top three teams in all USEA Adult Team Championships divisions also walked away with prize money and prizes.
The USEA would like to especially thank AEC Presenting Sponsor, Nutrena Feeds, as they have been a long-time supporter of the AEC at both the Presenting and Title level in the past, and the USEA cherishes this partnership for all USEA members. Nutrena is “The Official Feed of the USEA” and not only did they help fund the prize purses, but they sent the top three in every AEC and ATC division home with multiple bags of Nutrena Feed. “Nutrena has been with us since the very first year of the USEA, and the USEA and our members cannot thank them enough for their support,” said USEA CEO, Rob Burk.
The USEA would also like to thank Adequan, who has been a long-time partner serving as “The Official Joint Therapy Treatment of the USEA” and the Title Sponsor of the Adequan USEA Advanced Final at the AEC, which offers a whopping $60,000 prize purse. The Champion walked away with $30,000, which makes this class one of the most highly sought after Championships in North America. “Year in and year out, Adequan steps up to support the sport of eventing in the U.S. and we are so grateful,” said Burk.
Bates, “The Official Saddle of the USEA” continued their support as a Platinum level sponsor of the AEC, providing around $20,000 worth of prizes to the top five in all AEC divisions, and the top three teams in all Adult Team Championship (ATC) divisions. “This partnership has been incredible both for the sport of eventing and the USEA members. We are so lucky to be able to partner with this top-of-the-line company,” noted Burk.
The USEA would like to thank the following Corporate sponsors, who also supported the AEC as Gold Level Sponsors: Capital Square, who serves as “The Official Real Estate Partner of the USEA,” Parker Equine Insurance, who serves as “The Official Equine Insurance of the USEA,” SmartPak, who serves as “The Official Supplement Feeding System of the USEA,” and Standlee, who serves as “The Official Forage of the USEA.” All of these corporate partners provided either significant prize purse funds, prizes, or both. Horse & Country is another Gold Level Sponsor to thank, who also provided the live stream of the AEC, and offers 15% off subscriptions to all USEA members.
Special thanks also goes to the Silver Level Sponsors: Kerrits, who serves as “The Official Competiton and Training Apparel of the USEA,” Auburn Labs, Ecogold, Rood & Riddle, and The Jockey Club;
Bronze Level Sponsors: 70 Degrees, Athletux, Big Ass Fans, Black Petticoat, The Chronicle of the Horse, Devoucoux, D.G. Stackhouse and Ellis, Dubarry of Ireland, Equestrian Team Apparel, Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation, Horseware Ireland, Majyk Equipe, Retired Racehorse Project, Ride EquiSafe;
Contributing Level Sponsors: CrossCountry App, Georgetown – Scott County Tourism, Lexmark, L.V. Harkness, Mountain Horse, Mrs. Pastures Cookies, #WeRideTogether;
Prize Level Sponsors: Coach Daniel Stewart, EquiFit, Equilab, Equiluxe Tack, Equine Essentials, Equine Pulse Performance, FarmVet, Achieve Equine/FLAIR Equine Nasal Strips, Horses 4 Your Consideration, Hound & Hare, I Love My Horse Eventing Boutique, Jack’s Favorites, Jane Heart Jewelry, Kinetic Equine Services, LeMieux, Levade Kentucky, Mare Modern Goods, OneTouch Fly Spray, Parkmore Supplements, Practical Horseman, Sidelines Magazine, Spy Coast Farm, Strides for Equality Equestrians, and VTO Saddlery;
And Adult Team Championships (ATC) Sponsors: Bates Saddles, The Chronicle of the Horse, Achieve Equine/FLAIR Equine Nasal Strips, Kinetic Equine Services, Horse & Country, Equilab, Kerrits, Nutrena Feeds, Sidelines Magazine, SmartPak and #WeRideTogether.
The USEA would like to urge all competitors to reach out to thank the sponsors who supported the AEC. Prize winners should also work to redeem their certificates and vouchers at their earliest convenience if they did not redeem them on-site, as most of them have approaching expiration dates.
For more information about the AEC, please click here and save the date for the AEC at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, Kentucky, Aug. 27 – Sept. 1, 2024.
Eventers who are new to the sport may feel a little overwhelmed by the often-misunderstood world of saddle fitting. Riders are often bombarded with information from peers online or self-described experts, putting them at risk of following bad advice related to equipment that impacts horse welfare perhaps more than any other piece of tack. Finding a qualified expert to answer these questions is crucial. Who better to turn to than both a qualified Master Saddle Fitter and a fourth-generation saddle designer to answer some of these questions?
Did you know that the USEA Foundation awards over 150 grants each year to deserving individuals who are involved in the sport of eventing? With grants that assist riders with accomplishing their competition goals, grants geared toward licensed officials, grants that are specific to continuing education for coaches, grants that assist competitions with obtaining frangible technology, and so much more, there really is a grant opportunity available to almost anyone!
With the start of the New Year just days away, now is the time to consider how your actions can have a positive impact on the sport of eventing in 2025. Each and every member of the eventing community has an important role to play in ensuring the sport continues to grow and thrive. From fostering educational opportunities to supporting grassroots initiatives and participating at all levels of the sport, there are so many ways to get involved.
Ride iQ’s popular “Ask An Expert” series features professional advice and tips from all areas of the horse industry. One of the most-downloaded episodes is an expert session with Peter Gray, an accomplished dressage judge and Olympic eventer. He has recently judged at events like the five-star at the Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event, and he served on the ground jury at the 2022 FEI World Eventing Championships in Pratoni, Italy. His background as a competitor in the Olympic Games riding for Bermuda and as a coach and selector for the Canadian eventing team adds depth to his understanding of the sport.