United States Eventing Association

Three Months Until the 2025 USEA American Eventing Championships at Galway Downs

The 2025 United States Eventing Association (USEA) American Eventing Championships (AEC) presented by Nutrena Feeds is just over three months away, which means it is time to start planning your trip to Temecula, California! This year, the AEC will be on a Western rotation to the ever-popular Galway Downs, which is a staple on the Area VI calendar each year.

The 2025 AEC will offer 23 divisions, from Starter through the pinnacle $60,000 Adequan USEA Advanced Final. The event will also serve as host of the 2025 USEA Adult Team Championships (ATC) at the Starter, Beginner Novice, Novice, Training, and Modified levels.

Entries & Qualifications

Entries for the 2025 AEC will open on Tuesday, July 15 and close on Tuesday, August 12. In April, the USEA Board of Governors’ Executive Committee approved updated qualifications for this year’s championships, like expanding the list of qualifying placings to 1st through 5th place in all Starter-Preliminary divisions, to give more members the opportunity to compete at this incredible venue. To learn more about the qualification updates announced last month, click here.

The 2025 AEC qualification period is May 20, 2024, through August 12, 2025, and both horse and rider must be qualified for the AEC at the level they wish to compete. For more information, please visit the AEC qualification page, and view the lists of Qualified Riders and Qualified Horses. Competitors are encouraged to double-check their individual qualifications to ensure compliance with the updated guidelines. To review the full qualification criteria for the 2025 AEC, visit the AEC qualifications webpage.

The City: Temecula, California

Temecula Valley is nestled in the heart of Southern California’s Wine Country, and it boasts a small-town atmosphere with an impressive array of outdoor recreation, culinary delights, and local artisans. While tastings at over 50 local wineries always top the list for must-attend activities in the area, Temecula is also widely known for its hot air balloon adventures! Take in a panoramic view of the valley’s unique topography, gorgeous estates, and sprawling vineyards from the basket of a balloon.

Old Town Temecula is the hub for local restaurants, specialty shops, historic architecture, and outdoor entertainment. Foodies can rejoice in several artisanal and farm-to-table options, as well as an evolving fine dining scene. If you’re looking for locally crafted souvenirs, Old Town Temecula is the perfect spot to explore the region’s most unique and exclusive boutiques and stores, ranging from antique dealers to art galleries, and more!

If you’d like to add an outdoor activity to your itinerary, there are two types of riding that can be enjoyed in the area. First, with over 100+ miles of trails, visitors can enjoy the rolling hills of wine country by bike. Temecula Wine Country E-Bikes makes it easy to enjoy the area on two wheels. If you want to add another equine encounter to your trip, book a sunset trail ride with Wine Country Trails by Horseback!

Known as one of the state’s best kept secrets, Temecula is easily accessible from several major cities, including Los Angeles (90 minutes North), San Diego (60 minutes South), Palm Springs (60 minutes East), and Orange County (60 minutes West). The proximity allows visitors to enjoy a variety of destination attractions, including Disneyland, Universal Studios, the San Diego Zoo, and more, with just a short drive.

For more information on things to do in Temecula, visittemeculavalley.com.

The Venue: Galway Downs

Galway Downs, a premier equestrian and special events facility in Southern California, has hosted international eventing for more than 25 years. Owner Ken Smith and Event Organizer Robert Kellerhouse are fiercely dedicated to cultivating a top-class experience for every competitor and supporter that walks onto the property, which they have demonstrated by steadily improving the infrastructure and amenities offered on-site over the past several years.

With 13 geotextile arenas and 4 miles of international-level cross-country track, the venue is perfectly suited to host the American Eventing Championships. Competitors will have ample room for lunging, practice, and warm-up across phases, and with more than 500+ permanent stalls and hundreds of additional temporary stalls, there will be no lack of accommodations for your equine counterparts. Visit galwaydownsequestrian.com to learn more.

Galway Downs also has wonderful on-site housing options, highlighted by 4-bedroom/4-bathroom Ranch Homes with full kitchens, living rooms and a shared BBQ area and pool.

RV spaces and hook-ups on the showgrounds are available, along with the Native Falls Campground nearby. All three lodging opportunities can be found here.

For general questions about the AEC, please contact Kate Lokey. For questions regarding AEC qualifications, contact Hannah Seagle. To confirm qualifications, visit the AEC Qualified Riders and AEC Qualified Horses lists throughout the year.

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 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 2025 USEA American Eventing Championships presented by Nutrena Feeds will be held on Aug. 26-31 at Galway Downs in Temecula, California. 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, Gold Level Sponsors: ARMA, PulseVet, Schneiders Saddlery, Standlee; and more!

About the $60,000 Adequan USEA Advanced Final

The $60,000 Adequan® USEA Advanced Final will take place at the 2025 USEA American Eventing Championships presented by Nutrena Feeds at Galway Downs in Temecula, California on Aug. 27-29, 2025. Thanks to Adequan’s amazing support, the Adequan® USEA Advanced Final will bring together the country’s top riders to vie for $60,000 in prize money and the title of Adequan® Champion. To qualify for the $60,000 Adequan® USEA Advanced Final at the AEC in 2025, competitors will need to complete a minimum of two events without cross-country jump penalties at any USEA recognized Advanced horse trials, CCI4*-S, CCI4*-L , CCI5*-L, World Championships, or Olympic Games. Click here to learn more about the $60,000 Adequan® USEA Advanced Final.

About the USEA Adult Team Championships

The USEA Adult Team Championships, which debuted in 2014, is the capstone event for the USEA Area Adult Team Challenges, providing adults the chance to compete as a team and represent their Area of the country in a friendly and fun environment. Historically, adult riders had three regional Team Challenges in which to compete with fellow adults in a team environment, with the locations changing each year. In 2013, the USEA Adult Rider Coordinators voted to move to support Adult Team Challenges taking place in all 10 Areas across the country, with the finale being the ATC at the USEA American Eventing Championships presented by Nutrena Feeds. Each Area can send up to eight teams from Beginner Novice through Preliminary level to the ATC. Adult Riders know how to have a good time, and there is no doubt that they bring an increased level of excitement and camaraderie to the AEC! Click here to learn more about the USEA Adult Team Championships.

The USEA would like to thank ARMA, The Chronicle of the Horse, Equilab, FLAIR Equine Nasal Strips, Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation, Kerrits, Nutrena Feeds, PulseVet, Ride iQ, Schneiders Saddlery, and Sidelines Magazine for sponsoring the Adult Team Championships.