United States Eventing Association

Training Level Competitors Strut their Stuff in Dressage at #AEC2022

For Immediate Release: The second day of competition at the 2022 USEA American Eventing Championships (AEC) presented by Nutrena Feeds featured dressage competition for the Training level competitors, allowing them the opportunity to strut down the centerline and secure a solid foundation for their overall score.

USEA Training Amateur Championship
Traveling in from Shingle Springs, California to secure the overnight lead going into cross-country tomorrow in the USEA Training Amateur Championship is Morgan Wenell and her own 7-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding Kremer VD Falieberg (Up to Date x Odermus R). The pair rest on a score of 26.1 going into the remainder of the competition.

“I was gunning for it but I wasn’t expecting to definitely be the lead, maybe top five,” Wenell shared after her test. “He’s always delivered in dressage but when you add people from all around the country I didn’t totally know what to expect. I was definitely surprised for sure. I just always expect him to be good and he always is. He’s an amazing horse like that.”

In preparation for combatting Ian Stark’s cross-country course tomorrow, Wenell has walked the course twice already. “It definitely looks fun, definitely a looky course, more like spooky. Sometimes that can work in my favor because it naturally will balance him back up. I like sometimes when it’s a bit more spooky because it helps me stick my leg on.”

In reference to him being a good traveler: “He was quite challenging to get to accept his environment for sure. He definitely used to get overwhelmed pretty quickly. Thankfully that kind of went away with time. So, with this show, he was super relaxed, super loose through his back.”

The pair leave the start box at 9:12 a.m. on Friday morning.

USEA Training Horse Championship

Jennette Scanlon's own 18-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding, Zoltaire (Ijsslemeer Ikepono x Ohia Lehua) utilized his extended career in the sport to his advantage Thursday evening aiding Scanlon in claiming the top spot in the USEA Training Horse Championship with a score of 23.1 in the dressage phase of competition, placing a full three and a half points lower than the second-place finisher.

The duo will gallop out of the start box Friday morning at 8:56 a.m. in an attempt to hang onto their initial lead.

USEA Training Junior Championship

Lizzie Hoff may have only just partnered with Caroline Martin's 7-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding HSH Limited Edition (Sibon W x Tinirana Velvet) two months ago, but that hasn't stopped the duo from sailing to the top of the leaderboard in the USEA Training Junior Championship. Their dressage test is what Hoff refers to as a personal best performance together and the score of 24.0 gives them a five point lead over the rest of the field.

"He is tricky in that he is really big and can sometimes be not very rideable," Hoff shared. "Today he was so on it and listening really well, definitely the most rideable he has ever been. I was really happy with him. It was the best test we have ever done together and I was very excited about it. We have been trying to figure out what is the best warm-up for him and he was really great."

After looking over the cross-country track that the pair will tackle tomorrow, Hoff is eager to give it a go with HSH Limited Edition. "I think it looks really good for him. There are some good questions that are a little bit more than what we have seen so far. I am hoping to move him up to Preliminary next month, so I am happy with the course and I think it will ride well and suit him."

If you are out on course on Friday, keep an eye out for this pair as they exit the start box at 2:40 p.m.

USEA Training Rider Championship

Sitting two points ahead of the current second-place rider in the USEA Training Rider Championship is Cindy Kennedy of Jefferson, Georgia and her 11-year-old Hanoverian gelding Third Times the Charm (DeCaprio x Gossip Time). Their score of 26.5 has them resting in first following the first day of Championship competition.

“He was such a good boy, he was in the zone. It was nice that our nice long travel up here and the prep work we put in along the way really helped him,” Kennedy commented. “He settled in great. My husband and I left last Saturday. We had decided when we were going to come we were going to make a trip of it, so we went five to six hours a day, and found campgrounds to stay in where I could get him out and do hacks. Then we met some family up here and he got to play around and move some cows and he’s had a grand time along the way.”

After such a long trek to get here, Kennedy is eager to tackle almost every eventer’s favorite phase: cross-country. “The course looks great – there’s plenty to look at and of course you can’t beat an Ian Stark course, right?”

You can watch the leading pair gallop across the country at Rebecca Farm at 10:32 a.m. Friday morning.

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About the USEA American Eventing Championships

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 Beginner Novice to Advanced. This ultimate test of horse and rider draws hundreds of horses and riders 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 2022 USEA American Eventing Championships presented by Nutrena Feeds will be held August 31 – September 4 at the beautiful Rebecca Farm in Kalispell, Montana. 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: Parker Equine Insurance, Smartpak, Capital Square, Standlee; Silver Level Sponsors: Auburn Labs, Mountain Horse, The Jockey Club, Kerrits; Bronze Level Sponsors: Athletux, The Chronicle of the Horse, Dubarry of Ireland, FITS Riding, Equilume, Devoucoux, Fifth Third Bank, Gallops Saddlery, D.G. Stackhouse & Ellis, Clark Nissan; Contributing Level Sponsors: CrossCountry App, WeRideTogether, Haygain, First Interstate Bank, Schellinger Construction, Glacier Bank, Animal Health Solutions Inc., Discover Kalispell; Prize Level Sponsors: Vet Blue, Practical Horseman, Hound & Hare, Strides of Equality Equestrians, Horse & Country TV, Bemer Independent Distributors, Freelance Design, Achieve Equine/FLAIR, Flexible Fit Equestrian USA, and more! ATC Sponsors: The Chronicle of the Horse, FITS Riding, Nutrena Feeds, SmartPak, Achieve Equine/FLAIR, Kerrits, and Horse & Country TV