Earlier this month, the United States Eventing Association (USEA) and organizing partners Equestrian Events, Inc. (EEI) and Mary Fike made the difficult decision to cancel the 2020 edition of the USEA American Eventing Championships (AEC) presented by Nutrena Feeds. With the cancellation this year, the USEA Board of Governors voted to approve an update to the 2021 AEC qualifications. The 2021 AEC is scheduled to take place on August 31 – September 5, 2021 at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, Kentucky.
The qualifying period for the 2021 AEC is May 25, 2020 – August 23, 2021.
All riders and/or horses who qualified to compete at the 2020 AEC will be automatically qualified for the 2021 AEC, pending completion of one event meeting the Minimum Eligibility Requirements (MER) at the level (or one level higher) within the time period of April 23, 2021 - August 23, 2021. The USEA Board of Governors decided to add the additional completion as a safety measure – they do not want horses and riders coming to compete over a championship level course without competing for over a year.
The applicable MER shown below will need to be completed within the time period of April 23, 2021 - August 23, 2021. Keep in mind, this is only with regards to the riders and horses who were already qualified for the 2020 AEC. If a pair qualifies or requalifies within the 2021 qualifying period, the additional MER within four months does not apply.
National MER (applicable for all levels):
FEI MER earned at CCIs (applicable for Modified, Preliminary, Intermediate, and Advanced levels):
*Please note that this additional modification does not exclude any competitors. Competitors who did not qualify for the 2020 AEC but are aiming for the 2021 AEC should obtain the standard AEC qualifications within the qualifying period of May 25, 2020 – August 23, 2021. Click here for the 2021 AEC Qualifications.
For questions regarding qualifications, email [email protected].
The USEA American Eventing Championships (AEC) presented by Nutrena Feeds is the pinnacle of the sport for 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. The 2021 USEA American Eventing Championships presented by Nutrena Feeds will be held August 31-September 5, 2021 at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, Kentucky. Click here to learn more about the USEA American Eventing Championships.
The USEA American Eventing Championships presented by Nutrena Feeds would not be possible without our wonderful sponsors! The USEA would like to thank the following sponsors for their support: Presenting Sponsor: Nutrena Feeds; Advanced Final Title Sponsor: Adequan; Platinum Level Sponsor: Bates Saddles Gold Level Sponsors: Parker Equine Insurance, Standlee Hay; Silver Level Sponsors: Park Equine, Mountain Horse, The Jockey Club; Bronze Level Sponsors: Athletux, Black Petticoat, The Chronicle of the Horse, Devoucoux, D.G. Stackhouse & Ellis, Farm House Tack, FITS Riding, Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation, LandSafe, Parks Tax & Consulting PLLC, Retired Racehorse Project SmartPak; Contributing Level Sponsors: Amazon, Big Ass Fans, GLC Direct, Cross Country App, FarmVet, Georgetown Tourism, GLC Direct, Haygain, John Deere, L.V. Harkness, Santa Cruz Animal Health, WeatherBeeta; Prize Level Sponsors: Active Interest Media, Astrid’s Oil, Dressage TestPro, EQ AM Magazine, FLAIR, Hound & Hare, I Love My Horse, Great British Equinery, Mare Modern Goods, Ride Heels Down, Tack of the Town, Weatherbeeta.
Nestled in the heart of St. Louis County is Queeny Park, the former estate of the late Mr. and Mrs. Edgar M. Queeny. This gorgeous public park features trails, playgrounds, tennis courts, a dog park, and so much more. On any given day you can find cyclists, walkers, families, and more enjoying the sprawling grounds of Queeny Park, but once a year eventers take over as the park hosts the Queeny Park Horse Trials. It is not uncommon for park visitors to watch from a safe distance as horses gallop across the grounds at Queeny Park, making it an event that truly anyone in the community can enjoy. This family-friendly staple in the St. Louis equestrian community has run for over 40 years, offering eventers in Area IV and beyond the opportunity to enjoy the park's ample space and terrain during the weekend-long event.
Where can you find fierce competition at every level, an overwhelming team atmosphere, and tons of spirit? The USEA Intercollegiate Eventing Championships of course! The 2022 Championships get underway tonight at 6:00 p.m. EST with the Opening Ceremony and Senior Awards Presentation, and official competition kicks off first thing Saturday morning. A total of 87 championship competitors will be representing 12 schools and make up 22 championship teams which will compete over the course of the weekend at the Chattahoochee Hills Horse Trials.
Are you following along with the action from home this weekend? Or maybe you're competing at an event and need information fast. Either way, we’ve got you covered! Check out the USEA’s Weekend Quick Links for links to information including the prize list, ride times, live scores, and more for all the events running this weekend.
The United States Eventing Association (USEA) is pleased to welcome back longtime sponsor, FITS Riding, Ltd. for 2022. They are returning as a ‘Bronze Sponsor of the USEA American Eventing Championships presented by Nutrena Feeds (AEC)’, a ‘Contributing Sponsor of the USEA Adult Team Championships (ATC)’, a ‘Contributing Sponsor of the USEA Classic Series’, and a ‘Contributing Sponsor of the USEA Intercollegiate Eventing Championships.’ As a sponsor of these USEA programs, FITS will generously provide gift certificates as prizes for the Intercollegiate championship competitors, AEC and ATC competitors, and Classic Series winners.