AEC
Update – Don’t Forget July 19 Opening Date! 
The most reliable way to gauge the success of an event, especially an inaugural
event, is to find out if anyone is coming back the next year. After checking in
with more than a dozen competitors from last year’s American Eventing Championships,
the organizers at the Carolina Horse Park better be prepared to expand their stabling,
because it looks like everyone is coming back, and then some.
Opening Date
is just a few days away – July 19! While the event organizers hope
everyone will enter early, and on-line (at www.evententries.com), remember that
all qualified entries will be accepted through the Close Date of August 30.
Please note that the lists of qualified horses and riders on the USEA website
is updated weekly, but only reflects competition results received by the USEA
headquarters. There can sometimes be a several week lag between the completion
of the event, and receipt and input of the results. According to course
designer, bronze medallist John Williams, those who attended the event
last year can expect a similar track and layout, with about 20 percent changed
at each level. They can also expect the maximum number of jumps allowed on each
course, and perhaps an extra combination or two. “Since it’s a championship,
everybody should expect the courses within the level to be more challenging
than the average horse trials.” Williams designed last
year’s novice through preliminary courses, while Captain Mark Phillips
put together the two highest level tracks. “I’m new to the intermediate
and advanced courses, but so much work was done at the site last year to establish
the tracks and courses, even though I’m in as the new designer they still
have a bit of a feel left over from Captain Mark Phillips, but where I
can I will certainly move some portables around and make as many changes as I
can to give the course my own feel.” Williams, who with Carrick
won team bronze at last year’s Olympic Games, won’t have the opportunity
to ride at this year’s event. Generally, course designers can compete over
their own courses, but are prohibited to do so at championships. About this
year’s sophomore AEC he said: “Hopefully everybody that came last year
will be just as delighted for this year’s event.” And for those
who have not yet enjoyed the AEC experience, he offered this: “Come and partake.
See what it’s all about and keep the fun, festive atmosphere that we had
last year.” If you’re still on the fence after hearing that, and
reading the article, here are some other incentives to sway you… •
Cash!
$50,000 in prize money, divided equally between the five
levels (see Omnibus page for breakdown) •
And Prizes!
More than $50,000 in prizes, including:
* five
Amerigo saddles (one to the winner of each level’s Open division)
* $5,000
in Bit of Britain gift certificates
* a Stackhouse saddle, plus bridles, girths
and stirrup leathers provided by Stackhouse
* Charles Owen helmets
* Maui
Jim Sunglasses
* Tredsteps half chaps and paddock boots
* Tipperary vests
* Likit gift packages
* Mackinnon Ice Horse products
* Blundstone paddock
boots
* ULCERGARD gift packs
* Spalding Labs fly predator gift certificates
* Platinum Performance products
* APF from Auburn Labs
* Work Horse gloves
* Saddle pads and gift subscriptions from Practical Horseman
* Copper mailboxes
with the USEA logo from Still River Designs
* products from Leather Therapy,
Grand Meadows, Healing Tree, Tally Ho, and Equissentials
•
Festivities
The Carolina Horse Park will welcome everyone to the
park Wednesday evening with a wine and cheese party. The USEA will host the Thursday
evening festivities, with heavy hors d’oeuvres, drinks, and a DJ. Friday
night is the Horse Park’s big BBQ, beer, and band party. If you’re not
from the South, prepare yourself for this festive and fun regional culinary experience.
And as things quiet down, Saturday evening will feature light, relaxing hors d’oeurves
and drinks. A door prize will be given every evening, including a pair of Blundstone
paddock boots, Tipperary vest, and Maui Jim Sunglasses.
•
Seminars
If you’ve got the time, we’ve got the seminar.
A variety of seminars, clinics, and hands-on demonstrations will be held throughout
the event. Unless otherwise noted, dates and times will be announced closer to
the event, to accommodate presenters’ schedules. Get to as many as you can!
In-The-Field
Cross-Country Jumping Seminar
Karen O’Connor, Darren
Chiacchia, and Robin Walker invite all who are interested in cross-country
riding and jumping to attend the Instructors’ Certification Program’s
“In-the-field Cross-Country Jumping Seminar.” The Carolina Horse Park
is notable for the way it sets different competition level fences near each other,
making the site’s courses particularly well suited for comparing sizes, shapes,
and technicality of fences. These aspects of each fence determine the kind of
riding that each requires. Karen, Darren, and Robin will
be making these comparisons, while focusing on the preparation period before and
the maintenance to various fences, key elements of competent cross-country riding—and
also taking questions and comments from those attending the seminar.
Show Jumping
Course Design
Whether you’re an up-and-coming designer, official,
organizer, or a rider looking to improve their performance over the colored poles,
this silent auditing seminar offers a chance to better understand the philosophies
used by top FEI and Rolex Kentucky CCI**** show jumping designer Richard Jeffrey,
who will discuss the theories and techniques behind effective show jumping course
design, using the AEC courses throughout his presentations. This is a paid clinic
for professional and potential course designers, but a limited number of silent
auditors will be permitted at no charge, but by application only, to attend the
two classroom sessions, Thursday afternoon (covering general theory and overview
of course design) and Friday morning (overview of distances, and discussion of
course designs submitted by paid clinic attendees). The application can be found
on the USEA website—click Education, then Forms.
Cross-Country
Fence Building
Join 20-year course building veteran Dan Starck,
and FEI course designer Ritch Temple, for a hands-on portable cross-country
fence building experience. Due to increasing land loss, and expense, portable
cross-country obstacles have become vital to effective cross-country course design.
Dan, who has built at venues including Rolex Kentucky, North Georgia, Foxhall,
and Maui Jim Wayne, will walk you through the process—and the end result
will be left for the Carolina Horse Park to use on future AEC courses. This will
be followed by a course tour, where Dan will walk the course and discuss
the fences from a builder’s perspective, including the whys and what fors
of construction of the different types of fences and complexes.
Horse
Friendly Barn Design
Architectural designer/consultant and intermediate
level eventer, Holly Matt, will discuss the historical, cultural, and technological
influences on barn design, and outline ways that you can design or re-design your
facilities to balance the needs of the horses and the humans who care for them—creating
a safe, healthy, and happy environment for both species.
Grooming
for Competition
Advanced level competitor Jennifer Holling
will provide a hands-on demonstration covering how to make sure you and your horse
look your absolute best on competition day, from head to toe (or tail), including
techniques and tricks covering braiding, boot polishing, and the all-important
finishing touches. All seminar attendees will receive a stash of products from
Fiebing, Jennifer’s longtime sponsor, including Satin Sheen,
Flyspray 44, and Cadet Shine. In addition Fiebing will sponsor the “Best
Turned-Out” awards given to one competitor at each level after the completion
of show jumping.
Nutrition
for the Event Horse
An expert from Nutrena will discuss
the appropriate types and ratios of feeds needed to meet the nutritional needs
of active event horses, ensuring that they’re ready for the rigors of competition. Preventing
Colic Through Nutrition
Colic is the number one cause of death
for horses in any discipline. Learn about advanced research that has been done
to formulate different types of feeds that can help prevent 90 percent of cases. Volunteer
Certification Seminar
This seminar is part of a USEA pilot program
designed to recognize and certify our dedicated volunteers. The sport exists only
because of their efforts, and the association would like to not only say thank
you, but give those devoted to the sport a chance to further develop their skills,
meet other volunteers, raise questions and concerns and to work with top eventing
officials. Look to the USEA website for details on this exciting new program,
to be launched at the AEC. •
AEC Raffle
If you’re coming to the AEC, you don’t have
to be a competitor to win, you just need to be lucky! The USEA will be raffling
off a trunk full of loot—including several prizes that will also be awarded
during the competition—Maui Jim Sunglasses, Blundstone paddock
boots, a Tipperary vest, and products from Mackinnon Ice Horse,
Finish Line, Lickit, Auburn Labs, and many others, with more
being added daily. One winner will take home the entire trunk, and its contents
worth more than $1,500. Stop by the USEA booth in the trade fair for tickets! •
Best Turned-Out Award
Fiebing will sponsor the “Best Turned-Out”
awards given to one competitor at each level after the completion of show jumping,
so make sure to have you and your horse in tip top shape for your show jumping
round—perfect button braids, polished hooves and boots, shining brass, and
snow white saddle pads. •
Trade Fair
Our sponsors and vendors from all over the country will
be on hand selling their wares. Make sure to check out the USEA booth for exclusive
AEC logo wear: T-shirts, ball caps, pins, decals, and posters. Bring your credit
card! •
Going to the Dogs
While we can’t guarantee a championship
atmosphere, we can guarantee lots of laughs and a few prizes--competitors, grooms,
family, and spectators are welcome to enter their pooches into the first annual
AEC Dog Show. Expect informal classes on everything from obedience and obstacle
courses, to cutest face and waggiest tail (for the kids). •
A Word About our Sponsors
We’re thrilled to have all of last
year’s AEC sponsors returning, including Presenting Sponsors: Bit of Britain,
Amerigo, and DryNest Bedding; and Contributing Sponsors: Cover-All
Building Systems and Finish Line Products. In addition Nutrena and
Adequan signed on for this year as well. We’ve added a long
list of new AEC sponsors, including Gold Level: Practical Horseman, Maui
Jim, and Platinum Performance; Silver Level: Charles Owen,
Stackhouse Saddles, John Deere, Pegasus Design, Phoenix
Performance Products, Tredstep, Likit, Equine Products,
LLC and Rodney Powell Body Armour; Bronze: Auburn Laboratories,
Spalding Labs, Mackinnon Ice Horse, Gore Trailers, and Equine
Quality Alliance.
For more information on the AEC, visit the USEA
website at www.useventing.com or the Carolina Horse Park at www.carolinahorsepark.com.
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