AEC Friday Recap: Can’t Steal Our Sunshine

What it's all about! Jr. Training rider Hayden Jones gives Ragtime Blues a big hug after their dressage test. Photo by Leslie Wylie. What it's all about! Jr. Training rider Hayden Jones gives Ragtime Blues a big hug after their dressage test. Photo by Leslie Wylie.

The sun and sizzling temps of earlier this week were a distant memory today when the morning dawned gray, cool and damp. Spirits stayed bright, however, as we saw our first AEC champions crowned.

Preliminary Amateur: Ruth Bley and Rodrigue Du Granit (27.6)
Preliminary Horse: Maya Black and Mowgli (29.2)
Preliminary ATC: Deborah Iezzi and Maxfli (41.6)
Professional’s Choice Master Training Amateur: Ruth Bley and Spartacus D’L’Herbage (27.4)
Professional’s Choice Training Amateur: Anna Kristen Paysinger and Lusitana (25.0)
Professional’s Choice Training Horse: Courtney Cooper and Tender Bravissimo (22.5)
Training-ATC: Beth Wheeler and Uncle Fred (27.1)

As these divisions were ending others were just beginning, including the Adequan Advanced Gold Cup Finals. The veteran partnership of Allison Springer and Arthur took the early lead, scoring a 25.3 in the dressage — check out my Advanced dressage reportĀ here. The USEA has a recap of Advanced and other divisions here.

The AEC was in full blown three-ring circus mode today, with all three phases running at once. (Actually, it was more of a four-ring plus cross country course circus.) If EN had sent 10 different reporters to cover this thing we still would have had our hands full, and I unfortunately had to pick my battles about what to cover. I couldn’t be in all places at once, but you guys were, so I’m handing over the mic to the people!

Here’s a glimpse of the day in your own words and pictures:

Oh you know, watching xc at the AECs in real time while also watching another horse at a different part of the course on the jumbotron. No big deal.

Posted by Susan Shelton on Friday, September 2, 2016

Congratulations to Elliott Blackmon who was was the recipient of the very first ever AEC marriage proposal. So happy we could help your new fiancé pull off this special surprise!

Posted by United States Eventing Association, Inc. (USEA) on Friday, September 2, 2016

Show jumping under the lights in the big ring – very cool. Congratulations Jenny Moyer and Leo on a top 20 finish! #AEC16

Posted by Lynn Kundravi on Friday, September 2, 2016

These are from the Tryon International Equestrian Center where the 2016 Nutrena USEA American Eventing Championships…

Posted by Steuart Pittman on Thursday, September 1, 2016

Great distance with a perfect flying lead change at the end #equestrianlife #borntojump

A video posted by Elese Nicholson (@equestrian_elese) on

#AEC16

A video posted by Meg Banks / Meg At… (@meg_at_) on

The Man taking one for the team, again

A photo posted by Paige Pence (@paige_pence) on

Keep those big smiles coming, guys. And remember to tag your photos #AEC16!

Go Eventing.