2018 AEC Jr. Beginner Novice champions Ella Robinson and Fernhill Fearless des Terdrix. Photo by Leslie Wylie.
With less than 100 days to go, the 2020 USEA American Eventing Championships are still expected to run as planned August 25-30 at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, Kentucky.
The U.S. Eventing Association and US Equestrian suspension of events will end May 31, 2020, and currently events are expected to be held again starting in June. The USEA in partnership with the Organizing team of Equestrian Events, Inc. (EEI) and Mary Fike are working on best practices to make the championships as safe as possible. With these efforts in place, they have urged potential competitors that the 2020 AEC will be a “new normal.”
“We are lucky to have an outstanding organizing team including EEI and Mary Fike and I am incredibly confident in their ability to reduce risk as much as is possible,” said USEA CEO Rob Burk.
“We have already begun planning how we can host the AEC while carefully following local, state, CDC, and WHO guidance. We have studied the USEF COVID-19 Licensed Competition Action Plan and are incorporating it, and we are applying the WHO risk assessment tool to better prepare over the next several months. This AEC is going to be one for the record books, and it will have its own unique feel. The entire team is sensitive to the fact that this needs to be no less special than every other AEC while at the same time implementing new cautionary measures related to COVID-19.”
At present, no alterations have been made to the qualification criteria, but the USEA Board of Governors is evaluating all potential options. The USEA I.T. Department is collecting data to evaluate how many horses and riders may have lost the opportunity to qualify. The standing qualification window is May 27, 2019 – August 18, 2020.
The USEA has confirmed that any changes would be made in the coming weeks.
“Maintaining the safety of the riders and horses remains paramount, followed by ensuring the highest level of competition,” said Rob. “We are analyzing options to maintain a similar size pool of qualified competitors as in previous years. Currently, over 2,200 riders and 2,500 horses are already qualified to compete. The options on the table to alter qualification include, but aren’t limited to, easing placing requirements, allowing those that qualified in 2019 special dispensation, and/or extending the qualifying period earlier in 2019.”
What do you think, EN? Are you planning to attend the 2020 AEC? Let us know in the comments.
