Will Coleman and Off the Record. Photo by Erin Gilmore Photography.
We have officially kicked off the action at #AEC2024, happening this year at Kentucky Horse Park before the Championships shift to the West coast and Galway Downs for next year. This means a record amount of attendees have traveled to Kentucky for a chance to compete on hallowed ground, with AEC offering every level from Starter up through Advanced.
Today we’ve got dressage action for Modified, Preliminary and Intermediate competitors. The Intermediate dressage is currently being live streamed on Horse & Country. You do need a membership to watch, but H&C+ has opened up a free 7-day trial for USEA members if they are not current members. You can also save 15% off an annual H&C+ membership by using code EVENTINGNATION15 at checkout. Click here for more information and to access the live feed.
You can view the full AEC schedule by clicking here. Ride times and live scores can found here.
All competitors get a chance to show jump in the big Rolex Stadium at AEC. Photo by Erin Gilmore Photography.
For competitors, your official photographer this week is Erin Gilmore Photography, whose incredible team will be working diligently to load your photos quickly so you aren’t waiting long periods of time to get your memories. All photos will be available at the conclusion of your division. Visit this website to get started with your photos. EquiReel is also on site and working with H&C+ to provide rider videos.
We’ll be focusing our lens this week on the $60,000 Adequan Advanced Championship, which has fielded a strong roster of 42 horses and riders, including all three members of the Paris eventing team (Liz Halliday, Boyd Martin, Caroline Pamukcu). Will Coleman has also entered both of his original Paris horses, Off the Record and Diabolo, who each left Paris sound and ready to tackle their next challenge.
Will Coleman and Diabolo. Photo by Tina Fitch for Erin Gilmore Photography.
Our own Ema Klugman has two of her burgeoning string of Advanced horses entered in confirmed 5* partner Bronte Beach Z as well as Chiraz. Allison Springer is competing with her Bromont 4*-L winner No May Moon as well as Vandyke. Phillip and Olivia Dutton have three rides between them, including two exciting younger horses for Phillip in Denim and Possante. Blenheim-bound Jan Byyny has entered her off-track Thoroughbred, Beautiful Storm, as they prep for their first overseas outing together next month. Ariel Grald will bring forward one of my personal favorite “ones to watch” in the striking mare Isla de Coco.
This competitive field, into which I’ve hardly done the deepest of dives for this preview, means it’s truly anyone’s game for the coveted Championship trophy and associated prize money, and we’ll see these competitors get started tomorrow with dressage, followed by cross country on Thursday and show jumping under the lights on Friday. All of the Advanced action will be streamed live here. The full list of start times for the Advanced group can be found here.
Cross country courses are also now available for previewing thanks to CrossCountryApp here or embedded below.
Keep an eye out for full Advanced reports each day, as well as recaps provided by the USEA (and you can also keep up with their awesome coverage on useventing.com as well as @useventing on socials). Best of luck to all, and Go Eventing!
USEA American Eventing Championships: [Website] [Schedule] [Live Stream] [Timing & Scoring] [Volunteer] [Official Photographer] [XC Courses]
EN’s remote coverage of #AEC2024 is brought to you by Ride Equisafe, who is on site in the vendor fair at the Horse Park this week to help you with all of your safety equipment needs! You can also shop online (and contact them for bespoke recommendations) here.
