Records Set at 2007 Wellpride American Eventing Championships

This year’s Wellpride American Eventing Championships, September 13-16, set records in just about every category, with record entries and representation (563 from 42 states, compared to last year’s 539 from 35 states), prize money ($58,000) and prizes (over $110,000 in value).  This was the fourth year of the U.S. Eventing Association’s national championships, and its debut at a new location—Lamplight Equestrian Center in Wayne, Illinois, a Chicago suburb. 

All six levels of USEA-recognized competition were represented, from Beginner Novice through Advanced, with 12 total divisions, and the barns at Lamplight were full of every type of eventer from around the country—riders  from ten to seventy years old, ranging from juniors and adult amateurs to Olympic and World Champions, including Great Britain’s reigning Olympic gold medalist Leslie Law and U.S. Olympians John Williams, Darren Chiacchia, and Becky Holder. Division winners came from all over the map, Colorado to Massachusetts, Michigan to Georgia, and took home a long list of prizes: Amerigo saddles, Wellpride Omega-3 fish oil, Bit of Britain gift certificates, Saratoga Horseworks coolers, Adequan, UlcerGard, Nutrena feed, SSG gloves, Maui Jim sunglasses, Rodney Powell vests, Charles Owen helmets, Fleeceworks saddle pads, Fiebing grooming products, FITS breeches, Auburn Labs APF, Flair nasal strips, Spalding Labs fly predator certificates, Tipperary vests, Hi-Tech Horse Jumps standards, Ice Horse wraps, Ovation gift certificates, Equinus Optimus, Platinum Performance, and Equestrian Classics halters.

Practically every breed of horse or pony was represented, from off-the-track Thoroughbreds and finely bred Warmbloods (including Dobbin, an OTTB and winner of the Advanced with amateur owner Corinne Ashton in the irons, and the gorgeous gray Dutch Warmblood, Cooper, champion in the Preliminary Junior/Young Rider division with 20-year-old owner Jennie Brannigan), to crosses of every sort, including an Andalusian/Paint (Lazerbeam, winner of the Novice Junior/Young Rider division with 11-year-old Taylor Foote) and a Norwegian Fjord (SNF Maarta, owned by Neil Sorum, winner of the Beginner Novice division with Lauren Chumley in the irons), proving that eventing is truly one of the most democratic of equestrian sports—one that welcomes all  horses and riders up for the challenge.

The event took place over four days, and when riders weren’t in the tack or watching the competition they were shopping in the extensive trade fair or attending course walks and seminars on everything from saddle fit and barn design to horse health and pet first aid.  Many also decided to take on competition of a different four-footed type, entering their dogs in the SmartPak Canine Dog Show, which was held on Sunday alongside show jumping.  This purely-for-fun dog show even made the local Daily Herald newspaper, with a picture of the winner of the costume class, looking very Johnny Depp-like in his pirate costume.

For complete results and daily coverage of the event, as well as video footage, audio interviews, photo and video course walks, and extensive photo galleries, visit www.useventing.com and click on the AEC link. 

A Word About our Sponsors

The USEA is thrilled to have a long list of sponsors that made the Wellpride AEC possible, including Title Sponsor:  Wellpride; Legacy Sponsors: Amerigo, Bit of Britain, Nutrena, and Saratoga Horseworks; Contributing Sponsors: Adequan, Cover-All Building Systems, and UlcerGard; and Platinum Sponsors: Broadstone Equine Insurance Agency and Pegasus Design Group.

Additional Wellpride AEC sponsors include Gold Level: Charles Owen, Finish Line, Flair Nasal Strips, Fleeceworks, The Fork Stables, Maui Jim Sunglasses, and Ovation; Silver: Auburn Laboratories, Equestrian Classics, FITS, Hi-Tech Horse Jumps, Pegasus Vans and Trailers, Platinum Performance, Rodney Powell, SmartPak Canine, SSG Gloves, and Spalding Labs; Bronze: Fiebing, Mackinnon Ice Horse, and Phoenix Performance Products.  Patron:  Cindy DePorter and Midwest Breeders Group.

Lamplight Equestrian Center sponsors include John Deere, Nutrena, Oros Saddlery, and Windy Hill Acres.

Photos: Credit Emily Daily/USEA.  SNF Maarta and Lauren Chumley; Christina Lawton and R’Romeo (Novice Amateur winners); All the Buzz and Leslie Law (Training Horse winners)