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Over 211 Thoroughbreds traveled to the Kentucky Horse Park to compete at the 2021 USEA American Eventing Championships (AEC) presented by Nutrena Feeds on August 31 – September 5. There were four T.I.P. registered horses competing in the $60,000 Adequan USEA Advanced Final, four in the Intermediate Championship, 20 in the Bates Preliminary divisions, 11 in the Vetoquinol Modified Championship, 51 in the Training divisions, 64 in the Novice divisions, and 57 in the Beginner Novice divisions.
With Thoroughbreds competing at every level and in every division, the top two T.I.P. registered Thoroughbreds in every division were recognized by The Jockey Club’s Thoroughbred Incentive Program (T.I.P.). The Jockey Club created T.I.P. to encourage the retraining of Thoroughbreds into other disciplines upon completion of careers in racing or breeding. Kristin Werner, senior counsel of The Jockey Club, awarded a T.I.P. Champion and T.I.P Reserve Champion in every AEC division. All T.I.P. winners of the 2021 AEC are listed below.
$60,000 Adequan USEA Advanced Final T.I.P. Awards
Out of the four T.I.P. registered horses that competed in the $60,000 Adequan USEA Advanced Final, Tight Lines was the T.I.P. Champion. Tight Lines is a 14-year-old French Thoroughbred gelding owned by the Conair Syndicate and ridden by William Coleman. The T.I.P. Reserve Champion was Karli Wright’s 10-year-old Thoroughbred gelding, Sorocaima (Rock Hard Ten x Sankobasi) who was ridden by Buck Davidson.
Intermediate T.I.P. Awards
The T.I.P. Champion of the Intermediate Championship was Breakin’ all the Rules (Due Date x Lisa) a 7-year-old Thoroughbred mare bred by Lora Pitre and ridden and owned by Ellen Doughty-Hume. Breakin’ all the Rules is also a graduate of both the USEA Young Event Horse (YEH) and USEA Future Event Horse (FEH) Programs. The T.I.P. Reserve Champion was Rick Wallace’s Munson Slew (Chestertown Slew x Miami Advice) a 10-year-old Thoroughbred gelding bred by Sharon Duncan and ridden by Elisa Wallace.
Preliminary T.I.P. Awards
One of the highest placed Thoroughbreds at the Preliminary level was Silmarillon (Joey Franco x Lil Mo Rhythm) an 8-year-old Thoroughbred gelding ridden and owned by Lisa Borgia. Silmarillon was the T.I.P. Champion and overall Reserve Champion in the Bates Preliminary Amateur division as he finished on his dressage score of 27.4.
“Overall, he has been phenomenal this weekend from his dressage test Tuesday in the pouring rain to his performance today,” said Borgia after her double clear show jumping round.
Bates Preliminary Amateur
Bates Preliminary Horse
Bates Junior/Young Rider Preliminary
Bates Preliminary Rider
Another top placing Thoroughbred at the Preliminary level was the 9-year-old Thoroughbred mare Snowflake Lane (Dunkirk x Correoso) as she was the T.I.P. Champion and finished third overall in the Bates Preliminary Rider division with rider/owner Rebecca Hunt.
“I got my mare straight off-the-track as a 3-year-old and it has really been a journey since she is 9 years old now. She is very special to me,” said Hunt.
Vetoquinol Modified T.I.P. Awards
Namibia, who raced under the name Katchup Tiz won $6,165 on the track, was a two-time champion at the 2021 AEC. Piloted by owner Julie Wolfert, Namibia (Tizway x Kitty Tracks) a 5-year-old Thoroughbred gelding was the T.I.P. Champion and the overall champion of the inaugural Vetoquinol USEA Modified Championship.
“He really stepped up to the plate today and despite the fact that he did get a little influenced by the environment, I felt like he was listening well and almost grew wings out there,” said Wolfert after their winning weekend.
Training T.I.P. Awards
The lowest scoring Thoroughbred at the Training level was Fine With Me an 18-year-old Thoroughbred gelding (With Approval x Alycheer) owned by Tate Northrop and ridden by Anabelle Friend. Friend and Fine With Me finished on their dressage score of 30.6 to earn the T.I.P. Champion title and place seventh overall in the highly competitive Junior Training Championship division.
Junior Training
Training Horse
Training Rider
Training Amateur
Novice T.I.P. Awards
One of the highest placed Thoroughbreds at the Novice level was Mr. Lickety ridden by Eloise Plante from Area I. The USEA Junior Novice Championship had 49 starters and the 11-year-old Thoroughbred gelding (Powerscourt x Sugah Sugah) finished third overall.
“I was pretty nervous because we haven’t been able to do as many events this year as we normally would,” Plante explained. “It is a huge environment and where I’m from we definitely don’t have anything like this, but it actually was such a fun experience,” said Plante after her show jumping round in the Rolex stadium.
Novice Rider
Novice Master Amateur
Junior Novice
Novice Horse
Junior Novice 15 and Under
Novice Amateur
Beginner Novice T.I.P. Awards
“He is just my best friend and dream horse. No matter what phase we are in, he just goes to work when he gets in there,” said Leigh Wood of Dollar Mountain who was the T.I.P. Champion as well as the overall champion of the Beginner Novice Rider Championship division.
Wood found her 16-year-old Thoroughbred gelding, Dollar Mountain (Forestry x Formal Tango) after a long search for her next partner. Dollar Mountain, aka ‘Parker’ had raced up until his 7-year-old year and had only been restarted for under a year when she bought him.
Junior Beginner Novice
Beginner Novice Rider
Beginner Novice Amateur
Beginner Novice Horse
Junior Beginner Novice 14 and Under
Beginner Novice Master Amateur
Click here to register a Thoroughbred through the T.I.P. program. Click here to look up a T.I.P. number. Make sure the show organizer is aware of a horse’s T.I.P. number before the start of every competition.
The USEA would like to congratulate all the Thoroughbreds of the 2021 AEC!
About the USEA American Eventing Championships presented by Nutrena Feeds
The USEA American Eventing Championships (AEC) presented by Nutrena Feeds is the pinnacle of the sport for the national levels. Held annually, the best junior, adult amateur, and professional competitors gather to vie for national championship titles at every level from Beginner Novice to Advanced. This ultimate test of horse and rider draws hundreds of horses and riders from around the country to compete for fabulous prizes, a piece of the substantial prize money, and the chance to be named the National Champion at their respective levels. With over 1,000 entries the 2021 AEC was the largest eventing competition in North American history. The 2022 AEC will take place August 30-September 4, 2022 at Rebecca Farm in Kalispell, Montana. Click here to learn more about the USEA American Eventing Championships.
The 2021 USEA American Eventing Championships presented by Nutrena Feeds would not have been possible without our wonderful sponsors! The USEA would like to thank the following sponsors for their support: Presenting Sponsor: Nutrena Feeds; Advanced Final Title Sponsor: Adequan; Platinum Level Sponsor: Bates Saddles, Vetoquinol; Gold Level Sponsors: Parker Equine Insurance, ShowConnect, Smartpak, Standlee Hay; Silver Level Sponsors: Auburn Labs, Park Equine, Mountain Horse, The Jockey Club; Saratoga Horseworks; Bronze Level Sponsors: 70 Degrees, Athletux, Black Petticoat, The Chronicle of the Horse, Devoucoux, Dubarry of Ireland, Equilume, FITS Riding, Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation, LandSafe Equestrian, Parks Tax & Consulting, Retired Racehorse Project, D.G. Stackhouse & Ellis Contributing Level Sponsors: Big Ass Fans, CrossCountry App, FarmVet, GLC Direct, Haygain, John Deere, L.V. Harkness, Santa Cruz Animal Health; Prize Level Sponsors: American Saddlebred Horse Association, Astrid’s Oil, Bluegrass Animal Products, Dressage TestPro, EQuine AMerica Magazine, Flexible Fit Equestrian, Achieve Equine/FLAIR Equine Nasal Strips, Great British Equinery, Horse & Country, Hound & Hare, I Love My Horse, Lexmark, Mare Modern Goods, Romitelli Riding Boots, Strides for Equality Equestrians, Tack of the Town, VetBlue, The Equine Network, and Horse&Country
