The USEA American Eventing Championships to be held Aug. 25-30

Details: July 28, 2020; By SARA CAVANAGH

LEXINGTON, Ky.--The USEA American Eventing Championships will be held Aug. 25-30 at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, Ky., so for anyone planning to compete, please review the safety measures below that will be in place during the event.

AEC The American Eventing Championships 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.

The AEC will be following the USEF COVID-19 Action Plan and it is extremely important for everyone to comply with these regulations.

Please note the specific plan is subject to revision, but some points to note are:

ALL STAFF, volunteers, and officials will have their temperatures taken daily and may not enter the facility if they have any COVID-19 symptoms.

Competitors and support staff must take their temperatures daily and may not enter the facility if they have a fever or any COVID-19 symptoms.

Everyone must wear a mask when they are unable to maintain six feet of social distance, even when they are with family members or familiar groups.

Competitors should only bring essential help to keep the number of attendees down.

No spectators will be allowed on grounds.

All competitors, volunteers, officials, and staff will receive a personal hand sanitizer.
All competitors will be required to bring their own masks and wear them on grounds at all times while not mounted.

Sanitizing stations will be situated throughout the Kentucky Horse Park in accessible areas including by warm-up fences.

Bit check will be visual. Competitors will be encouraged to bring a halter in case they need to remove the bridle after they ride dressage.

Competitors may be asked to remove ear bonnets.

The Kentucky Horse Park will be ensuring all restrooms are cleaned and sanitized multiple times per day.

The Kentucky Horse Park will be reminding and enforcing these policies such as mask-wearing.

The AEC competition organizers have assigned a COVID-19 Compliance Officer that will be roaming the Kentucky Horse Park to ensure all supplies are available and to assist in ensuring that everyone is following the rules.

All food vendors will be following state guidelines for food services.

There will be ample signage.

Competitor packets will be organized for pick-up with as little contact as possible.

Dressage tests will also be handled like the packets with one volunteer to pass them out.

*Please remember that the competition organizers – Equestrian Events Inc. (EEI), Mary Fike, and the USEA – have the authority to remove from the facility any person who does not comply with the regulations in effect during the event.

To ensure the safety of competitors, grooms, volunteers, and officials, no spectators will be allowed on grounds this year.

Competitors should plan on bringing only essential people and/or help such as a coach, groom(s) and parent(s) of juniors.

There will be no parties or VIP tent this year.

As a thank you for competing in the 2020 AEC, a welcome dinner pickup will be arranged each night. This is not a party, but a takeout dinner to welcome each competitor to the 2020 AEC. There will be no place to gather, and competitors must pick up their dinner and eat it elsewhere.

Entries are now open and competitors can enter through Xentry.

Entries opened on July 14 and will close on Aug. 11.

Any and all paperwork must be submitted electronically, including updated waivers and Coggins.

All payments must be made by credit card.

Please direct any questions concerning entries or stabling to Anna Robinson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

The qualifying period for the 2020 AEC is now March 1, 2019 – Aug.18, 2020. This was adjusted and approved by the USEA Board of Governors to capture the season that was lost in 2020.