Each year, every one of the 10 USEA Area programs hosts their own Championships where the best riders have the opportunity to be crowned the Area Champion at their level. Each Area maintains slightly different qualification requirements for their respective Championships and offers Championship classes through either Preliminary or Intermediate level. Those details can be found here. This year’s Area Championship season began with the Area III Championships at Chattahoochee Hills on July 8-9 and concluded with the Area II Championships at the Virginia Horse Trials and the Area V Championships at Holly Hill during the final weekend of October. Last month, we highlighted the winners of the Area Championships that took place in August and September, and as the 2017 competition season draws to a close, we’d like to take a moment to recognize the winners of the Area Championships that took place in October.
Area IV’s Championships took place at Heritage Park Horse Trials for Beginner Novice through Preliminary levels on October 6-8, as did the Area IX Championships for Beginner Novice through Preliminary levels at The Event at Skyline. Las Cruces Horse Trials hosted the Area X Championships for Beginner Novice through Preliminary on October 14-15. The Area VI Championships were hosted by Fresno County Horse Park for Beginner Novice through Intermediate on October 20-22. The USEA Area Championships wrapped up over the weekend of October 28-29 with the Beginner Novice through Intermediate Area II Championships at the Virginia Horse Trials and the Area V Training, Preliminary, and Intermediate Championships at Holly Hill Horse Trials.
Congratulations to these Area Championship winners!
Area II Championships – Virginia Horse Trials, October 26-29, 2017
Click here for Area II Championships complete results.
Area IV Championships – Heritage Park Horse Trials, October 6-8, 2017
Rebecca Hunt and Snowflake Lane, winner of the Area IV Adult Rider Low Score Award & the Novice Championship division at Heritage Park Horse Trials. Photo courtesy of the USEA Area IV Facebook page.
Click here for Area IV Championships complete results.
Area V Championships – Holly Hill Horse Trials, October 28-29, 2017
Click here for Area V Championships complete results.
Area VI Championships – Fresno County Horse Park Horse Trials, October 20-22, 2017
One of the many riders in the Area VI Championships taking their photo in front of the backdrop provided by Fresno County Horse Park. Photo courtesy of the Fresno County Horse Park Facebook page.
Area VI Intermediate Champions Hilary Niemann and Undercover's cross-country round. Video courtesy of Ride On Video.
Click here for Area VI Championships complete results.
Area IX Championships – The Event at Skyline, October 6-8, 2017
Click here for Area IX Championships complete results.
Area X Championships – Las Cruces Horse Trials, October 14-15, 2017
Karissa Oliver on FDF Recherche, winners of the Area X Training Championship at Las Cruces Horse Trials. Photo courtesy of the Las Cruces Horse Trials Facebook page.
Click here for Area X Championships complete results.
The Ground Jury was busy this morning assessing the 40 horses that presented in the Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event Cosequin CCI4*-S and the remaining 25 pairs in the CCI5*-L.
The top three going into show jumping in the Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event CCI5*-L all have reason to fight extra hard for the bluegrass win today.
At the end of an eventful day of cross-country at the Defender Kentucky CCI5*-L, three British riders rose to the top of the Defender Kentucky CCI5*-L, led by dressage leaders Tom McEwen and JL Dublin.
In comparison to its little sister, the Cosequin CCI4*-S, the Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event CCI5*-L was much calmer in terms of shock factor today. There were four pairs who retired on cross-country, two riders who parted ways with their horses, and five pairs finished with jump penalties added to their score.