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The second annual American Eventing Championships at the Carolina Horse Park wrapped up today with preliminary, intermediate and advanced championship show jumping over courses designed by British designer Richard Jeffries. The courses proved technical enough to change the standings yet rideable enough that several riders at each level produced double clear rounds.

The AEC is the national championship for event riders at all levels from novice to advanced, offering $50,000 in prize money and $75,000 in prizes.

24-year-old Will Faudree, who resides in Southern Pines, and Antigua had one rail down in the Advanced championship and finished on 30.3. (Will and Antigua are pictured at the right.)

Nathalie Bouckaert Pollard, of Chatsworth, GA, (who won the Advanced Championship last year) also had one rail down to finish on 37.7, followed by Karen O’Connor , of The Plains, VA,and Upstage, again with one rail down on course. (Karen and Upstage are pictured at the left below.)

Three states were represented by the top three finishers. Each rider had a different rail down. Faudree could have afforded one more rail and still maintained the lead.

“I’m glad that this horse has an opportunity to be in the limelight,” said Faudree. “He has often been overshadowed by my own inexperience, but words can’t describe how awesome he is.”

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Intermediate champion Jessica Kiener had a support team cheering her on from home. Her husband Matt and her horse’s owners, Carl and Cassie Segal, tuned in to the live audio cast from the event via the internet to keep up with the action from their home in Pottersville, NJ. “They said that when they heard that My Boy Bobby went clear on cross-country, they jumped out of their chairs,” said Kiener.

Her stadium round riding My Boy Bobby held her first despite one rail down, to finish on 36.9 in front of Robert Costello on Wild Delight (38.7) and Stuart Black on Fleeceworks Pacific Storm (39.9). Both Bobby and Stuart held their post Cross Country positions.

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Three divisions of preliminary ran in the morning, with all the day's Show Jumping action centered in the main arena so patrons and sponsors could enjoy the competition from the main tent while enjoying a catered brunch and cocktails.

23-year-old Doug Payne, of Califon, NJ rode his big bay Irish gelding Cornerhouse in a double clear round that secured the win (31.2) when overnight leader Allison Kelly-Coates, riding Irish Cavalier, had one rail down and slipped to third place (34.5). (Doug and Cornerhouse are pictured at the right jumping into the Cross Country water, on Saturday.)

The 2004 North American Young Riders Preliminary level gold medalist Nate Chambers, 18, of Middleburg, VA rode Rolling Stone II to place second on his dressage score of 32.0.

Mark Weissbecker and Birch Hill Farm’s Top Gallant (31.5) won the Preliminary Horse Championship just a hair in front of Michael Pollard and Voltaire (31.8). (Mark and Top Gallant are pictured at the left below jumping the Cross Country skinny after the water, on Saturday.) The two (Mark and Michael) had plenty of room for error after Karen O’Connor on Mr. Ripley (39.5) dropped two rails and traded places with Pollard to finish third. Weissbecker was also in sixth place on Swayne in the advanced championship; but, withdrew from the competition this morning when the horse trotted out lame with a bruised stifle before shipping to the competition from their home (winter) farm in nearby Southern Pines.

A student at the University of South Carolina studying International Business, Diana Brown kept her wits about her to jump clear, allowing her to win the preliminary JR/YR championship when overnight leader Caroline Teich on Show of Heart had a disappointing two rails down, dropping to fourth place (41.5). Lisa Barry on L’Cedric finished second (39.2) and Lauren Kieffer on Snooze Alarm placed third (40.0).

A Dallas, Texas native, Brown said that the AEC was her first event without her parents, Gary and Susan there to help, and she was proud of herself for handling things on her own. She said that her trainer, Tiffani Loudon-Meetze, was very supportive throughout the competition. And, she said, “Even though my parents weren’t here, they gave me a lot of support. My mom called me twenty times a day!”

Amy J. Daum

Director of Communications

(703) 779-0440 ext. 3017

(703) 779-0550 fax

Editor's Note: eventingetc is grateful to Amber Heintzberger and to the AEC for the above Press Release, which enabled Ted and me to travel from Raeford, NC, to Unionville PA, on Sunday evening.

Cora C. Cushny, Editor

(Will and Antigua are pictured at the right during their Victory Gallop.)