The American Eventing Championships have certainly become one of the premier events for the countries Eventers over the past two years. This year it continues to grow with the inclusion of the Beginner Novice division at the championships on September 20th-24th at the Carolina Horse Park in Raeford, NC.

Last September nearly 400 competitors from far and wide went to see if they could perhaps achieve one of their goals to be the top in their division in this challenging sport. The inclusion of Beginner Novice this year does show that the USEA are listening or at least responding to their members concerns that the sport is for all levels not only the elite and professionals but the triers and the amateurs who just love to have fun competing with their horses.

It will be interesting perhaps to read the results of the USEA's own survey conducted in recent times and perhaps we might learn from that how much exactly the Beginner Novice and Novice level riders make up the associations membership. There is much history of many different sports starting preparing future stars at the grass roots level and there is no reason why Eventing be any different.

In the mean time leading up to September we expect there is now a whole new group of the sports enthusiasts training and planning ahead to achieve a goal of competing at the AEC's. That has to be the best thing for all concerned and great start for Eventing in USA for 2006.

Get all the latest about the American Eventing Championships and how to qualify at the the USEA website.

Ed.

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