FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Aspen Farms, Yelm, Washington: United States Eventing Association (USEA) Area VII is pleased to announce that Aspen Farms will host the Area VII Championships for 2016, 2017, and 2018. This year the Championships will be offered at Aspen Farms Horse Trials, September 9-11, 2016. Area VII is the Northwest Region of the USEA and covers all of Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Alaska, and Montana. To elevate the prestige and experience of the Area VII Championships, Aspen Farms and Area VII have developed a new format for the Championships.

To qualify for Area VII Championships, horse and rider combinations must qualify as a pair by placing first through fourth (1st-4th) at any Area VII horse trials between August 15, 2015 and August 15, 2016. Fifth (5th) place qualifiers will receive a “wild card,” thus allowing them to compete in the Championships on a lottery basis only if space is available.

Entry slots for 50 Beginner Novice, 90 Novice, and 90 Training level competitors are available for the Area VII Championships this September. Aspen Farms will accept all Preliminary and Intermediate horse trial entries and all qualified pairs will also be entered in Championships for that level. Currently there is no Area VII Championships for the Advanced level; however, the Advanced division at Aspen Farms Horse Trials will once again be part of the prestigious USEA Adequan Gold Cup Series and a stop on the PRO Tour.

If entries warrant splitting Championship divisions, horse and rider pairs will be placed into their appropriate divisions as follows:

  • Junior (riders 18 years and under),
  • Rider (riders who have not competed at an event above the next highest level in the 5 years preceding the date of competition),
  • Open (unrestricted).

The jumping courses for Championship divisions will be designed with Championship-level competition in mind.

Non-Championship entries for Beginner Novice, Novice, and Training levels will be placed on a waiting list according to postmark and accepted to compete in an Open division only if space is available. Entries for the September Aspen Farms Horse Trials open on July 26, 2016 and close on August 23, 2016. An extensive prize list is being developed and will be released at a later date.

For updates please visit www.aspenfarmseventing.com or check out Aspen Farms Horse Trials on Facebook at www.facebook.com/AspenFarmsHorseTrials.

Members of the press are invited to contact Jonathan Elliott at jonathan_elliott@hotmail.com or (360) 485-2043.