2022 Kentucky Three Day Event

I agree that the term “champion” is used in multiple ways in US Eventing.

But this one comes from EV165

In this case, the competition “designated by the Federation” is Kentucky.

The AECs awards, on the the hand, are not restricted to US citizens.

Thank you for that explanation…. But I’m still puzzled about where the Maryland Five-Star at Fair Hill fits into all this. In the last year that Fair Hill was run as a four-star (2019), Erin Sylvester and Paddy the Caddy won, and were labeled “USEF CCI4*L Eventing National Champions.” Now that Maryland is a five-star … why should it be less important than Kentucky? Just asking. It seems “off” to me to crown a champion based on one event, and now that we have two five-stars…?

They just have to pick one.

It is the same process for the 4*, 3*, and 2* championships. The Federation picks ONE to be the National X* Championship. At those levels they have a lot more to chose from. They tend to stick with the same one for a number of years, and then chose another one.

So I wouldn’t be surprised if “one of these years” they named the Maryland 5* as the 5* National Championship. But I also wouldn’t be surprised if “one of these years” is quite a long time.

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Thank you, I guess that makes sense… Sort of. But it just seems to me that naming a “champion” in April when you now have another five-star in October is a little bit premature…. Not to mention how riders may perform in international competitions overseas during the summer. Just an opinion.

Have never once heard that before… I’m sorry you had that experience.

Who are you referencing?

Until last year, there was only one 5* in the US. Since Maryland was brand new, it makes sense it wasn’t named the National Championship site until it gets its mettle tested. I could easily see that transitioning at some point depending on how it shapes up.

I have never heard anything like this about Doug.

Same

Earlier in your post you pointed out that:

To flip your original question on its head, when it comes to the 4L, why should any of the other 4Ls be less important than Maryland? The answer is as @Janet says - they just have to pick one.

My original question asked for an explanation of the title “national champion.” I appreciate all the answers and input on that, and I’m not lobbying for Maryland vs. Kentucky, or vice versa.
Personally, I think it seems strange to crown a champion in April, based on the outcome of a single event, when you have an entire season‘s worth of results to consider, plus another five-star at the end of the year, but that is just an opinion. I’m not trying to take away any of Kentucky’s luster or its long-running status as the premier event in this country.

This is how it is done in combined driving as well.

Signed, USEF Reserve National Champion, Advanced Single Pony.

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“April” may be the beginning of the calendar year for you, but not everyone. For a 5* rider, the April Kentucky event is the “end” of years-long training, qualification, and preparation. The old 4* at Fair Hill in the fall was considered prep for KY, not just a year end championship. A month off, then careful build in a schedule all winter (in Aiken or Ocala, likely) to peak in April. The National 5* annual championship occurs once every 12 months; it doesn’t really matter what month that happens.

For USEA areas, the Area Championship happens at the end of the season; for most areas this is in the fall. However for Area III (the hot southeast) our Championship is traditionally held in May…as our normal “prime” season (with ideal cooler weather) runs from October through May. A May championship seems odd coming from a different area, but it makes sense here.

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You know you’re not allowed to sign with that without a photo of an adorable driving pony! :stuck_out_tongue_winking_eye:

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Thank you for that explanation. However:

“The old 4* at Fair Hill in the fall was considered prep for KY, not just a year end championship.”

Is the new five-star at Fair Hill still considered a prep for Kentucky? With the strong international field it drew last year – and I realize there was no Burghley—I still think it is problematic to crown a champion on the basis of one five-star event, versus another. Again – not saying which one is more important. But maybe it is something to consider, now that we have are fortunate enough to have two.

I don’t think the new 5* at Fair Hill is considered a prep for KY; it’s a top-level competition in its own right. The selection of Championship events has been arbitrary for a long time … the [old] 3* (4* under new system) in the fall at Fair Hill was also considered a championship at that level, despite having plenty of other 3* events throughout the year.

I don’t know if there will be a push at some point to make the Fair Hill 5* the national championship instead of KY, but for now I think it’s just stayed at KY because that was historically the only one in the country so “it’s always been that way.”

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It wouldn’t surprise me if we see Kentucky become a little more difficult in the coming years; it has typically been viewed as a “softer” 5* event, good for first time at the level. This was important as it usually gets a field of riders/horses new to the level…it was the only 5* on the continent so of course it was a logical first time at the level for many. And traditionally the international horses brought over are the “green ones” to get experience.

Now I could see Fair Hill 5* stepping in to be the “first time at the level” event, and Kentucky becoming a bit more challenging. Why not the other way around? Kentucky is part of the Rolex Grand Slam (KY, Badminton, Burghley); the questions have been asked for years, so CDs know what works and what doesn’t; and also, IME, the footing there is more predictable than Fair Hill. (Maybe I’m just scarred for life from Fair Hill '09)

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