Lainey Ashker and Anthony Patch won the National Title in 2013 (Leslie Threlkeld/USEA)
Lainey Ashker (Richmond, Va.) has traveled to the Texas Rose Horse Park with her own Anthony Patch looking to retain the National Title the pair earned in 2013. Following wins in Advanced level competition at Millbrook Horse Trials and Five Points Horse Trials this summer, they look to peak this week in Texas.
"Al (Anthony Patch) and I are feeling great going into the weekend at AECs. Although the class is small its quite a mighty group of horses and riders and whoever is the victor will certainly have earned it," said Ashker. "I will need to focus on riding the horse I have on that given day. I look forward to the challenge this weekend has to offer."
Looking to stand in Ashker’s way are Land Rover U.S. Eventing Team veterans Becky Holder and Buck Davidson. Holder (Palmetto, Ga.) won the USEF National Open Horse Trial Championship in 2010 and 2012 with her Olympic and Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games partner, Courageous Comet, and this weekend aims to add her name to the trophy a third time with Phil and Melissa Town and Tom Holder’s Can’t Fire Me. The pair will look to reproduce its winning performance from last year’s Poplar Place CIC3*, while Davidson (Ocala, Fla.) is set to take a shot at the title with his 2013 Galway Downs International Three-Day Event CCI3* winner, Sherrie and Caroline Martin’s Petite Flower.
Advanced level competition kicks off with the dressage on Thursday, continues on Friday as competitors take on Capt. Mark Phillips’ cross country track, and comes to a conclusion with the show jumping on Sunday.
To learn more about the Nutrena USEA American Eventing Championships presented by VTO Saddlery visit: http://useventing.com/aec