Raeford, N.C. – The Southern Pines CDE will host an elite field of seven drivers for the 2016 USEF Single Horse Driving National Championship. Taking place April 15-17 at the Carolina Horse Park in Raeford, N.C., the exciting championship will showcase competitors vying for top honors. In addition, Single Horse and Four-in-Hand drivers aiming for the 2016 FEI World Driving Championships will compete in the CAN2* divisions, which serve as Selection Trials.

Defending champion Suzy Stafford (Wilmington, Del.) is in fine form heading into the championship with her own PVF Peace of Mind. She and the 2007 Morgan mare led from start to finish in the 2015 championship at the Hermitage Classic CDE. This year, they won the CAI2*-H1 division at Live Oak International and are primed for success.

The 2013 and 2014 USEF Single Horse Driving National Champion Leslie Berndl (Newcastle, Calif.) hopes to reclaim her title with Uminco, her own 2001 KWPN gelding. The duo has had a solid start to the 2016 competition season, finishing in the top three at Little Everglades CDE, Live Oak International, and Kingdom of the Sun CDE.

Sterling Graburn (Paris, Ky.), the 2008 and 2012 USEF Single Horse Driving National Champion, has developed a strong partnership with his and Laura Corsentino’s Mannkato since they began competing together in 2015. He and the 2001 Dutch Harness gelding have demonstrated vast improvement in a short amount of time, recently finishing second at Little Everglades CDE and third at Live Oak International.

Donna Crookston (Saltsburg, Pa.) and her own Viktor won the most recent Selection Trial at Kingdom of the Sun CDE and aim to have another top performance at the Southern Pines CDE. Crookston has seen steady progress in the 2008 Dutch Harness gelding since he began competing at the Advanced level in January, and hopes to maintain that momentum this weekend.

The championship gets underway with the dressage phase beginning at 1:44 p.m. ET on Friday. The marathon phase will take place on Saturday and the cones phase on Sunday.

Two drivers will contest the CAN2* Four-in-Hand division serving as a Selection Trial. James Fairclough (Newton, N.J.) is competing for the first time since earning the Reserve Champion title in the USEF Four-in-Hand Driving National Championship last fall, while Josh Rector (Dyke, Va.) is returning to competition from a hiatus.

Find out more about the Southern Pines CDE.