The Ovation Pace Award is given to the rider who finishes closest to the optimum time in cross-country.   The winner receives a super prize package from Ovation™, including the Ovation Four Star saddle, bridle, breeches, shirt, gloves and more.

At last weekend’s Bit of Britain/USEA American Eventing Championships, nearly 400 of the country’s top riders competed for over $100,000 in prizes and $50,000 in cash at the picturesque Lamplight Equestrian Center in Wayne, Illinois. All levels from Advanced through Beginner Novice were represented, and one competitor took home a very special award.

Kelly Beaver, 28, of Elverson, Pennsylvania took home the second annual Ovation Cross-Country Pace Award, given to the rider in the Training Amateur division who finishes closest to the optimum time in cross-country. For her win, Beaver will be decked out with an array of prizes donated by Ovation, including an Ovation Four Star Eventing saddle, an Ovation plain raised padded Eventing bridle, a pair of Ovation Microweave DX Optimum Stick Breeches, an Ovation Dri-Lex polo shirt, MacWet gloves, and RSL Rotterdam Gloves.

“Wow, my AEC experience is now complete!” exclaimed Beaver when she found out she’d won the prestigious award aboard her eight-year-old Thoroughbred gelding, Legacy. Beaver finished third overall in the competitive Training Amateur division, adding not a single penalty to her and Legacy’s dressage score of 31.1.

“My trainer, Danny Warrington, and I wheeled the course backwards and forwards, knowing we had to come in as close to the optimum time as possible because the standings were so tight.”

Beaver and Legacy nearly missed their AEC experience this year. The Friday before the competition, Legacy developed a hay allergy and was suffering from a bout of heaves. “He seemed to get better by Monday. We were treating him with honey to help with the tickle in his throat.”

Legacy was definitely feeling better than ever as he performed at one of Beaver’s most memorable events. “We put together the best dressage test all year. Cross-country was the best I’d ever ridden—it was challenging, but fun, and we really felt like a team out there.”

“There was definitely a lot more pressure than I was used to during stadium, and I knew that if I pulled a rail, I’d drop in the standings. So, needless to say, it felt really nice to have a clean round.”

To place so high in the national competition and win the Ovation Cross-Country Pace Award was exciting for Beaver for a number of reasons. “I’ve been working through some behavioral and training issues with Legacy for a few years. It’s been amazing to come out to the AEC and do so well. Danny’s really helped us out with cross-country, too. Plus, many family members were here at the event to support us.”

When Beaver’s not competing at events, she works full-time at a natural gas company, but still finds time to spend with her and her husband’s two horses. “We have two horses on our farm that’ll live with us forever,” she added with a laugh.

Both Beaver and her husband hope to attend the AEC again next year – this time with both of them in the tack!