Ocala, Fla. – The inaugural Fédération Équestre Internationale (FEI) Pan American Equestrian Confederation (PAEC) Championship of the Americas, a three-discipline event for show jumping, dressage, and eventing, will be held from January 21-31, 2027, at World Equestrian Center – Ocala (WEC).

US Equestrian (USEF) will serve as the host national federation, WEC as the organizing committee, and PAEC as a major organizer of the FEI PAEC Championship of the Americas. This standalone competition will bring together the 30 countries in the Americas. All competition will take place at WEC, except for the eventing cross-country phase, which will be held at the nearby Florida Horse Park. The event will run concurrently with weeks IV and V of WEC’s 2027 Winter Spectacular Show Series to maximize operational efficiency, reduce costs, and leverage existing infrastructure. 

“The ‘Championship’ was created to provide more opportunities for riders across the Americas, grow the sport, and build a structured pathway for athletes,” said PAEC President Cesar Hirsch. “The idea was a continuation of PAEC’s mission of supporting and growing equestrian sport from the grassroots to the elite level.” 

Every nation in the Americas can benefit from the Championship. The PAEC board believes that the Championship will provide countries with a valuable opportunity to showcase emerging talent and support the development of the next generation of athletes or could serve as a platform for countries to field their top athletes and refine preparation ahead of major championships such as the Pan American Games. 

“PAEC aims serve all countries in the Americas with this landmark event, no matter the extent of their high performance program. We want to build a legacy,” expressed Hirsch. 

“This event is a great example of quick action and collaboration undertaken to establish the PAEC Championship of the Americas. This has been a concept long overdue but finally coming to fruition due to exemplary cooperation and coordination between the FEI, USEF, PAEC, and of course WEC, whose team set out to offer support, solve issues, and ensure a viable championship for the future,” said Tom O’Mara, President of US Equestrian. “It will be a great addition to athlete pathways across all of the America's and will sync nicely with the Pan American Games going forward." 

Hirsch and PAEC approached USEF for assistance with the event, knowing that the ideal venue for it was WEC – Ocala, which operates under USEF oversight. 

On behalf of WEC’s owners, the Roberts Family, Mason Jordan noted, “We are thrilled to host the inaugural FEI PAEC Championship of the Americas. WEC was purpose-built to hold the best equestrian competition in the world, and it is an honor to welcome athletes to our facility for the first time.”

The Championship will feature show jumping at the 1.45m-1.50m level, and dressage will be contested as a hybrid of Small Tour and Large Tour combinations. Eventing will be held at the 2*-S level. Countries may field teams of up to five athletes, including one reserve, in all three disciplines. Qualification is based on the Minimum Eligibility Requirements, and team and individual medals will be awarded in each discipline at the only FEI medal championship for senior teams in the Americas.

Founded in 2001, PAEC is the official continental authority recognized by the FEI, Panam Sports, and major sports associations. The board includes Hirsch, USEF President and Group IV Representative Tom O’Mara, FEI Group IV Chair Monique Archer (BAR), FEI Group V Chair Daniela Garcia Nigaglioni (MEX), FEI Group VI Representative Luiz Roberto Giugni (BRA), FEI Group VI Chair Esteban Abedrabbo (ECU), and Athlete Representative Tiffany Foster (CAN). 

Jaime Morillo (ECU), who is part of the FEI Solidarity Program to promote and develop sustainable and structured equestrian culture and sport worldwide, is the PAEC Sport Development Officer, while Elena Couttenye (VEN) is the Games & Championships Coordinator at PAEC. 

The vision for the FEI PAEC Championship of the Americas is to be a quadrennial event, with plans to add disciplines such as para dressage and vaulting in the future. The inaugural edition will be held in the same year as the 2027 Pan American Games to immediately expand competitive and preparatory opportunities for athletes across the Americas. After the 2027 edition, the Championship will enter its regular four-year cycle, with the next event scheduled for 2029.

The strategic objective is for the Championship to become an established qualification pathway for the Pan American Games, alongside the various Regional Championships. This framework ensures continuity of high-level competition across the region and provides National Federations with a predictable pathway for athlete development and planning. 

The event will be livestreamed on the WEC website, ClipMyHorse, and the Panam Sports Channel.

Further information regarding schedule, officials, and format will be announced soon. For more information
on PAEC, visit www.PAECEquestrian.com. Information on WEC can be found at www.WorldEquestrianCenter.com. Further information for USEF is at www.USEF.org.