Maui Jim, Inc. of Peoria, Illinois will return as name sponsor of the Show Jumping phase of the Wellpride American Eventing Championships, September 10-14, 2008. This is a repeat sponsorship from the 2007 AEC's which marked the first year that this National Championship of Eventing was hosted at Lamplight Equestrian Center in Wayne, Illinois. The 2007 competition attracted a record 563 entries from 42 States, three Canadian provinces and Great Britain and Australia and also featured the USEA/Spalding Labs Young Event Horse Championships.

Maui Jim, manufacturer of the wildly popular Maui Jim sunglasses, is a generous backer of the sport of eventing and is an established presence in many competitions throughout the United States, Canada and Great Britain. The company is the title sponsor of the Maui Jim Horse Trials, also held in Wayne, which feature One, Two and Three Star International CIC's as well as National divisions at the Advanced, Intermediate, Preliminary and Training levels. This event runs July 10-13.

“We are thrilled to welcome Maui Jim back as a sponsor,” said Lamplight's co-owner Stephen Cooper. “I received my first pair of Maui Jims last summer, and I can give a hearty personal endorsement both of their great product and their generous support of our efforts.” Plans are already afoot to make this year's AEC's an even more exciting experience for the competitors who will venture to middle America to vie for National honors as well as sumptuous prizes. For up to the minute information as it happens, log on to www.aecatlamplight.org and www.useventing.com.