Zone 10 Also Wins Junior Gold
Lexington, VA—August 3, 2007—Zone 10 won both the Young Riders and Juniors team show jumping Gold Medals at the 2007 CN North American Junior and Young Riders’ Championships (NAJYRC), presented by Gotham North and UlcerGard, at the Virginia Horse Center in Lexington, VA.
Young equestrians have come to the Championships from the United States, Canada and Mexico, as well as a South American rider from Argentina, to vie for team and individual medals in the three Olympic disciplines of show jumping, dressage, and eventing. For many, the NAJYRC, the premier competition in North America for Juniors (age 14-18) and Young Riders (age 16-21), is their first experience riding on a team, as well as their first time competing under the rules of the Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI), the international governing body for equestrian sport.
In the Young Riders’ division, the all-California Zone 10 team had a score of 20 faults for the two rounds where each team counts its three best scores. Aurora Griffin of Westlake Village had scores of zero and 4 in her two rounds on Tucker; Karl Cook of Woodside scored 4 and zero on Uno de Laubry; Megan Edrick of San Juan Capistrano scored 8 and 4 on Kandel; and Katie Harris of Wilton scored 17 and 12 on Billy Orange.
“We run our final trial to make the team exactly like these Championships and that really helps us when we get here,” said Edrick. “Going through it in a pressure atmosphere when we’re trying to make the team helps ease some of the pressure here.”
Canada Alberta placed second with a team total of 43 faults and Mexico South was third with 46.
Friday’s USHJA Show Jumping Division also featured the team championship for the Junior division that was also won by Zone 10. The team of Saer Coulter of San Francisco, CA on Paddington, Meredith Hursh of San Mateo, CA on Runaway, Danielle Korsh of San Diego, CA on San Diego, and Paige Dotson of Laguna Hills, CA on Caretano B, finished with a two-round total of 16 faults to claim the win. The team from Quebec placed second with 25 faults and Zone 2 was third with 35 faults.
“This team was amazing. The way they picked me up after round one really showed how we worked as a team,” said Paige Dotson who bounced back from a fall in the first round to turn in the team’s only clear in round two. “I think the way we supported each other was the real key to our coming out on top.”
Friday also featured one Non-Championship class that was won by Alejandro Saenz of Sunland Park, NM of Zone 8 on Der Sonnen Konig. Saturday’s show jumping features a farewell competition for riders who have not qualified to compete in Sunday’s individual championships. Those that have qualified will compete for individual medals in the championship rounds on Sunday.
In the USEA Eventing Division, the CCI* Junior championship division got under way with dressage and the team representing Area IV took the early lead. Area II’s Nina Ligon of Manakin Sabot, VA on Pacific Storm is tied for the lead with Anisa Tracy of Parker, CO aboard Tigger VIII, each with 48.1 penalties. The two championship divisions, the CCI* for juniors and the CCI** for young riders, have their cross country tests on Saturday followed by the concluding jumping phase determining team and individual medals on Sunday.
Friday’s USDF/Platinum Performance Dressage Division featured the second round of the individual competition for Young Riders. Winning individual Gold was Devon Kane of Wellington, FL who scored 69.55 on Douwe. The Silver Medal went to Alexandra Duncan of West Vancouver, BC who scored 68.8 on Elektra and the Bronze went to Kassandra Barteau of Gilberts, IL with a score of 68.3 on Gabriella. Despite temperatures well into the 90s, all riders in dressage insisted on riding in their formal attire demonstrating a true commitment to the tradition of their sport.
Saturday’s dressage competition features the musical freestyle championship for Young Riders while the juniors compete for the individual championship with their freestyle on Sunday.
The NAJYRC operates under the rules of the Federation Equestre Internationale (FEI). In addition to the championship competition in dressage, show jumping and eventing, this year’s NAJYRC also features demonstrations of two other FEI disciplines—vaulting and reining.
The NAJYRC is the continuation of an annual competition that began in 1974 as an eventing challenge between Canada and the United States. In the years since its inception, it has grown considerably with the addition of a Dressage Championship in 1981 and the Show Jumping Championship in 1982. The first complete Championships with all three Olympic disciplines was held in British Columbia, Canada in 1982. Last year’s Championships saw the addition of officially-sanctioned championship divisions for junior riders in the three Olympic disciplines for the first time.
Dressage is primarily about the balance and harmony between horse and rider. Careful attention to detail and seamless transitions are a top priority. Competitors perform a standard test, demonstrating obedience, ability, and precision. Each movement is judged subjectively and scored separately.
Show jumping tests horse and rider team over a course of fences and other obstacles. The objective is to make it over the course with as few faults as possible. Going over the designated time allowed, knocking down rails, as well as any refusals or falls, accumulates faults or results in elimination. Show jumping has been referred to as having the excitement of horse racing mixed with the daring of downhill slalom skiing.
Eventing combines dressage, show jumping and cross country to give each horse-and-rider combination a cumulative score over the course of three days. Eventing begins with the dressage test, with cross-country following, and then ends with show jumping, testing the endurance and ability of both horse and rider. The cross-country element consists of a timed ride over an outdoor course, jumping over natural or natural looking obstacles. The rider must ride the same horse for all three phases of the competition.
The 2007 CN North American Junior and Young Riders’ Championships, presented by Gotham North and ULCERGARD, are sponsored by the American Horse Trials Foundation, Ariat, Beval Saddlery, Blue Ridge Farm Center, Borné Saddlery, Brandy Parfums, CN, Davis Manufacturing, Devoucoux, Dover Saddlery, Dressage Today, The EMO Agency, Inc., EquiFit, Equine Canada, Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI—the International Equestrian Federation), Foxden Equine, Gotham North, Hadfields, Harmony Sporthorses, Hint Water, The Horse Tack Review, The Jefferson Florist & Garden, Larry and Marnye Langer, Mary Phelps, a Markel Equine Insurance Specialist, Mead Associates, Merial, the makers of UlcerGard, The Mosaic Foundation, New England Dressage Association, North Carolina Dressage and Combined Training Association, Northern Ohio Dressage Association, Practical Horseman, Prestige Saddlery, Rebecca Farm, Royal Riders, Howard and Martha Simpson, Southern States/Triple Crown, Starr Vaughn Equestrian, Inc., Tennessee Valley Dressage and Combined Training Association, U.S. Dressage Federation/Platinum Performance, U.S. Equestrian Federation, U.S. Eventing Association, U.S. Hunter Jumper Association, Virginia Golf Cars, Virginia Horse Shows Association, VTO Saddlery, Waterjumps.us, and www.Horse.dk.
Full results and further information on the 2007 CN North American Junior and Young Riders’ Championships, presented by Gotham North and UlcerGard, are available on line at www.youngriders.org.
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