United States Dominates Action at North American Young Riders' Championships Presented by State Line Tack

WADSWORTH, IL-August 16, 2001-The United States earned every Gold Medal (three team and three individual) during the "USA Junior Olympic-Equestrian" competition at the North American Young Riders' Championships (NAYRC) presented by State Line Tack at Tempel Farms, August 8-12. Winning the team Gold Medal in eventing was the USA Area 5 team, which consisted of Heidi Hewlett of Venton, LA aboard Ocotillo, Clark Montgomery of Bryan, TX riding Cape Town, Will Faudree of Midland, TX riding The Big Easy and Amy Smith of Dallas, TX on Ringwood Ventura. The team had a combined score of 261.40 penalties in the two-star competition. Winning the Silver Medal was the combined team from USA Areas 4, 6 and 8 with a score of 303.80, while USA Area 2 claimed the Bronze Medal with a score of 1147.20.

Claiming the individual Gold Medal in eventing was first time NAYRC competitor William Coleman of Charlottesville, VA, who rode on the USA Area 2 team. The 18-year-old Coleman, aboard Ratzi, finished the competition with a three-phase score of 55.00 penalties. Coleman, who is coached by the husband and wife Olympic duo of Karen and David O'Connor, won the opening dressage phase with a score of 51.00 and then finished the cross country phase with no additional penalties and stadium jumping with only 4.00 time penalties. "I really enjoy all three phases," Coleman said. "I'm not crazy about riding dressage tests, although I do enjoy training in dressage, but cross country and jumping I love."

Jessica Heidemann of Bellingham, WA rode French Twist to take the Silver Medal, and Jessica Oxendine of Round Hill, VA piloted Rusty Halo to claim the Bronze Medal.

In one-star eventing competition, Laura Sauer of Ipswich, MA won the Young Rider division Gold Medal with a score of 49.40 aboard Perryfield's Max. Jenna Jacobson of Houston, TX won the Junior division Gold Medal with a score of 58.20 on Disorderly Senate. Sauer, 18, also competed with teammates Jennifer Fitch of Perkinsville, VT on Seaborne's Flagship, Julia Ryan of Rochester, NY on Adam and Julian Stiller of Shelburne, VT on Peter Shambles to win the one-star team Gold for USA Area 1.

"I was worried about the jumping coming in and felt really nervous this morning," Sauer said, "But I'm really happy with the way it turned out."

In dressage competition, the USA Region 3 team claimed victory and rode away with the Gold Medal. The team, consisting of Lesley Eden of Lake Mary, FL aboard Picasso, Courtney Raiser of Lilburn, GA aboard Our Conversation, and Gwen Poulin of Deleon Springs, FL riding Pik Cachet, completed the competition with a score of 3755. USA Region 1 claimed the Silver Medal with 3729 points, and USA Region 2 placed third for the Bronze with a score of 3656.

Eden, 20, also won the individual Gold in the dressage competition, as well as the Fiona Baan Trophy aboard her 10-year-old Dutchbred. The duo finished with a three-round score of 201.85%. Eden scored 67.95% in the final Freestyle phase to clinch the Gold over Jessica Rizzi of Bedford, NY who rode Jamboree. Rizzi finished with a score of 199.09%, while Bronze Medalist Kerri Sowers of Egg Harbor, NJ and Kazan finished with a score of 194.43%. "I came here not expecting a medal at all and I'm in shock that I won the Gold!" Eden exclaimed.

In show jumping action, USA Zone 1, coached by Jimmy Doyle, won the team Gold Medal. The team consisted of Ashley Baker of Greenwich, CT aboard Beaucoup, Amanda Baird of Greenwich, CT aboard Poleander, Katelyn Denby of Somers, CT on Leonardo, and Sarah Willeman of Hamilton, MA riding Lapeti. The team had a total of 12.00 faults through two rounds of competition beating the team from Canada-Ontario that finished in second with a score of 24.00. USA Zone 2 earned the Bronze Medal with a score of 32.00. Baird also won the individual Gold Medal with only one knockdown in five rounds of jumping competition during the entire week of competition. Baird finished with a score of 5.12 faults aboard Poleander. Following close behind was Emily Williams of Loveland, OH who earned the Silver Medal aboard Oyster.

"Emily and I decided ahead of time that we didn't care who won, but we thought it'd be great if we could be first and second," Baird said in reference to she and Williams, her closest friend. "This is so great that we get to share this." Carley Campbell-Cooper of Canada-Ontario, who also placed on the Silver Medal winning team, finished third to claim the Bronze Medal aboard Rex Get Busy.

In the Junior-Young Rider show jumping competition, USA Zone 10 won the team competition. The team consisted of Travis Lubow aboard Kamelia, Natalie Rhoades aboard Alamein, Matthew Sereni aboard Charon and Andrew Ramsay aboard Nighty.

Canada-Quebec finished second, and Canada Alberta/Ontario placed third. Chanel Crevier of Canada-Quebec claimed the winning title. Crevier completed the three-phase competition with a score of 2.48 penalties. Second place went to Travis Lubos of USA Zone 10 with a score of 6.74 aboard Kamelia, while Lubow's teammate Matthew Sereni finished third aboard Charon with a score of 7.44.

Christopher Lipe rode Romulus to a first place finish with a score of 65.23% in the individual standings of the Supracor Team Challenge for riders with disabilities. Jennie Row, aboard Rafferty, placed second with a score of 63.57%, and Rebecca Hart finished third aboard Miss Jane Marple. The Rhinos was the winning team in the overall Supracor Team Challenge. Dressage rider Alison Bush won the Colonel Donald Thackery Award for support as a groom after being unable to ride on the Region 2 team herself. Alison End of Region 8 earned the Captain Andrew B. de Szinay Memorial Sportsmanship Trophy. End also finished fifth in the dressage consolation class.

The Opening Day reception offered a special bonus for competitors. The highlight of the evening was the address by the O'Connors, who spoke to the more than 200 athletes before competition began the following day. "This year's NAYRC was an outstanding success," said Howard Simpson, who with his wife Martha and Linda and Vincent Buonanno, organizes the Championships at Tempel Farms. "The amount of talent these riders have is amazing, and the competition was absolutely stellar!"

The NAYRC is the premier competition for young riders, age 16 through 21, in the Olympic equestrian disciplines of show jumping, dressage, and eventing. Many Olympic veterans such as Karen O'Connor, Mara Depuy and Greg Best began their international careers at the NAYRC. The NAYRC is recognized as a USA Junior Olympic Equestrian event. The broad range of nationalities and fierce competitors that attend the Championships produce an Olympic-type atmosphere throughout the competition week. This year's competition featured competitors from the United States, Canada, and Mexico. For many riders, it is their first competition under Federation Equestre International (FEI) rules, and their initial experience of intense international competitions.

The NAYRC began in 1974 in Jokers Hill, Newmarket, Ontario as an eventing challenge between the United States and Canada. Dressage was added in 1981 and show jumping one year later. In 1985, the competition was held at Tempel Farms for the first time. It has returned there 12 times since. For full results of all disciplines, please visit the NAYRC web site at www.youngriders.org.