2002 Northeast Junior/Young Riders Championships

First Time Competitor Wins Her Class

Amanda Miller, 16, of New Rochelle, New York, is in the "Training Level B Division Championship for 16-17 Year Olds" and is required to take a Written Test, ride a Training Level Dressage Test, and compete in an Equitation Class. Amanda, who trains at Orion Dressage Academy with Melanie Southard, won her Training Level Test 4 today, the New England Dressage Association Training Level 1BD class, riding her 10-year-old Quarter horse-type gelding named Skye, a former Western pleasure horse. Amanda is the Team Captain for the three-member group from Orion. It is her first time competing in the Championships. "This show is really nice. It's so friendly. It orientates a young rider to the world of dressage," she said. "It's low stress. You see many different riders and horses, and there's no animosity. It's competitive, but not cutthroat."

Amanda and Skye have been together for two years; she purchased him shortly after starting her training with Southard. "I've been riding for 10 years, basically dressage the whole time. But it's been a lot more focused since I've been with Melanie."

Regarding her winning ride, Amanda said, "I didn't think it was a good test at first because he came in the ring and freaked and balked, and I got stressed and tight. The first half of the test was tight and hurried, but then when I did my walk across the diagonal, I just relaxed." She regained her composure and so did Skye, and the pair earned a score of 69.6%. Amanda also took the Written Test today and said that it was harder than she had expected. She found the 'Riding Theory' segment a little "more abstract" but felt that the First Aid section was useful for anyone. For her future in dressage, Amanda said, "Part of me wants to go to the top. I just plan to do the best I can." Tomorrow Amanda competes her division's Dressage Equitation class.