2007 North American Junior Young Riders' Championships

Zone 10 Wins Young Riders Team Jumping Gold Medal at 2007 CN North American Junior and Young Riders’ Championships

Lexington, VA - 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.

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.

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.