United States Eventing Association

Thursday at the Kentucky Horse Park the Adequan/FEI North American Junior Young Rider Championships (NAJYRC) kicked off the eventing portion of competition. A total of 44 CCI* riders and 9 teams, and 17 CCI** riders and 4 teams got the dressage phase under their belts.

Individual riders and teams were fielded from all but one of the USEA Areas, and from the Canadian provinces of Ontario, Alberta, and New Brunswick. In 2013, Area III took the top honors in the CCI* and CCI**, and individual gold medals went to Nicole Doolittle on Tops (CCI*), and Caroline Martin on Quantum Solace (CCI**). While Martin will not be riding in 2014, Doolittle returned to Kentucky with her winning mount from 2013. This time Doolittle is tackling the CCI**.

CCI* - There’s a New Team in Town

After years of watching the NAJYRC, one can usually predict which teams will make a strong impression on the standings after the first day. In recent years, teams from Area III and V have held the top spot for much of the competition. However, no one told that to Area IV.

All four riders from Area IV (Elena Hengel, Kristine Burgess, Hannah Stohr, and Rebecca Gall) broke into the top half of the leaderboard today. Rebecca Gall of Saukville, Wisconsin leads the team aboard her own 12-year-old Thoroughbred gelding Can Ya Dig It. The pair finished the day with a 50.2, ranking them in 8^th individually - the strongest showing for an Area IV CCI* Team in at least the past 5 years of the NAJYRC. They lead Area V in second place and Area II in third.

When asked how Area IV became a force to be reckoned with, Hannah Stohr pointed to their coach Jonathan Holling. “Jon does a good job of getting us in the right mental state” commented Stohr. They also pointed out that Area IV is becoming more competitive partly because the Midwest has gained more upper level trainers and competitive riders. The real key to their success? They joked that the cold weather forced them to have “lots of dressage practice indoors.”

In the individual competition, Kaylawna Smith of Murrieta, California (Area VI) stands in first place with a strong 45.6 aboard the 9-year-old Holsteiner Gelding London Calling OHF owned by Britany Whiting. Second is Alyssa Phillips of Fort Worth, Texas (Area V) riding Bliss III to a 47.1. Rounding out the top three individuals was Moira de Ste Croix-Laframboise of Ontario, Canada scoring a 49.2 aboard Blue Ben.

Kaylawna Smith and Moira de Ste Croix-Laframboise both count their mothers, international riders Tamara Smith and Teddie Laframboise, as their trainers. The mothers' final words before entering the arena were simple: “Go out there and win it,” stated Laframboise. “Have fun,” said Smith.

CCI** Riders Team Up

Only 17 riders are competing at the NAJYRC CCI**, and it was initially uncertain if more than two teams would even be competing.

Recently, the Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI) stated that they would not allow teams to be comprised of individuals from different Areas, as they had in the past. With only a week to go before the NAJYRC, they reversed their decision, allowing two more teams to form and compete. Had the FEI stuck to their decision to not allow teams fielded from riders of different Areas, only Area III and Ontario would have been able to make teams.

Luckily, the two additional teams were created: a combined team from Areas V and VI, and a team with riders from Areas II, IV, and VIII. Should the FEI decide to reinforce its stance against mixed teams, the future of the team competition, especially at the CCI** level, is unclear.

Canada Tops the Team and Individual Leaderboard in the CCI**

Ontario took the lead in CCI**, followed closely by the combined team of Areas V and VI, and third by the team from Areas III. The team from Ontario noted that they knew each other well before the NAJYRC, as they all train with Jessica Phoenix. When asked about some of their team building activities leading up to the NAJYRC, and how they lacked a talent in most of those endeavors, Hanna Bundy joked, “In our case, four wrongs make a right.” When Jamie Kellock was asked what cross-country jump she was most looking forward to, she laughed, “the last one!”

The Canadians also managed to top the individual leaderboard after the flat phase. David Ziegler of Canada, who now lives in Pennsylvania as a working student with Missy and Jessica Ransehousen, rode his own 18-year-old Oldenburg gelding Critical Decision to the lead on day one with a strong 46.3. He is doing double duty, as he is also riding a horse in the Dressage discipline of the NAJYRC. When asked about being the hardest working person at the championships, he deferred the credit to his support team and said that he had the “hardest working team at the NAJYRC.” In second place is Hannah Bundy riding her own buckskin Mustang gelding D’Jion (who she calls Mustard) with a 50.7. Rounding out the top three places in the CCI** was Nicole Doolittle of Reddick, Fla. riding her winning partner from the 2013 NAJYRC CCI*, Tops.

Tomorrow, riders will have all day to contemplate their cross-country course, as the competition takes a day off until Saturday.

Current Leaderboards

Interested in Competing at NAJYRC?

To qualify to compete at the NAJYRC, you must be a member of the USEA and USEF, and complete qualifying rides at the level which you are aiming to compete. There are only two levels at NAJYRC in eventing: the CCI* for 14-18 year-olds, and the CCI** for 14-21 year-olds.

Some of the top riders in our sport were first exposed to the feel of team championship competition at the NAJYRC. Riders like Lauren Kieffer and Hannah Sue Burnett, who are currently burning up the upper levels of the sport, were once competitors at the NAJYRC.

If you or your young rider thinks they might like to compete at the NAJYRC take a look at the USEF website www.youngriders.org, and consider becoming more involved in your area young riders program www.useventing.com/membership/youngrider .