United States Eventing Association

Clear rounds were scarce today in show jumping and for riders able to pull one off they were rewarded with a boost up the leaderboard at the Adequan/FEI North American Junior and Young Rider Championships (NAJYRC) in Parker, Colo. When the last jump was cleared today, it was two Canadians on top of the individual standings, Shelby Brost and Crimson in the CICY2* and Carmen Holmes-Smith and Spartacus in the CH-J*. In the team competition, both Areas kept their overnight leads with Area V/IX winning gold in the CICY2* and Area I taking home top honors in the CH-J*.

Area V hasn’t brought home a two-star gold medal since 2005, so the Area V members, Alyssa Phillips and Bliss III and Clara Cargile and White Indian, were very glad to have joined forces with Madeline Backus from Area IX to take the gold. “It is very exciting, and I thought it was cool that we are just a three-person team and we held our own this weekend,” said Phillips.

“It has been great being back home,” said Backus who is from Colorado, but works for Blue Hill Farm in Pennsylvania. “I have been away for awhile and it is really nice having everyone support me – we couldn’t do it without all of them.”

Shelby Brost celebrates her clear round with Crimson in the CICY2*

Cargile and White Indian didn’t have a rail in hand heading into show jumping, so when the very first rail fell it was all over for Cargile’s gold medal hopes and second-placed Brost secured the gold with her clear round aboard her 13-year-old Thoroughbred mare, Crimson.

“Crim is a bit of a freak in the show jumping, so I just hang on and try to stay out of her way,” explained Brost. “That last line was a bit iffy and she just gave it her all and I was just so proud.”

“I was just thrilled to even be in second,” continued Brost. “So when my coach [Kyle Carter] came up to me and said ‘how do you feel, you just won?’ That was pretty awesome – I didn’t expect that.”

Area I CH-J* Gold Medal Team

With two double clears (Katie Lichten and RF Luminati and Cornelia Dorr and Sir Patico MH) and one 4-fault round (Erica Jarrell and Uni Sprite), Area I was able to hold their lead in the team competition and win over Area III by 10 points. Area VI moved up into bronze medal position, just eking Team Ontario out .3 points.

“I was just overjoyed for everyone,” said Katie about winning team gold. “We all had beautiful show jumping rounds. We are just such a tight team this year and we all love each other so much and it has just been such a journey over the past six month so for it to all come together with gold is just really amazing.”

Carmen Holmes-Smith leading the CH-J* victory gallop with Spartacus.

When Lee Camiolo and Caharron V. E., who were sitting in second in the CH-J* going into show jumping pulled four rails and then overnight leader, Annick Niemuller, pulled a rail there was some confusion as to who won since two pairs in the three-way tie for third jumped clear rounds. It was quickly settled that Carmen Holmes-Smith and Spartacus were closest to optimum time on cross-country yesterday, just two seconds off to be exact, and were the gold medal winners. Haley Rosenberg and Evil Munchkin riding as an individual for Area I earned silver while Cornelia Dorr and Sir Patico MH also from Area I moved up from sixth to finish in the bronze medal spot.

Two years ago Holmes-Smith ‘stole’ the ride on the now 11-year-old Selle Francais gelding, Spartacus, from her mom and hasn’t looked back. “I was thrilled with my horse today. The scores were definitely very, very close so there was no margin for error. I hit one fence pretty hard which was nerve wracking, but we finished the course clear and I was just thrilled with how he stepped up and performed.”

Individual Scores and Team Scores

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