With the second day of competition at The Dutta Corp Tryon International Three-Day Event in the bag, Area II is dominating the leaderboards in the inaugural Adequan®/USEF Eventing Youth Team Challenge (YTC) – East Coast Final.
The Youth Team Challenge invited athletes ages 14-25 to compete as team members and individuals in the CCI1*-L, CCI2*-L, and CCI3*-L divisions. Teams consist of three or four members and may be composed of members from different USEA Areas to accommodate entries. Each team’s three best scores will be combined to determine the team score.
In the CCI3*-L, the combined team from Area II, Area III, and Area VIII holds the lead after dressage with a total combined score of 96.1. The team includes Alexandra Baugh and MHS Fernhill Finale (Area VIII), Elizabeth Bortuzzo and Belongs to Teufer (Area II), Benjamin Noonan and Keep Kitty (Area II), and Sarah Bowman and Altus Louvo (Area III).
In the CCI2*-L and CCI1*-L, Area II has hold of top position heading into cross-country. The leading CCI2*-L team roster is Jackson Dillard and Layla Q, Mia Braundel and Junkanoo, Maddie Hale and Cinzano 87, and Kiera Kenny and FE Black Ice.
In the CCI1*-L, the Area II team is composed of Ella Braundel and Categorically Cooley, Caroline Brown and Sydney, Grace Mykityshyn and MTF Cooley Classic, and Juliana Cassar and Cheranimo.
Area II Youth Coordinator Chris Donovan says that a lot of the preparation for the YTC Finals from an Area standpoint is on the logistics side.
“Area II is a little larger than most areas,” said Area II Youth Coordinator Chris Donovan. “There are 300 kids in the program and 70 of them that were part of Youth Team Challenge. Their preparation is individual, with their own trainers. It’s not done as an area program, but we supervise and provide support. So the prep that went into this is a lot of follow-up and making sure the kids had the right qualifications, telling them not to do their first three-star here but to stay at the two-star level.”
Donovan says that several of the Area II competitors had previously competed in the North American Youth Championships, the predecessor to the YTC program. She says the feel of the program is different, but that the participants are enjoying the team experience. Several of the riders are also working students with different trainers, but the YTC gives them a chance to spend time outside of their own barns.
“They’re having a lot of fun, they’re bonding. They’re having a good time together. They’re sitting at the tables together, they’re hanging out in the barns together, even though they’re not all stabled together. Most of them are working students, so they’re working as well as having time in their own tack room. There are four moms that are making sure they’re well-fed. The new kids on the block have all been introduced. It’s a fun camaraderie.”
The Dutta Corp Tryon International Three-Day Event continues on Saturday, Nov. 13 with the cross-country phase for all Youth Team Challenge competitors as well as The Dutta Corp USEF CCI4*-L Eventing National Championship.
Helpful Links
With the start of the New Year just days away, now is the time to consider how your actions can have a positive impact on the sport of eventing in 2025. Each and every member of the eventing community has an important role to play in ensuring the sport continues to grow and thrive. From fostering educational opportunities to supporting grassroots initiatives and participating at all levels of the sport, there are so many ways to get involved.
Ride iQ’s popular “Ask An Expert” series features professional advice and tips from all areas of the horse industry. One of the most-downloaded episodes is an expert session with Peter Gray, an accomplished dressage judge and Olympic eventer. He has recently judged at events like the five-star at the Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event, and he served on the ground jury at the 2022 FEI World Eventing Championships in Pratoni, Italy. His background as a competitor in the Olympic Games riding for Bermuda and as a coach and selector for the Canadian eventing team adds depth to his understanding of the sport.
With a total of 382 volunteer hours in 2024, Catherine “Cathy” Hale not only topped the USEA Area III VIP Volunteer leaderboard, but she also ranked fourth out of all eventing volunteers across the country. Hale (The Villages, Florida) has worked as a travel agent for over 30 years, a career that suits her love of travel nicely. At the time of being interviewed for this article, Hale was passing the equator on a cruise to Tahiti, New Zealand, and Australia.
The USEA office will close at 5:00 p.m. EST on Friday, Dec. 20, 2024, and will reopen again on Thursday, Jan. 2, 2025. The USEA staff will return emails and phone calls when the office re-opens on Thursday, Jan. 2, 2025 or at their earliest convenience.