Hooray! The month I’ve been anticipating for the last year! I love the month of July, especially because of the exciting event I get to partake in the last few weeks of July. When my professors this year asked me if I wanted to take a summer internship, my first question was, “How many days do I get vacation, because I’m already committed to being the Head Groom at the Junior Olympics.” For me, the NAJYRC is my favorite summer trip, and though this will be my third time to groom for a member of Area V’s team, I’m more excited than ever!
Hi, my name is Elizabeth Crowder and I just turned 20 years old, so I have one more year left as an official “young rider.” I have had the pleasure of eventing in Area V for the last 5 years. I tried to make the 1* team for the NAJYRC in 2009, and after coming up short in the qualification process, I got to groom for a friend of mine on the 1* team, Emma Kate Fisher. While I had groomed at various three-days before, including a couple long-formats, this was my first NAJYRC grooming experience. I absolutely loved the team atmosphere of the event, and particularly enjoyed the event being at the Kentucky Horse Park. This year I am extremely excited to announce we are taking eight riders, three for the 2* and 5 for the 1*, the most Area V has taken in five or six years!
I’d like to give you a short run-down of the 2* team, because the USEA has asked me to write a blog of my experience from the groom’s standpoint during the NAJYRC process. First off, I must start with Jacob Fletcher, one of my good friends and pseudo little brother. Jacob and I met at Young Riders in 2009, as he was one of our two 1* riders for Area V. We became good friends, and after I groomed for him at his first intermediate in 2010 we realized that we worked well together, and I’ve been grooming for him at various horse trials and FEI events, including his fifth place individual and team bronze medal at the 2010 NAJYRC , and the Jersey Fresh CCI2* this spring. Of course, it wouldn’t be right if I didn’t groom for him again this year, and I’m really hoping that he can make his run this year at the 2* level his most competitive yet! (Jacob, I hope you’re reading this! No pressure, eh?)
Also returning for our two star team is my friend Emma Kate Fisher. Emma and I met when we were 12-years-old at the barn where I first got my introduction to eventing. We have been friends since then, and even attended the same youth group at our church in Tulsa. I’ve watched her bring up her lovely Irish horse, Carlingford’s Forever through the levels, and she’s had a seriously good spring, placing first or second at every event she’s entered. Here’s hoping for a super weekend for her this year! Grooming for Emma is the amazing Mary Frances Cargile. Though this will be Mary Frances’s first time to the NAJYRC, she groomed for Heather Morris and Bonner Carpenter at Jersey Fresh, so she definitely knows the ropes!
Rowdie Adams with No Money Down rounds out our 2* team. As a native Texan relocated to Virginia this year, we are looking forward to seeing her again, as most of Area V hasn’t seen her this year unless they were on the east coast. She was the top placed Young Rider at the Bromont CCI2*, so hopefully she’s on a great riding streak that will continue through young riders! I have actually never met Spencer Pevahouse, Rowdie’s groom(we’re Facebook friends though, that’s got to count for something!) Spencer and I will meet officially at the training camp in a week or so. Since she is from Arkansas, I am sure we will get along quite well! (I am about to start my Junior year of studying chemical engineering at the University of Arkansas, so I always feel a tie to fellow Arkansans…even if I’m not a true one myself!)
While I know the two star team very well, we have four new riders to the one star team, and one returning rider, Alexa Ehlers, who is also blogging for the USEA. I’m looking forward to meeting the rest of our team when I get down to the training camp in two weeks and will introduce them in a later blog. (I’m sorry for the lack of pictures…this will improve once I am reunited with Area V…)
As for the rest of the young rider process, I’ve been talking to Diane Pitts, our wonderful coordinator, fairly frequently, as we’re trying to get all the equipment, apparel, etc. coordinated in the next two weeks. I’ve also had a few lengthy conversations with Karen Shull, 2008 NAJYRC CCI2* individual silver medalist, who is going to be our barn manager, and will be meeting us in Kentucky. I will be arriving at Young Rider coach Mike Huber’s Gold Chip Stables on July 21st, and Diane and I will work on getting things organized for our trip to Kentucky on the 24th. The riders will have been at Mike’s all week for training camp, and the grooms all arrive on the 22nd to help me get everything packed and ready to go. All our Young Rider “gear” lives at Mike’s year round, and needless to say, I’m sure those leather halters aren’t looking so hot at the moment. And since Jacob refers to me as the brass polish Nazi, the grooms should be warned that we will have a long polishing session before we get to Kentucky…I personally really like polishing brass and find it to be a good chance to get to know everyone while we work. So, until my next (super long) blog, everyone stay safe and sound and Go Area V!!
