California Riding Magazine • September, 2008

Bring out the Brooms!
California riders sweep up at the
North American Junior and
Young Rider Championships.

by Rebecca Sparenberg

If horseback riding was a sport that revolved around a draft, the CN FEI North American Junior and Young Rider Championships (NAJYRC) would be enough to make any scout think they had died and gone to celestial Olympics. The six-day competition held July 29-Aug. 3 at the Colorado Horse Park in Parker, CO is a showcase of future North American Olympians and hall of famers. The best junior and young riders from across the United States, Canada, Mexico, Bermuda, Puerto Rico and the Caribbean Islands vie all year for a chance to compete as teams and as individuals in the three Olympic disciplines—dressage, eventing and show jumping—and debuting this year, reining.

The Championships are the premier equestrian event in North America for riders age 14-21. Run in a format similar to the Olympic Games, the NAJYRC operate under the rules of the Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI), the international governing body for equestrian sport. It is also the only FEI championship held annually in the U.S.

For those Californians that made the two-state trek to Colorado, it was a worthwhile journey. California’s riders brought their brooms with them, sweeping several divisions, and taking home team and individual gold in three out of four disciplines.

Double Gold in Dressage

A total of 61 juniors and young riders, representing each of United States Dressage Federation’s nine regions, squared off at the Championships; only four of them represented California. But at the end of six days it was the four riders from Region VII (California) that claimed team gold in the Young Riders USDF/Platinum Performance Dressage Division.

All first-time competitors at the Championships, the team was led by Katie Johnson (see Katie’s personal report on page 48) who scored 66.33 on Millenium. Scores of 65.778 from Brianna Dutton aboard Tibet, 64.178 from Christine Stephenson riding Charly 285 and a 60.933 from Thomas Walker on Grundsteins Legacy, all contributed to a winning score of 4417 points and a percentage of 65.437.
In a NAJYRC press release Dutton said, “This is something you dream about but certainly don’t expect. Even just to place is like a dream come true, but to win the gold is unbelievable!”

Elizabeth Hendrix, chef d’equipe for Region VII, said she wasn’t sure what to expect of her team before arriving at the Colorado Horse Park. “I hadn’t seen a lot of the riders and I knew my team consisted of all first-timers. When I saw them warm up though, I started to realize that this could be a really good team.”

Region VIII claimed silver with a score of 4395 points and a cumulative percentage of 65.111, followed by the Canada-Ontario team. Each team counts its three best scores, and drops the
lowest score.

Johnson and Dutton both went on to double medals later in the week. Johnson impressed judges, spectators and fellow riders in the Young Rider individual test and, with a score of 69.05, claimed the gold medal. Barely holding back tears of joy, Johnson told the USEF, “It hasn’t sunk in yet. It is spectacularly amazing. I came here hoping to make the top 10 and I’m in total disbelief.”

Johnson leased Millenium, a 14-year-old Dutch gelding, from Pam Schachter three months ago with the specific goal of qualifying for NAJYRC. The original lease was only planned until August, but after watching their moving performances Schachter extended the lease so Johnson, who is only 19, can try her hand at defending her titles next year.

Johnson’s teammate Dutton rode her 8-year-old Dutch Warmblood, Tibet, to silver medal in the individual portion. The pair scored 68.450. “He has a great work ethic,” said Dutton of Tibet. “To come here for the first time with a green horse … I just wanted to make it through to the freestyle, so to be a medalist is unbelievable.”

The bronze went to NAJYRC debutante Chelsea Pederson of Region XI. Pederson scored 67.9 aboard her 9-year-old Hungarian Warmblood, H.S. With Honors.

The Junior dressage riders of Region VII also put on several stylish performances to earn a bronze in the team division. Team veteran Mackinzie Pooley, the only Region VII rider to have participated in NAYRC before, told reporters after her class that that it wasn’t any easier the second time around. Pooley received a score of 62.75 aboard Jonkaran, while her teammate, Ari Lopez, rode Corlander to the highest score on the team, 66.75. Samantha Billings rode Lauris and Courtney Blaine rounded out the team on Oletty is Dutch Treat.
It was close battle for the top three spots; together Region VII had a combined score of 3886 points and a cumulative percentage of 64.767. Edging them out for the gold was Region V, who pulled together an impressive score of 3988 points and a combined average of 66.467. Region IV finished with silver and a combined average of 65.567 and 3934 points.

Two Gold in the Two Star

San Diego resident Jennifer Brannigan of Area VI won the individual gold in the eventing division’s CCI**. This was the 21-year-old’s last year of eligibility for the NAJYRC and she led the division from start to finish. She ended the Championships with a three-phase total of 36.3 penalties aboard Cooper.

She was followed by Karen Shull of the team representing Areas I/IV/V, who scored 55.7 on Just My Style, and Stephanie Rhodes-Bush of Canada who finished with 57.9 penalties on Port Authority.
After the show jumping phase Brannigan told reporters, “He is such a great jumper that I had some confidence coming in, but I still worried about making mistakes.” Brannigan was well on her way to medaling last year when her horse, Cosmo, failed the veterinary inspection after the cross-country phase last year. As if Brannigan didn’t have enough baggage to overcome, she recently had surgery on her tailbone and was unable to ride in the weeks leading up to the championships. Her teammate Nick Cwick stepped up and exercised Cooper for her, but Brannigan only had three rides on Cooper before coming to Colorado.

In the CCI*, Callie Judy of Area IV won the individual gold with 48.8 penalties on Irish Odyssey. Judy rode in the 2006 Championships, but found herself without a horse last year and groomed for her teammates instead. Brannigan and Judy would both find themselves again on top of the leader boards in the team competitions.
Brannigan blazed across David O’Conner’s cross-country course to help secure Area VI the team gold. Brannigan’s teammates, Tiana Coudray on Ringwood Master, Max McNamamy on Beacon Hill and David Koss on Candy, all contributed to a gold-winning score of 170.4 penalties. The team from Areas I/IV/V finished second (1122.8) followed by Areas VIII and X (1158.5).

In the one-star team championships, Judy led her Area IV team of Jessica Lux on Car Tanga, Hannah Ross aboard Fantasia and Edith Lee riding Ballycormac Petrocelli to gold with an impressive total score of 161.4. Hot on their heels were the combined team of Area VIII and V and Canada’s team with representatives from British Columbia and Ontario.

All Around Gold in Show Jumping

California’s Zone X team pulled out all the stops in the show jumping division, taking gold in every event. The Junior jumping team of Savannah Carr aboard Quiana, Annie Cook riding Tucker, Lucy Davis on Mister Mind and Alec Lawler aboard Toyster Gold started things off on the right hoof by posting three first-round clears over course designer Olaf Petersen, Jr.’s challenging course. Despite their impressive start, they went into the second round in second place behind the Canadian team comprised of riders from Alberta and Ontario.

A brief rest seemed to do wonders for the Juniors: Carr, Cook and Davis all went clear in the second round. Unable to match Zone X’s consistency, the Canadians had to settle for silver, with the team from Mexico rounding out the top three spots.

Davis went on to add the individual gold to go with the team gold. She had an awe-inspiring week, finishing all five rounds of jumping without a single fault. After her last class Davis told reporter Marnye Langer, “It’s really pretty amazing to be here for the first time and have it go so well. I didn’t think it was possible. My horse tried so hard and I’m very lucky to have great trainers, great grooms and tremendous support. I may have gotten the medal, but it’s really a team accomplishment.”

Not to be outdone by the Junior riders, Zone X’s Young Rider team kept right on course with their younger counterparts. The team of Hannah Selleck on Bauer, Karl Cook (Annie Cook’s big brother) aboard Notories Utopia, Paige Dotson riding Friponnier II CH and Sophie Benjamin on Marga proudly defended their 2007 gold medal. With a total score of 16 faults, they edged out the North Mexico team who claimed silver with a score of 21. The combined team of Zone VII and IX took home the bronze.

Proving that they are already show ring veterans, Zone X’s Young Riders claimed every spot on the podium in the individual portion of the Championships. Last year’s double-gold medalist, Karl Cook, did his best to defend his title; but with 12 faults he had to settle for the silver. The gold went to 19-year-old Selleck, who went clear in her final round to defeat her teammate with a score of 11.67.

During warm-up Dotson’s horse jumped her out of the tack. Unhurt and not at all phased, Dotson rode into the ring with a narrow lead over Selleck and Cook, but a heartbreaking rail at the final jump dropped her into third with 14.73 faults.

According to Langer’s show report, no Young Rider team in recent history has clinched all three individual medals. Selleck was further honored by earning the Style Award, which is chosen by the show jumping jury.

U.S. Goes Down in Reining History

It was history in the making as the U.S. team was crowned the first reining gold medalists at the NAJYRC. The four-member team of Lakshami Mahajan on Backcinch, Jason Kvols aboard Sunny Spotacular, Lacey Vernon on Duncans Dun It and Carlie Thompson riding Paid By Corona put in exciting rides before a panel of three judges and a packed house of enthusiastic spectators.

Each reiner performed the same pattern, and the U.S. prevailed over Canada with a combined score of 640. Carlie Thompson led a medal sweep winning the individual gold with a score of 219. She was followed closely by teammates, Jason Kvols who scored 217 and Lacey Vernon who scored 214.5, taking home the silver and bronze, respectively. Nine riders total participated in the inaugural reining division at NAJYRC, five from the U.S. and four from Canada.
In a USEF press release Vernon describes her first trip to the NAJYRC as surreal. “To be the first ones (to win reining gold) is pretty amazing.” Teammate Kvols said that all the reiners knew that no matter what happened this week they were making history. “We knew that we would always be the first reiners to ride in these championships. We loved being here and really liked watching the other disciplines. All of us would love to try the english riding but I just don’t know if you can get me to wear breeches!”

For full results and additional information on the 2008 CN FEI North American Junior and Young Rider Championships visit www.youngriders.org.