Through a series of qualifying competitions organized by the U.S. Dressage Federation (USDF), 33 of the nation's best young dressage riders were selected to compete in the FEI North American Young Riders Championships (NAYRC)
, presented by State Line Tack which will be held August 7-12 in Wadsworth, Illinois.
The NAYRC draws the top young equestrians, ages 16 through 21, from the U.S., Canada, and Central and South America to compete in the Olympic disciplines of dressage, show jumping, and eventing, Governed by international rules, this championship is a training ground for riders who may one day represent their countries at senior-level international competitions and at Olympic Games. Riders at the NAYRC will compete in teams that represent their USDF regions and will vie for team and individual medals.
Competitors will ride the FEI Young Riders team and individual tests, which are equivalent in difficulty to Fourth Level and Prix St. Georges. Movements include trot and canter half-passes, extended trot, flying changes every fourth and every third strides, and canter half-pirouettes. The top riders in the team and individual tests will ride musical-freestyle routines of their own design, to decide the individual gold, silver and bronze medals.
The following riders will be competing at the 2001 NAYRC:
REGION 1 (DC, DE, MD, NC, NJ, PA, VA)
- Mary Alice Malone, Jr., 18, Coatesville, PA, riding Fresco, 14-year-old chestnut Dutch gelding, sired by Wolfgang, owned by Iron Spring Farm
- Kerri Sowers, 19, Egg Harbor, NJ, riding Kazan, 9-year-old brown Dutch gelding, sired by Voltaire, owned by Kerri and Louise Sowers
- Catherine Malone, 16, Coatesville, PA, riding Ivan, 11-year-old bay Dutch gelding, sired by Amulet, owned by Iron Spring Farm
- Camilla Goodchild, 16, Greensboro, NC, riding Fox, 14-year-old chestnut Dutch gelding, sired by Astronaut, owned by Camilla and Dianna Goodchild
REGION 2 (IL, IN, KY, MI, OH, WV, WI)
- Jacqueline Paxton, 20, Batavia, OH, riding Cinbad, 14-year-old bay Holsteiner gelding, sired by Celebrio, owned by Jacqueline Paxton J.
- Reese Koffler, 20, Lexington, KY, riding Joery, 10-year-old bay Dutch gelding, sired by Zeoliet, owned by Dr. and Mrs. Bruce Koffler
- Kathryn Fleming, 17, New Berlin, IL, riding L.A. Baltic Mariner, 13-year-old liver chestnut Swedish/Arabian gelding, sired by Serr Maariner, owned by James and Kathryn Fleming
- Lindsay Koffler, 17, Lexington, KY, riding Daveed, 17-year-old chestnut Dutch gelding, sired by Meridiann, owned by Lindsay Koffler
REGION 3 (AL, FL, GA, SC, TN)
- Bethany Peslar, 19, Palm Beach, FL, riding Iwan, 11-year-old bay Dutch gelding, sired by Rossini, owned by Bethany Peslar
- Lesley Eden, 20, Longwood, FL, riding Picasso, 9-year-old bay Dutch gelding, sired by Zuidhorn, owned by Lesley Eden
- Courtney Raiser, 19, Lilburn, GA, riding Our Conversation, 12-year-old chestnut Thoroughbred gelding, sired by Verzy, owned by Courtney Raiser
- Gwen Poulin, 20, Deleon Springs, FL, riding Pik Cachet, 10-year-old bay Dutch gelding, sired by Pik Cachet, owned by Marcia Boles
REGION 4 (IA, KS, MO, MN, NE, ND, SD)
- David Marcus, 19, Lincoln, NE, riding Catalina, 8-year-old bay Holsteiner mare, sired by Cabaret, owned by Judy Marcus
- Amanda Johnson, 21, North Liberty, IA, riding Glissade, 11-year-old chestnut Westfalen gelding, sired by Guarantor, owned by Amanda Johnson
- Philesha Chandler, 19, Wichita, KS, riding Marsel, 9-year-old gray Trakehner gelding, sired by Abdullah, owned by Philesha Chandler
- Allison Farlow, 20, Harrisonville, MO, riding West Point, 16-year-old gray Hessen gelding, sired by Waldgeist LDB, owned by Janet Smith
REGION 5 (AZ, CO, E.MT, NM, UT, W.TX, WY)
- Jennifer Diamond, 20, Colorado Springs, CO, riding Zantos, 11-year-old bay Holsteiner gelding, sired by Zuenftiger, owned by Cariellen DeMuth
- Sarah Scott, 20, Evergreen, CO, riding Won and Only, 9-year-old bay Oldenburg gelding, sired by Werther, owned by Sarah Scott
- Sara Lindbloom, 20, Fort Collins, CO, riding Adjudant, 17-year-old chestnut Danish gelding, sired by Avanti, owned by Sara Lindbloom
- Sara Hare, 19, Salt Lake City, UT, riding Kashmir, 12-year-old bay Danish gelding, sired by Kawango, owned by Sara Hare
REGION 6 (AK, ID, W.MT, OR, WA)
- Nicole Charbonneau, 21, Olympia, WA, riding Cabare ?, 15-year-old chestnut Swedish gelding, sired by Ganesco, owned by Lyn and Beth Anderson
- Brooke Irving, 21,Gig Harbor, WA, riding American Graffiti, 16-year-old chestnut Appaloosa/Thoroughbred gelding, sired by Supreme Domo, owned by Brooke Irving
REGION 7 (CA, HI, NV)
- Karen Robinson, 19, Saratoga, CA, riding Shane, 17-year-old bay Thoroughbred gelding, sired by Satelite, owned by Karen Robinson
- Ashley Smith, 17, Malibu, CA, riding Al Cantara, 10-year-old bay Hanoverian gelding, sired by Al Copone, owned by Ashley Smith
- Natalie Hamilton, 20, Los Flores, CA, riding Donnerwerth, 10-year-old chestnut Oldenburg gelding, sired by Donnerschlag, owned by Natalie Hamilton
- Andrea Morillas, 18, Agouraltills, CA, riding Angelino, 15-year-old chestnut Dutch gelding, sired by Voltaire, owned by Andrea Morillas
REGION 8 (CT, MA, ME, NH, NY, RI, VT)
- Jessica Rizzi, 19, Bedford, NY, riding Jamboree, 10-year-old bay Dutch gelding, sired by Consul, owned by Louis and Alexandra Rukeyser
- Alison End, 20, South Freeport, ME, riding Babette, 14-year-old bay Hanoverian mare, sired by Bolero, owned by Alison End
- Nyssa Wittliff, 19, of Tulsa, OK (attends school in NY), riding Entertainer, 15-year-old bay Dutch gelding, owned by James Wittliff
- Judea Franck, 19, New Market, NH, riding Monterey, 14-year-old gray Brandenburg gelding, owned by Horses Unlimited
REGION 9 (AR, LA, MS, OK, TX)
- Chad Bohne, 19, College Station, TX, riding Arabesque, 14-year-old bay Hanoverian mare, sired by Abundance, owned by Chad Bohne
- Dana Gilbert, 19, Southlake, TX, riding Prometheus, 19-year-old white Oldenburg gelding, sired by Prinz Gaylord, owned by Dana Gilbert
- Katie Tharp, 18, Folsom, LA, riding Bandalero, 13-year-old chestnut Westphalian gelding, sired by Bandoliero, owned by Katie Tharp.