The local riders of Region 2 won the team gold medal, while Jacqueline Paxton became the individual champion at the 2002 North American Young Riders’ Championships (NAYRC), presented by State Line Tack, held at Tempel Farms in Old Mill Creek, IL
Team Medals
The local riders of Region 2 won the Dressage Team Gold Medal. This is the first time Region 2 has taken top honors at the NAYRC since 1990.
The team competition was split over two days. At the end of the first half, Alison End of South Freeport, ME led the way riding her Danish Warmblood May Star, with a score of 63.949%. Leahe Webb of Temecula, CA placed second on Hugo, owned by Kathleen Webb, with a score of 63.795% and third went to Courtney Raiser of Liburn, GA and Pegaus, owned by Lori Bell, scoring 63.231%. The remaining dressage riders competed for the Team Championship the next day.
In the end the Gold Medal went to the Region 2 Team which consisted of: Lindsey Holcomb of Batavia, IL, riding Chevriot, Lindsey Koffler of Lexington, KY on Alfredo, Martin Kuhn of New Berlin, IL aboard Romulos and Jacqueline Paxton of Batavia, OH and Sangmelima. The Region 2 team won convincingly with a total score of 3809. Paxton helped the team accomplish their goal with an outstanding score of 1367 and 70.103% and was thrilled with her personal best.
“This was the most fun I ever had in a test,” said Paxton. “I worked so hard to get here and have a good test. The fact that it happened at Young Riders makes it ten times better.”
The silver medal went to Region 7 with a combined total score of 3773. Christina Beal of Fullbrook, CA on Artiste, Josslyn Chandler of San Juan, CA riding Domani, Natalie Hamilton of Murrieta, CA and Donnerworth and Leahe Webb of Temecula, CA aboard Hugo made up the second place team.
Region 3 received the bronze with Brittain Knight of Greensboro, NC and Diodor, Nicole Levy of Ft. Meyers, FL riding Korrado Krista Peek of Rosewell, GA and Legatto and Courtney Raiser of Liburn, GA on Pegasus receiving a team score of 3672.
Individual Test
In the Dressage Championship, the top 25 competed in the Individual test to qualify for the Individual Final on Sunday.
Jacqueline Paxton and Sangmelima once again surpassed her personal best receiving 70.737% giving her a two day total of 140.840 to firmly place them in the lead going into the Freestyle competition that will feature the top fifteen.
Lindsey Anderson and Intrepid are in second with a combined score of 132.635%.
Christiana Beal on Artiste with a combined score of 130.436%.
Paxton Individual Gold
Jacqueline Paxton 21, of Cincinnati, OH, riding for US Region 2, led throughout the competition and received a 71.200%, her best score ever, to win Sunday’s culminating Freestyle Championship and clinch the Gold Medal with a three-round score of 212.040.
Paxton could not believe her good fortune. “I can’t believe I did it again,” said Paxton of her high score. “I am really happy with the way things went, I am so excited.”
Paxton bought her 11-year old mare Sangmelima (by Sacramento Song out of Pik Bubes Lady H) from German Wolfgang Schierloh, who lives closely to Reinhart Nielson with whom Jackie trains during the fall, and while in Germany.
Leahe Webb, 19, of Region 7, moved up from fourth on the final day to win the silver medal on Hugo with an overall score of 197.800.
The bronze medal went to Lindsey Anderson of Region 6 riding Intrepid with an overall score of 197.560.
Related Links
Jacqueline Paxton Earns Double Gold at 2002 NAYRC
On the Scene at the 2000 North American Young Riders Championships
Meet the 1998 NAYRC Medallists: Labrucherie, Perry, Hites
Scores - 1998 North American Young Riders Championships