OUR JUNIOR AND YOUNG RIDERS
Makenzie Rath and Krissy Wang
"Krissy and Makenzie showing off their hardware from the "Festival of Champions "
held in Gladstone, NJ 2007. These two girls are the first Nebraskans to ever
make it to the Festival of Champions.
2007 JUNIOR AND YOUNG RIDERS CHAMPIONSHIPS
Makenzie Rath is 9th in Individual Rankings After NAJYRC Young Rider
Team Competition
August 1, 2007 - The Region IV Young Rider team finished out of the medals
during the team competition at the North American Junior and Young Riders’
Championships earlier today, but NDA member Makenzie Rath of Lincoln is ranked
9th (out of 44 competitors) in the individual standings after today’s team
competition. The annual event is being held in Lexington, VA.
Makenzie and her Swedish Warmblood gelding Calido 49 scored 66.844% to lead
the Region IV team to a 7th place finish. There are 10 teams competing. The
Region IV team’s point total was 195.644.
NDA’s Makenzie Rath Earns Right to Compete for 2007 NAJYRC Medal
NDA member Makenzie Rath of Lincoln has earned the right to compete for an
individual medal in the 2007 North American Young Riders’ Championship by riding
her Swedish gelding Calido 49 to an 8th place finish in the individual competition
(FEI Prix St. Georges) on Friday in Lexington, VA.
Of the 43 riders competing on Friday, only the top 15 will ride in the freestyle
competition Saturday evening. Gold, Silver, and Bronze medals will then be
awarded to the top three riders based on a combination of scores from the PSG
test and the freestyle.
Makenzie and Calido’s score on Friday was 66.900%, just besting the 66.844%
score they received on Wednesday while competing for the Region IV team.
Leading the chase for an individual young rider medal is Devon Kane on Douwe of
Region III (TN, GA, AL, SC, FL), who scored 69.550% Friday. Makenzie is the only
rider from Region IV to make the cut. Three of the 15 finalists are from Canada,
the rest from the U.S.
On Thursday—Krissy Wang of Bennington—rode her Lipizzaner mare Belladiva to a
63.250% score during the Junior Championship team competition. In addition to
Krissy and Bella, the Region IV junior team is comprised of Hans Baertsch of
Duluth, MN, and Rubinstar GB; Tessa Dick of Baldwin City, KS, and the Belgian
gelding, Umberto Van De Denen; and Lauren Gorton of Kansas City, MO, and her
Hanoverian gelding, Don Perry. The team finished the competition in 6th place.
The team Gold Medal in the junior competition was won by Canada, the Silver by
USA Region II (IL, MI, WI, IN, OH, KY WV), and the Bronze by USA Region 1 (PA,
VA, NC, MD, NJ, DE).
The junior dressage competition continues Saturday with the individual
championship. On Sunday, juniors who qualify will ride their freestyles on Sunday.
Young equestrians have come to the Championships from the United States,
Canada and Mexico, as well as a South American rider from Argentina, to ride for
team and individual medals in the three Olympic disciplines of show jumping,
dressage, and eventing. For many, the NAJYRC, the premier competition in North
America for Juniors (age 14-18) and Young Riders (age 16-21) is their first
experience riding on a team, as well as their first time competing under the rules
of the Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI), the international governing body
for equestrian sport.
The NAJYRC operates under the rules of the Federation Equestre Internationale
(FEI). In addition to the championship competition in dressage, show jumping and
eventing, this year’s NAJYRC also features demonstrations of two other FEI
disciplines—vaulting and reining.
The NAJYRC is the continuation of an annual competition that began in 1974 as an
eventing challenge between Canada and the United States. In the years since its
inception, it has grown considerably with the addition of a Dressage Championship
in 1981 and the Show Jumping Championship in 1982. The first complete
Championships with all three Olympic disciplines was held in British Columbia,
Canada in 1982. Last year’s Championships saw the addition of officially-
sanctioned championship divisions for junior riders in the three Olympic disciplines
for the first time.
(articles from Nebraska Dressage Association)
