Sunday July 31st

The day started fresh then turned out warm and humid, with the ton of rain we got the day before. All horses looking exceptionally good after a good night’s rest.  We presented all horses at the final jog and all were accepted.

The * Junior riders started the final jumping phase and as a team, we were only able to jump with the 3 riders, so all scores had to count.  The course was big but flowing and April was our first rider in.  She had a few rails which had us counting the scores as each rider went in.  Being the biggest competition in this young lady’s life, she did an amazing job! Our next rider was Brook and she pulled off a confident double clear which moved her up in the standings.  Then Sable went in. Individually she had .4 pp lead, but had an unfortunate rail.   As a team we still maintained our Bronze medal position, Brook moved up from 5^th to take the individual Bronze medal and Sable received the Silver medal individually.  It was pretty cool standing behind the riders (holding their horses for them) as they stood on the podium.  We did it!!

Our ** Young Rider team had 4 riders so we could still afford a drop score. Melissa was first in and added a couple rails to her score.  Will was next in and he added a couple also, but had a great ride.  Christian was next in and his horse Rolex was a Saint.  He came into the triple combination and every jump we gasped, but he left every rail up.  He also incurred a couple of rails on some other jumps.  Then Joelle, who held the second place position throughout the competition, had 2 unfortunate rails that put her in 6^th place individually. We were still able to maintain our Bronze medal position and were on the podium for a second time today!!

All in all it was a wonderful experience for all riders, coaches and our new Chef D’Equip Caroline Morshead.  This was Caroline’s first trip at the Championships and she took on the role without hesitation.  I’m very confident that she will step in and be an excellent addition to the Ontario Young Rider program and to the team next year and in future years to come.  After over 10 years of coordinating the Ontario Young Riders program and cheering them on at the annual NAJYRC, I will be pursuing other avenues in the eventing community and will still be around, only in a different capacity.  Caroline was also instrumental in obtaining many signatures on the Canadian flag that I have carried to many Championships, as it will retire with me.  Thanks Caroline, it was amazing.  

Our special thanks to all the support staff of Peter Gray as head coach, additional coaching provided by Canadian Equestrian Team members Rebecca Howard, Jessica Phoenix and Kyle Carter. Individual coaches also attended -  Alex from ON, Anna from Quebec and Momo Laframboise.  Momo was also our stable manager who kept the stables organized and ensured the horses were well looked after.  To our team veterinarian, Dr. Kathryn Surasky, who was instrumental in assisting the horses by providing fluids after such a hot week for them.  Thank goodness we didn’t require anything serious help from her, all the horses recovered well and were amazing athletes for their riders on this final day.  And last but certainly not the least, our grooms, who did a spectacular job with the horses and made them look fantastic throughout the week.

Special thanks to all our wonderful sponsors that helped these riders feel what it is like to be the part of a Provincial and National team.  It was amazing the way the atmosphere changed when the riders received their uniforms and sponsored products and when donned their new Point Two Air Vests, that they felt they could BELIEVE that winning is possible. 

Linda      

Saturday July 30th

The Point Two Air Vests arrived!!!!  And WOW, were we the talk of the town!  All Canadian Event riders received their Team Canada air vests this morning, thanks to Mr. Bill Bennett and Kelly List.  They arrived early this morning after waiting for them from a courier that they picked up in Toronto before leaving for Kentucky. Long story, but they got here!  One of the Chef’s jobs is to ensure that everything runs smoothly for the team, the coaches, the riders etc. and this was one job that required a lot of nurturing all the way through the Equine Canada office until the canisters were inserted this morning and the vests fitted to the riders two hours before they went on course. 

The ** riders were very impressive and solid, with Will and Midleton jumping around clear moving up in the individual standings, but picking up a few time penalties, Melissa Boutin and Siamese Cat from Quebec had unfortunate run out at the skinny after the drop but carried on and finished with a few time penalties also.  Christian Bennett had a great ride with a double clear round and moved up the standing into 5^th place.  And our anchor rider, Joelle Baskerville from Alberta held her second place position with a double clear round also.  She’s breathing down the neck of Area 3’s Devon Brown and Dynamic Image by 3.9 pp!  As a team we are still sitting in Bronze medal contention but close behind the Silver Medal team at this time by 12 pp.

Individually the riders are currently in the following position:

Melissa Boutin and Siamese Cat (QC)     18^th

William Dow and Midleton (ON)             16th

Christian Bennett and Rolex (ON)          5^th

Joelle Baskerville and Malibu (AB)          2^nd

Our * Junior team headed out with conviction this morning, and I have to admit that it was one heck of a day.  We had some awesome rides from everyone but had some disappointed riders too. All horses and riders came home sound, but unfortunately Haley, came out of the last water complex, and mistakenly jumped the Intermediate (**) skinny (beautifully I must say!).  It resulted in a Technical Elimination.  She was with in time and had no jumping penalties at that point, so needless to say Haley, the trooper that she is, was so upset with herself.  She did however, put her game/team face on and came back down to the vet box, helped and cheered on the rest of the team on. We also had an unfortunate parting of the ways of Liza and Karla, but once again, everyone was OK and the team camaraderie took over.  Liza helped everyone continue to cool down their horses and was right in there up to her elbows in ice water!  April Simmonds, whose birthday was today, had a clear jumping round, but picked up some time penalties along the way. Brook Pickering had an incredible round going double clear.  Our anchor rider Sable Giesler had a spectacular round and also posted a double clear.  After Brooks’ and Sables’ round they both moved up the standings, with Brook to 4^th place and Sable into the Gold medal position going into tomorrow’s show jumping.  As a team, be are sitting in Bronze Medal contention with only 1pp separating us from the Silver. 

Individually, the riders sit in the following positions going into show jumping tomorrow:

April Simmonds – Sunday Best                      18t^h

Brook Pickering – Abbey Rhode                      4^th

Sable Giesler – Evil Munchkin                                1st

We had some fun visitors today in the vet box, David O’Connor was around and congratulated some of our riders, and we had some extra hands offered from Ontario’s Show Jumping Team, Hyde Moffat who picked up an ice cold sponge and helped cool the horses down.  He had never seen or worked in the vet box before, but we explained it to him and put him to work!  Also having Peter Gray, Kyle Carter, Jessica Phoenix, Rebecca Howard, what more human horse power can a Young Rider team have to be successful!

The weather cooperated with us today, with cloudy skies throughout the morning, but the skies let loose and torrential downpour and thunderstorm this afternoon that stopped the dressage freestyle.  This gave us a chance to bond as a team even more.  The Canadian team celebrated April’s birthday with a cake and some birthday wishes from everyone.  The team jogged the horses after they had their fluids, ice boots and massages, and every horse looked good going into the evening.  The riders had the competitor’s party this evening at the horse park, hopefully everyone is having fun J and will get enough rest tonight, as they will have a very early morning tomorrow ensuring the horses are good for the jog.

To say the least, tomorrow is going to be an exciting day for Ontario and Canada at these Championships!  I won’t be able to get tomorrow’s report done until I get back to Ontario, maybe Monday morning, but will finalize this incredible week we have had here at the North American Young Riders Championships in Kentucky.

Linda

Friday July 29th

The Ontario Juniors (CCI*) riders rode their dressage tests today in the early morning.  The weather was a carbon copy morning as yesterday when our Young Riders rode.  Ontario Junior Riders * team consists of Haley Armstrong- Laframboise and Ichabod, April Simmonds and Sunday Best, Brook Pickering and Abbey Rhode and Sable Giesler and Evil Munchkin. Our individual rider is Liza Igochine and Karla.

The competition got under way at 8:00 am with Haley as our first rider. Haley and Ichabod rode well, but had a minor glitch in their test but finished strong and Haley was the first back to cheer the rest of her team on.  Next in was our youngest member of the team, April Simmonds on Sunday Best who rode a bold and brave test, and was sitting in second until right before the end of the dressage phase.  Our next rider was our individual rider, Liza Igochine on Karla, who had an accurate and forward test.  Brook Pickering, riding in her first NAJYRC, had a lovely, pleasant, accurate test. Our final anchor team rider, Sable Giesler had another forward, engaged and brave test, on Evil Munchkin leaving her in 3^nd place with only one horse to go in the dressage phase. At the end of the dressage competition, our team was in 2nd place with 1.7 penalty points separating first to second!

Individually the riders are currently in the following position:

Haley Armstrong-Laframboise - Ichabod          25th

April Simmonds – Sunday Best                      5^th

Brook Pickering – Abbey Rhode                      9^th

Sable Giesler – Evil Munchkin                        3^rd

Liza Igochine – Karla                                   14^th

The event riders have a busy few hours ahead of them – organizing the vet box, making sure all equipment is ready to go, do that final course walk, get focused and have a good night sleep.  The cross country courses look challenging for these levels, David O’Connor and the ground jury has been monitoring the weather all week, with the extreme heat that we have been having, they have closed the interval times to 3 minutes apart which will get both divisions completed by 11:00 am.   There are cloudy skies in the forecast, 70 F temperatures for the ** when they start at 8:00 am and up to 83F by the time the last * rider goes.  So we won’t need to deal with the sun, but the chance of rain is good by the time the last few horses go.

All horses look good, we’ve  been monitoring water intake all week also giving electrolytes and our team Veterinarian, Dr. Kathryn Surasky arrived today to give everyone a final look tonight before they were all tucked in for the evening.

Our air vests are arriving tomorrow morning just in time for cross country from one of our major sponsors - Point Two Air Vests and thanks so much for bringing them from Ontario to Kentucky (Kelly List and Bill Bennett)!  The riders will appreciate them!  All riders are pumped for cross country day – wish us luck for safe, successful rides from everyone!

Linda

Day 2 at NAJYRC!!

Thursday July 28th^h.

Today was dressage day for the Canadian Combined Young Riders ** team of William Dow (ON), Melissa Boutin (QC), Christian Bennett (ON) and Joelle Baskerville (AB).  The dressage this year was held in the centre of the race course, next to the historical Big Barn.  It was about a 15 min walk from the stabling – good warm up time for the horses.

The organizers felt that we should be separated from the yearly Kentucky Summer Festival, a 6 week hunter- jumper show that is held annually at the horse park, usually the same week as NAJYRC.  In the past few years we have been stabled right in the thick of this competition, amongst the golf carts and confusion.  This year, they have us stabled in our own stabling complex, in lovely temporary stables up by the Rolex arena, much closer to the cross country, the schooling area (other than the dressage area) hospitality tent and discipline offices.  I think I forgot to mention yesterday that this year they have the most entries in the NAJYRC since they have started this competition – 175 riders in all disciplines!

The day started early with schooling opening up at 6:00am - still dark here in Kentucky, but at a cool 22 C degrees.  The competition got under way at 7:30 with William Dow from Ontario as our first rider. Will and Midleton’s dressage has improved so much since we first saw him this spring, Midleton warmed up like a champion and Will rode very smart in his test.  Next in was our Quebec rider Melissa Boutin riding Siamese Cat who rode a nice, accurate test.  Our Ontario rider Christian Bennett riding Rolex was next to go, who put in his best test ever, putting him in 2^nd place at that point!  Our anchor and returning NAJYRC ** rider from Alberta, Joelle Baskerville and Malibu, put in the test of her life, an accurate, forward and engaged test, leaving her in 1st place with 4 horses to go in the division.  At the end of the dressage competition, our team was in 3^rd place with 8 penalty points separating first to third and  Joelle 2nd individually!

Individually the riders are currently in the following position:

William Dow and Midleton (ON)             20th

Melissa Boutin and Siamese Cat (QC)     15^th

Christian Bennett and Rolex (ON)          7^th

Joelle Baskerville and Malibu (AB)          2^nd

The temperature was heating up and by the time we were finished at 10:45 am it was already 28 degrees C!  (97F was the forcasted temperaturefor the afteroon), so we headed into air conditioning in the afternoon.  Thank goodness for our sponsored shirts from Equestrian Factory Outlet, they kept the Canucks cool with the “Cool Canuck” shirts, the riders commented on how hot they were coming out of the ring after test, and how hot they would have been if they had to wear their jackets.

The event riders took advantage of the afternoon to watch the other disciplines – show jumping started this afternoon and the endurance does their 75 mile ride tomorrow.  That will be interesting to watch for sure – especially their vet boxes in this heat!

Tomorrow our Junior Riders start…and they are READY!

Linda