U.S. Area 6 Leads in Eventing Championship at Maui Jim North American Young Riders’ Championships, Presented by CN

Old Mill Creek, IL—August 14, 2004—The riders of U.S. Area 6 lead the CCI** Eventing Championship following cross-country at the 2004 Maui Jim North American Young Riders’ Championships, Presented by CN, at Tempel Farms in Old Mill Creek, IL, on Saturday, August 14.

More than 150 of the nation’s finest horses and young riders are on hand to compete in this world-class competition featuring the Olympic disciplines of show jumping, dressage, and eventing. Competition at this year’s NAYRC continues through Sunday, August 15.

The Area 6 team of Athena Arnot-Copenhaver of Carmel, CA; Adrienne Hillas of Bell Canyon, CA; Loreen Kay of West Hills, CA; and Cayla Kitayama of Orinda, CA, added a total of only 25.6 penalties to their dressage score for a two-phase total of 170.4 penalty points.

Of a starting field of 20, eight riders posted clear rounds. Three of them were turned in by Area 6 riders. Area 2 is second with a score of 196.0 penalties, and Area 3 is hard on their heels with a two-day total of 218.8, putting them in third place going into Sunday’s stadium jumping phase.

In the Individual Eventing Championship competition, Area 6’s Kay and Kitayama sit in first and second places with 53.6 and 54.6 penalties, respectively, after turning in clear cross-country rounds. Jennifer Libby (Area 2) of Branchville, NJ, also added no penalties to her dressage score of 56.6, clinching the third spot going into the Eventing Championship’s final round.

In addition to exciting eventing action, the 2004 Maui Jim North American Young Riders’ Championships, Presented by CN, hosted the second round of the Mills Team Challenge, the Musical Freestyle, on Saturday.

The Mills Team Challenge is a competition for riders with physical disabilities who range from 16-25 years of age. The competition is run under the auspices of the National Disability Sports Alliance (NDSA), the national governing body for equestrian sports for riders with disabilities.

Keith Newerla of Seaford, NY, earned a score of 66.354% in the Freestyle for a two-round total of 137.056%. Rebecca Hart of Erie, PA, turned in a score of 67.593%, giving her a total of 135.593%. Dax Adam of Scarborough, Ontario earned a 65.926% in the Freestyle for a two-day score of 134.411%, and Erin Waddell posted a Freestyle score of 58.712% for a total of 122.153%. Their scores will be calculated together with those of other NAYRC able-bodied riders at the end of Championship competition to determine the overall Mills Team Challenge Champion.

Many top international and Olympic riders got their start at the NAYRC including Olympic Silver Medalists Greg Best and Karen O'Connor, as well as Megan Johnstone, Elise Haas, Buck Davidson, Chris Kappler, Lauren Hough, Nicole Shahinian Simpson, Ray Texel, Lisa Carlsen Lubitz, Mara DePuy, and Julie Gomena.

The NAYRC began in 1974 as an eventing challenge between the United States and Canada. A Dressage Championship was added in 1981, and Show Jumping debuted in 1982. The first complete NAYRC was held in British Columbia, Canada in 1982. Tempel Farms has hosted the Championship 12 times since 1985.

The Maui Jim North American Young Riders’ Championships, Presented by CN, is the premier equestrian competition in North America for young riders, age 16-21. Young equestrians come from the United States, Canada, Mexico, Puerto Rico, and the Caribbean Islands to vie for team and individual Championships in the three Olympic equestrian disciplines of show jumping, dressage, and eventing. The NAYRC is an official USA Junior Olympic-Equestrian event.

Tempel Farms, site of the 2004 NAYRC, is home to the world's largest private herd of Lipizzan Horses. It is widely considered to be one of the finest equestrian locations in North America with extraordinary facilities, excellent footing, and a challenging CCI** cross-country course.

Final rounds of competition in each Championship division conclude on Sunday. Team and Individual Medals in the Eventing Championship division will be awarded in an Olympic style closing ceremony, along with Individual Medals in the Dressage and the State Line Tack Show Jumping divisions. Tickets are available at the gate at a cost of $7.00 per day. For more information, including a complete competition schedule, please call (847) 244-4231 or visit www.youngriders.org.