The U.S. Vaulting Team is prepared and ready to begin competition at the 2025 FEI World Championships for Juniors and Young Vaulters, with 19 vaulters representing the U.S. This year’s competition will be held in Stadl Paura, Austria, from Wednesday, July 30, through Sunday, August 3. Chef d’Equipe Emma Garrod, assistant Chef d’Equipe Lisa Zielenske, and Team Leader Michelle McQueen will lead the U.S. Vaulting Team onsite.

Photo –  provided by Jodi Rinard

“I am so excited for this week,” said Emma Garrod, U.S. Vaulting Team Chef d’Equipe. “The vaulters are looking strong and have trained hard to get here. I’m really looking forward to seeing all their hard work come together on the big stage of the championships.”

Five-day Competition

The five-day competition will see the U.S. Vaulting Team compete across five divisions in the Junior and Young Vaulter championships, including Individual Junior Male, Individual Junior Female, Individual Young Vaulter Female, Junior Pas de Deux, and Junior Squad. Those competing in the Junior championships will complete a Free Test and a Compulsory Test. Those in the Young Vaulter championships will complete the Free and Compulsory Tests, as well as a Technical Test.

Compulsory tests consist of a series of movements in a set order that all athletes must complete. Free Tests are freestyle routines to music which vaulters choreograph and must include a specific number of movements. These movements are judged by accuracy and degree of difficulty. Technical Tests are reserved for Young Vaulters and include a sequence of movements an athlete selects from a predetermined list prior to competition.

The following athletes have been selected to compete as members of the U.S. Vaulting Team.

Junior Females

Tarah Taylor (Visalia, Calif.)

Hannah Wildermuth (Pottsville, Penn.)

Emi Yang (Los Altos Hills, Calif.)

Junior Males

Joshua Kinsey (Benton, Penn.)

Larry Markegard (Half Moon Bay, Calif.)

Donald Walker (Saratoga Springs, Utah.)

Young Vaulter Females

Lilly Belinski (Las Vegas, Nev.)

Kylynn Ghafouri (Murrieta, Calif.)

Naomi Morgenthaler (Menlo Park, Calif.)

Junior Pas de Deux

Matilda Rinard (Fort Lupton, Colo.) and Danica Rinard (Fort Lupton, Colo.)

Miriam Griffiths (Elk Ridge, Utah) and Mikell Stoddard (Eagle Mountain, Utah)

Junior Squad

Oak Hills (Utah)

Competition Information

The 2025 FEI World Championships for Juniors and Young Vaulters will begin with Individual Junior Male Compulsory Tests at 8:00 a.m. CEST (2:00 a.m. EST) on July 30. The Opening Ceremony will be held at the end of the day on the 30 at 7:00 p.m. CEST (1:00 p.m. EST). Following the ceremony, competition will begin each day at 8:30 a.m. CEST (2:30 a.m. EST). Prize-Giving will commence on Saturday, August 2, at 6:30 p.m. CEST (12:30 p.m. EST) and Sunday, August 3, at 4:00 p.m. CEST (10:00 a.m. EST).

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