DRESSAGE DAILY
Young Rider Gold Goes to Natalie Pai
Saturday, July 18, 2015
Posted by Phelps Media Group Inc./USEF
NATALIE PAI | FEI NORTH AMERICAN YOUTH CHAMPIONSHIPS
On Wednesday Natalie Pai claimed Team Silver alongside her Region 3 teammates, and after Friday's Individual competition at the 2015 Adequan/FEI North American Junior & Young Rider Championships presented by Gotham North she will also be going home with a Gold. Pai (18, Wellington, Fla.) and Fritz San Tino finished Friday's Individual test with a score of 69.132% to secure their victory.
"I honestly just came here to have a lot fun," Pai said. "I'm so thrilled with how it turned out. He was such a good boy, and I'm so happy with him." Fresh off the USEF Young Rider European Tour, last year's Individual, Team, and Freestyle Gold medalist, Catherine Chamberlain, came into this year's competition feeling the pressure of returning as the defending champion, and now, she is thrilled to be leaving with another Young Rider medal. She claimed the Individual Silver medal on Avesto Van Weltevreden with a score of 68.711%.
"I was on a different horse this year. He's really green; he's only 10," Chamberlain said. "We just did our first Prix St. George test in February. It's been quite the journey with him. He's a very talented horse. I've been thrilled with how he's really developed over the last few months, and I couldn't be happier with him. He's trying really hard, and he's just such a good boy. This is my last year here; I age out. To come here and to get this result is amazing. I'm very happy." Finishing in third and taking home the Bronze medal was Naima Moreira Laliberte (18, Montreal, Que.) on Belafonte. The pair from the team of Quebec earned a score of 68.447%.
For full results or to learn more about the Adequan/FEI North American Junior & Young Rider Championships presented by Gotham North, please visit www.youngriders.org.
USEF Network presented by SmartPak will live stream the entirety of Saturday's events from the Rolex Stadium and Stonelea Ring during NAJYRC. Visit www.usefnetwork.com to tune in and to find out more.
