Traverse City, Mich. – Thursday brought a full day of jumping competition at the 2023 FEI North American Youth Championships (NAYC) where Children and Pre-Juniors wrapped up their team competition and Juniors and Young Riders had their first competitive rounds in the Turtle Creek International Ring at Traverse City Horse Shows.

Photo:  Hailey Guidry and Ezmeralda EH Z. (©Leslie Potter/US Equestrian)

FEI Children Team Final

The first class of the day came down to an exciting jump-off for gold between two teams of tough competitors. Both the Zone 4 team and the combined team from Zones 1 and 2 came into the first round of Thursday’s competition with zero penalties carried over from Wednesday. Both teams had four penalties in the first round and zero in the second, forcing the jump-off. All eight athletes rode to win, and the final result came down to the very last round. Zone 4 eked out the win over Zone 1/2 by just one rail. The combined team from Zones 7, 8, and 9 finished in third place for the bronze medal.

Zone 4 got down to business when it was time to go in the ring. Two team members from Zone 4 finished the second day of competition with no penalties individually: Haley Guidry (New Orleans, La.) with Honor Hill Farm LLC’s 2012 Zangersheide mare, Ezmeralda EH Z; and Taylor Finkle (Wellington, Fla.) with her own 2010 KWPN gelding, Sheldon.
“I’ve had Ezmeralda for a few months now and we have gotten together very well,” said Guidry. “She is the sweetest thing ever. I’m so happy to be here and get to experience this. This is my first year (at NAYC), and I have seven more junior years, so it’s very exciting.”

“This is my first time at NAYC, and it’s pretty unreal,” said Finkle. “It’s really cool here at Traverse City. I’ve had my horse for two years in November, and he’s really cool. He’s just a trier.”

2023 FEI NAYC Jumping Children Team Results

Zone 4:
Alexa Curry and Ciemusic Z
Taylor Finkle and Sheldon
Hailey Guidry and Ezmeralda EH Z
Laila Murad and Alfonsine Manciaise

Zone 1/2:
Amelia Burnside and Kasper van het Leliehof
Cecilia Chatterjee and Kwintano Fortuna
Jordan Rich and Ginacolada
Rylie True and My Way B. & V.

Zone 7/8/9:
Haley Honegger and Wilde Hilde
Michaela Munson and Charlene
Isabella Smith and Quinka
Evan Werner and CC Contador DWB

FEI Pre-Juniors Team Final

In the Pre-Juniors Team competition, the athletes from Zone 10 came all the way to Michigan from the West Coast and made the most of the trip. They came into day two of team competition with an eight-penalty lead over the second-placed team and added nothing to their score over Thursday’s two rounds to take home the gold.

Zone 4 held their overnight second-place standing to win silver, and the combined team from Zones 1, 3, and 5 won bronze.

Zone 10’s Lauren Frandson (Laguna Beach, Calif.) with her own Golda, a 2014 Holsteiner mare, currently has the leading individual score after putting down the second-best score on Wednesday and two clear rounds on Thursday. Frandson has reasonable expectations for her relatively young horse, but Golda has proven to be an excellent partner.

“I’ve had Golda for a little less than a year now, and she’s the best mare I’ve ever had,” said Frandson. “Since she’s so young, we have to go in and give a really confident round, and I feel like this week, that’s what we’ve done.”

Another Zone 10 team member, Scarlett Wallis (Royal Oaks, Calif.), currently stands in second place individually with her own Samurai, a 2012 Oldenburg gelding she’s been had for two years. Wallis said her gelding can be a little spooky, but that he is a willing and rideable partner.

“I would say that Samurai’s strength is that he’s adjustable,” said Wallis. “I was able to go in the first round, from the one stride to the liverpool I did six strides, and in the second round I was able to do five and he did really well.”

Individual competition for Children and Pre-Juniors will resume on Saturday, August 12.

2023 FEI NAYC Pre-Juniors Team Results

Zone 10:
Lauren Frandson and Golda
Chloe Kuang and Calea
Djuna Lauder and New Star vd Berghoeve
Scarlett Wallis and Samurai

Zone 4
Gabriella Curry and Candice Bergen
Cristian Hacker and Sparks
Amy Krebs and Jabantos
Suzette Tittle and Bull Run’s Valor

Zone 1/3/5
Campbell L. Hudkins and Firefly A.S.
Riley McKesson and Armstrong de Moyon
Malia Radcliffe and Emma-Lee
Luke Rinehart and Captain America

Juniors and Young Riders First Rounds

Lauren Frandson and Golda. (Photo:  ©Leslie Potter_US Equestrian)

Thirty-six Juniors entered the ring on Thursday for their first rounds of this year’s NAYC. Using the time to penalties conversion format, Zone 6’s Nora Nauss had the top round of the day riding her own Bretzelle d’Arthenay, a 2011 Selle Français mare. The pair went clear and fast, finishing nearly three seconds faster than second-place finishers Daniel Montenegro Ortiz of Guatemala, riding Flavio Montenegro’s Ira de Span, a 2013 KWPN mare. Olivia Sweetnam of Zone 4 currently stands in a very close third-place position—just 0.03 penalties behind second place—with Sweet Oak Farm’s Quality HDB, a 2013 Westphalian mare.

Guatemala currently holds the lead for the Juniors team rankings with a total of 7.77. Zone 6 stands less than a point behind, and Zone 2 currently holds third-place position.

The Young Riders closed out the day, navigating their first course under sunny, breezy conditions. Zone 5’s Olivia Williams and Irocco Blue S, her own 2013 KWPN gelding, had the top round of the day to take the lead individually. Virginia Bonnie from Zone 3 came late in the order with Nina Bonnie’s Efodea, a 2009 KWPN mare, to turn in a fast, clear round and take over the second-place position. Kate Hovland from Zone 10 rounds out the top three with Cruz, the 2009 Danish Warmblood gelding she co-owns with David and Tanya Hovland.

In the Young Riders team rankings, Zone 3 holds the lead with a score of 4.45. Mexico stands close behind in second place with a 5.12, and Zone 10 is currently in third with a 6.55

Team competition will conclude on Friday, August 11, with the Juniors’ team final beginning at 8:00 a.m. ET and the Young Riders’ team final starting at noon.

Current Standings:

Junior Individual:

Nora Nauss and Bretzelle d’Arthenay (Zone 6)
Daniel Montenegro Ortiz and Ira de Span (GUA)
Olivia Sweetnam and HDB Quality (Zone 4)

Young Riders Individual:

Olivia Williams and Irocco Blue S (Zone 5)
Virginia Bonnie and Efodea (Zone 3)
Kate Hovland and Cruz (Zone 10)

Full Schedule and Results Here

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