Canada’s Ben Asselin Wins Individual Gold at NAJYRC

Ben Asselin of Calgary, AB, won the individual junior show jumping gold medal on Sunday, August 1, at the 2010 Adequan FEI North American Junior and Young Riders’ Championship (NAJYRC). Presented by Gotham North, the Championships were held July 28 – August 1 at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, KY, also the site of the upcoming 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games.

Navigating the demanding courses set by FEI ‘I’ course designer Olaf Petersen, Jr., of Germany, Asselin, 16, had five faultless rounds throughout the individual competition to claim the Individual Gold Medal with a perfect score of zero. Asselin was aboard Lolita, a 12-year-old Oldenburg mare owned by Attache Stables.

“This is my first time competing at the Championships and the experience has been surreal and surprising,” said Asselin, who also led the Alberta team to a gold medal on Friday. “Lolita was unreal and incredible. From the warm-up competition to the last round, she jumped perfectly. She has the biggest heart and she gave her all every time she went in the ring.”

The silver medal was awarded to American Meg O’Mara of Zone 2 riding Sinatra IV with four faults while Jocelyn Neff and Gaja 20 of USA Zone 10 won the bronze with a total of eight faults.

Bretton Chad of Calgary, AB, finished eighth individually aboard Calle II, a 13-year-old Holsteiner gelding owned by Stone Ridge. Finishing ninth was Jasmine Wiggins of Okotoks, AB, riding Little Milton, her eight-year-old Hanoverian gelding. Alexandira Smith of Calgary, AB and Calira, a 13-year-old Holsteiner mare owned by Blue Valley Farms Ltd., finished in 11th place. Rachel Schnurr of Waterloo, ON, and Magic Jumper, her 10-year-old Belgian Warmblood gelding, were 14th while Laurence Addison of Lorraine, QC, and his 11-year-old Oldenburg mare, C-TJE, placed 15th overall.

Exclusively for Junior riders, aged 14–18, and Young Riders, aged 16–21, the NAJYRC gives up and coming riders the opportunity to represent their country as a team, and prepares them for future international competition. The Championships feature the disciplines of dressage, eventing, jumping and reining. For more information and complete results, please visit http://www.youngriders.org/.