Canada kept its medal streak alive on the third day of the 2018 Adequan/FEI North American Youth Championships (NAYC) presented by Gotham North, on Aug. 3 in North Salem, NY.
Teammates Charlotte McLaughlin of Ottawa, ON, Eric Krawitt, of Okotoks, AB, Olivia Stephenson of Calgary, AB, and Stella Chernoff of DeWinton, AB kept their cool through two rounds of the Jumping Children’s Team Competition to win the gold medal for Team Canada. They flawlessly maintained their composure ride after ride to end on a perfect score of 0, well ahead of US Regions 3/4/5/7 in the silver medal position on a score of 12, and US Region 10 in the bronze medal position on a score of 20.
The Team Competition for all jumping divisions followed the FEI Nations Cup format, with teams completing two rounds over an identical course. Teams of four had the ability to drop one team member’s score from each round, and the final placings were determined by the lowest number of combined faults.
McLaughlin was first to ride for Team Canada, riding her 10-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding, Bronan, through two faultless rounds.
“Winning a gold medal for Canada is an amazing feeling,” said McLaughlin. “I feel so proud of myself, my horse, and my team. I think it’s a huge opportunity, especially since we’re all so young. I have to thank my amazing coaches and Beth Underhill for this opportunity – it’s just been amazing.”
McLaughlin currently sits in a five-way tie for first in the individual standings. Also part of that tie is Stephenson with Chaccana (Chacco Blue x Kannan), Tomboy Farms’ 11-year-old Oldenburg mare. The duo competed in the anchor position for the Team Competition, securing victory with two clear rounds.
“My horse is kind of new to me, I got her in the beginning of May,” said Stephenson. “When Chaccana gets in the ring, I always know that she’ll brighten up for me and always have my back. Just getting here was the goal, and I’m so proud to be here with everyone that I cherish these moments with.”
Krawitt, fresh off his third place finish on Aug. 2, had four faults with Wellington, the nine-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding owned by A.E.S. Equestrian, Inc., which dropped him to sixth in the individual standings. Chernoff is keeping Krawitt company, also tied for sixth place. She had four faults in the Team Competition piloting Filia van den Bisschop (Vigo d’Arsouilles x Lys de Darmen), the 13-year-old Belgian Warmblood mare owned by Peeters Paul & Alfons.
“I couldn’t be more thrilled with our team,” said Beth Underhill, Jumping Chef d’Équipe. “They showed a lot of initiative all week working together, and a lot of team spirit. It really showed today in their results. As with everyone here, I was most impressed with how consistent all of our riders were and how well they rode under pressure. It was a very proud day for Canada and for me.”
Competing as an individual was Team Canada reserve athlete, Ava Wong of Calgary, AB. She rode Concelo (Con Cento x Cantus), her 12-year-old Westphalian gelding, to a ninth place finish with one time fault, bringing her two-day total to seven for 10th place in the individual standings.
Junior Jumping Riders Secure Team Bronze
Canada’s Jumping Junior Team – comprised of Anya Bereznicki of Calgary, AB, Sam Walker of Nobleton, ON, Madison Hildermann of Calgary, AB and Austin Krawitt of Okotoks, AB
– fought hard to claim the bronze medal in the Team Competition.
Team Canada ended on a final score of 34.54, falling behind the silver medalist team, Mexico West (28.73), and gold medalists, US Region 5 (17.88).
The team was led by Hildermann and her 11-year-old Dutch Warmblood mare, Charly (sired by Ikoon), who currently sit in eighth place in the individual standings.
“It’s a surreal feeling, to be here getting bronze with incredible teammates,” said Hildermann. “We’ve all known each other for a while, so I’m thankful for Beth and Team Canada for supporting all of us on our journey.”
After the first round of competition, Team Canada was sitting precariously in fourth place. In the second round, each rider rose to the challenge to push their team into third: Bereznicki rode clear with her 10-year-old Holsteiner mare, Diazella (Diamant de Semilly x Candillo); Hildermann and Charly incurred just one time penalty; Austin Krawitt had eight penalties with A.E.S. Equestrian, Inc.’s 10-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding, High Jack (Jack of Diamonds x Cavalier Royale); and anchor rider, Walker, clinched the bronze with a clear round on MarBill Hill Farm’s eight-year-old Holsteiner mare, Coralissa (Com Air x Corrado I). Walker’s standout performance put him in ninth place in the individual standings.
“Today, we really had to fight in the second round, but we got it done,” said Walker. “My horse jumped her heart out, and I’m really proud of her.”
Speaking of her second team of the day to earn a podium spot, Chef d’Équipe Underhill commented, “I’m very proud of our Junior team, particularly the way they came back in the second round, really improved their scores, and put us in medal contention. To come away with the bronze was an outstanding piece of work by our riders, and I’m really proud.”
Young Riders Persevere for Fourth-Place Finish
The Jumping Young Riders powered through stiff competition and downpours for a fourth-place finish in the Team Competition. Top honours went to US Region 2 with a score of 9.80, with US Zone 10 taking silver on 33.36 and Mexico earning bronze with 36.24.
Emily Fitzgerald of Perth, ON was the leading rider of the team aboard her 11-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding, Caesar A (Vermont x Indorado). After incurring four faults in each round, the duo moved into ninth place in the individual standings.
The remaining horse-and-rider combinations of Team Canada – Sabrina Lefebvre of Terrebonne, QC and her 11-year-old Zangersheide mare, Alaska (Asca Z x Concorde); Sadie Leon of Mississauga, ON and her 11-year-old Dutch Warmblood mare, Camilla (Van Gogh x Hors La Loi II); and Alexanne Thibault of Boucherville, QC and her 10-year-old Hanoverian gelding, Chacco Prime (Chacco Blue x Le Primeur) – helped Fitzgerald achieve a final team score of 40.13.
Silver Medal for Beatrice Boucher in Dressage Young Riders Individual Competition
After winning gold in the Dressage Young Riders Team Competition on Aug. 1, Beatrice Boucher of Saint-Dominque, QC added another medal to her collection in the Individual Competition. She rode Delfiano (sired by Del Piero), a 15-year-old Hanoverian gelding owned by Gilles Bergeron, to a score of 71.029% for the silver medal.
Callie Jones of US Region 2 was awarded gold (72.206%), and Kayla Kadlubek of US Region 1 took bronze (70.765%).
“The whole thing was such a great picture, I think it was really nice” said Boucher of her performance. “The canter work was the best, but everything else was so accurate and floating. I was just so happy with the horse.”
Boucher continued, “I wasn’t expecting to win an individual medal. It takes such teamwork, being able to qualify for this event; my friends, parents, coach, teachers, and even at school, they’ve been helping us so much, it’s just incredible.”
Boucher was joined on the leaderboard by her gold medal teammates from Team Quebec/Alberta. Rakeya Moussa of Edmonton, AB and the 10-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding, Davidoff v.h. Trichelhof (Lord Leatherdale x Wall Street), owned by Susan and Mohammed Moussa, earned fourth place on a score of 70.382%. Camille Carier Bergeron of Mascouche, QC and the 12-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding, Baldacci (Havidoff x Rubiquil), whom she co-owns with Gilles Bergeron, earned sixth on a score of 69.265%.
“It was very nice for Beatrice because she’s a lovely young woman, very easy to work with in the stable, and a great help to her barnmates and team members,” said Leslie Steele of Pitt Meadows, BC, Chef d’Équipe for Team Quebec/Alberta. “The others girls all finished in the top 10 to go forward to the Freestyle; they all had good scores and I’m proud of them all.”
Coming Up on Day 4
NAYC 2018 excitement continues on Aug. 4 with the Dressage Young Riders Individual Competition, as well as the farewell jumping competition for Children, Juniors and Young Riders.
The full schedule for dressage and jumping at NAYC 2018 can be found here.
For full results from Day 3, click here. More information on NAYC 2018 can be found at www.youngriders.org.
Top 30 Canadian Results – NAYC 2018
Dressage Young Riders Individual Competition – Individual Results
Placing / Athlete / Horse / Owner / Score
2nd / Beatrice Boucher / Delfiano / Gilles Bergeron / 71.029%
4th / Rakeya Moussa / Davidoff v.h. Trichelhof / Susan & Mohammed Moussa / 70.382%
6th / Camille Carier Bergeron / Baldacci / Camille Carier Bergeron & Gilles Bergeron / 69.265%
14th / Vanessa Creech-Terauds / Harley L / Diane Creech & Louise Leatherdale / 64.765%
17th / Allison Youngdale / RF Cosima 201 / Allison Youngdale / 62.412%
18th / Ava MacCoubrey / Ritter Benno / Nicholas Hansen / 61.647%
20th / Julie Barrett / Rosamunde / Julie Barrett / 60.882%
Jumping Children’s Team Competition
Placing / Team / Score
1st / Team Canada / 0
Jumping Children’s Competition – Individual Standings (after 3 rounds)
*denotes an individual athlete
Placing / Athlete / Horse / Owner / Score
1st / Olivia Stephenson / Chaccana / Tomboy Farms / 0
1st / Charlotte McLaughlin / Bronan / Charlotte McLaughlin / 0
6th / Stella Chernoff / Filia van den Bisschop / Peeters Paul & Alfons / 4
6th / Eric Krawitt / Wellington / A.E.S. Equestrian, Inc. / 4
10th / Ava Wong* / Concelo / Ava Wong / 7
Jumping Junior Rider Team Competition
Placing / Team / Score
3rd / Team Canada / 34.54
Jumping Junior Rider Competition – Individual Standings (after 3 rounds)
Placing / Athlete / Horse / Owner / Score
8th / Madison Hildermann / Charly / Madison Hildermann / 10.09
9th / Sam Walker / Coralissa / MarBill Hill Farm / 10.68
14th / Anya Bereznicki / Diazella / Anya Bereznicki / 13.77
Jumping Young Rider Team Competition
Placing / Team / Score
4th / Team Canada / 40.13
Jumping Young Rider Competition – Individual Standings (after 3 rounds)
Placing / Athlete / Horse / Owner / Score
9th / Emily Fitzgerald / Caesar A / Emily Fitzgerald / 11.43
12th / Sabrina Lefebvre / Alaska / Sabrina Lefebvre / 12.53
18th / Alexanne Thibault / Chacco Prime / Alexanne Thibault / 20.17
23rd / Sadie Leon / Camilla / Sadie Leon / 33.15
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