Competition is officially underway for the 2019 Adequan/FEI North American Youth Championships (NAYC) presented by Gotham North, with Canadian eventers having tackled the dressage phase on July 25 and 26 at Rebecca Farm in Kalispell, MT.
Tosca Holmes-Smith Starts Strong in Young Riders Top 10
Tosca Holmes-Smith of Chase, BC, is the sole Canadian representative in the Young Riders division riding Tom Riddle, a 13-year-old Thoroughbred gelding sired by Towkay and owned by Ali Holmes-Smith. The 19-year-old is extremely familiar with NAYC and the setting amongst the Montana mountains, having claimed the Junior individual gold and team bronze medals in 2017 riding Fiat, and earning a top-10 Young Riders individual finish at NAYC 2018 with Tom Riddle.
Holmes-Smith and Tom Riddle kicked off their 2019 efforts on July 25, where a score of 35.2 penalty points after the CCIY 3*-S dressage competition positions the pair in 10th place before the cross-county phase is held on July 27. US Area III’s William Kidwell and Tremolo currently hold the lead on a dressage score of 28.0 penalties.
Two Top Spots are Better than One for Elise Hicks in Junior Competition
In the CCIJ 2*-L Junior dressage competition, the title of top-placed Canadian rider on July 26 wasn’t quite enough for Elise Hicks of Trenton, ON, so the 17-year-old decided to nab the top two spots on the Canadian leaderboard.
Hicks first guided her seven-year-old Thoroughbred gelding, Max Power (Philanthropist x Explosive Red), as part of Team Ontario/British Columbia to a score of 35.0 penalties to contribute 17th place to the team’s dressage score. Later in the day, she competed as an individual with Glendening Avis (Ferrari GS x Adamo), a 14-year-old Canadian Sport Horse mare owned by Callie Evans, and scored 36.6 penalty points for 21st place. Charlotte Babbitt and 2 A.M. of US Area VI currently hold the overall lead on a score of 24.0.
“I am very proud of both of my horses today,” said Hicks. “My team horse, Max Power and I had our best FEI test yet. Max and I are a little green at the level but he has been responding very well to the atmosphere of this event. My individual horse, Glendening Avis and I had a respectful test with some very nice movements. I definitely enjoyed myself riding my horses in the ring today!”
Hick’s score with Max Power added to those of teammates, 16-year-old Sierra Hincks of Roberts Creek, BC, and 17-year-old Olivia Terdik of Windham Centre, ON, for a combined total of 133.2 penalty points to put Team Ontario/British Columbia in 10th place before cross-country.
Just ahead on the leaderboard was Team Alberta, comprised of Mikayla Hoffman, 15, of Tees, Jada Graham, 16, of Sturgeon County, and Megan Yakiwchuk, 17, and Anna Rekrutiak, 16, of Calgary. They pulled together for a combined score of 115.0 penalties to secure ninth after dressage.
US Area VI is currently holding onto first place on a score of 76.2 penalties, followed by US Area VIII on 87.8 penalty points and US Area IV on 96.8 penalties.
Cross-Country Next on the Docket
NAYC 2019 excitement continues on July 27 with the cross-country phase for both the CCIJ 2*-L and CCIY 3*-S divisions.
For live results from the eventing portion of NAYC 2019, click here. More information on NAYC 2019, including the full schedule for eventing, can be found at www.youngriders.org.
Top 30 Canadian Results – NAYC 2019
CCIJ 2*-L Junior Team Standings after Dressage
Placing / Team / Score
9th / Team Alberta / 115.0
10th / Team Ontario/British Columbia / 133.2
CCIJ 2*-L Junior Individual Standings after Dressage
Placing / Athlete / Horse / Owner / Score
*denotes an individual athlete
17th / Elise Hicks / Max Power / Elise Hicks / 35.0
21st / *Elise Hicks / Glendening Avis / Callie Evans / 36.6
23rd / Megan Yakiwchuk / Maserati One / Megan Yakiwchuk / 37.0
30th / Anna Rekrutiak / Lady Antebellum / Anna Rekrutiak / 38.4
CCIY 3*-S Young Rider Individual Standings after Dressage
Placing / Athlete / Horse / Owner / Score
10th / Tosca Holmes-Smith / Tom Riddle / Ali Holmes-Smith / 35.2
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