Individual Jumping Medals Awarded at NAJYRC

Hannah Selleck led a sweep of the individual medals by Zone 10 when she won the Young Rider individual gold medal on Bauer in the USHJA Jumping Division. Selleck finished with an overall score of 11.76 faults. Karl Cook, last year’s gold medallist, won the silver on Notories Utopia with 12.00 faults, followed by Paige Dotson who took the bronze with 14.73 faults on Friponnier II CH.

Dotson was one rail from the gold but the last rail down added four faults to her score to give Selleck the win. “I was thinking that I was almost there and I just needed to leave that last fence up,” said Dotson who was thrown by her horse in the warm-up ring. “Unfortunately it didn’t happen. I just needed to give him a little more leg.”

Selleck said that she was rooting for her friend Dotson. “I never root for another rider to have a rail. I thought Paige would be clear and I was certainly rooting for her but of course I’m happy to win.”

Cook, who adds the silver to the team Gold he won earlier in the week and the double gold he won last year, said that coach Butch Thomas and Zone 10 have a real winning formula. “Our trials really prepare us well for what we face here,” he said. “Butch works with us throughout the year so he knows how to get the best out of us. We all came here wanting to prove that last year was no fluke and I think this shows that we have a lot of good riders in California.”

In the Junior Division, Lucy Davis of Zone 10 added the individual Gold to go with the team Gold she won on Friday. Riding Master Mind, Davis completed an amazing week, finishing her five rounds of jumping without a single fault. Aley Russell of Zone 4 took the Silver with 9 faults on Saint Diego, followed by Martin Guerra of Mexico South who took the Bronze with 14 faults on Latino 125.

“It’s really pretty amazing to be here for the first time and have it go so well,” said the 15-year-old Davis. “I didn’t think it was possible. My horse tried so hard and I’m very lucky to have great trainers, great grooms and tremendous support. I may have gotten the medal, but it’s really a team accomplishment.”

Russell, 18, also competing at her first Junior/Young Rider Championships, said she only decided to come about two weeks before the event. “My teammates called me and said that they wouldn’t have a team unless I came. I guess I’m glad I did.”

Russell had words of praise for Davis. “She was just awesome; she rode like it was an equitation course,” she said. Russell, who had only one time fault in the individual final’s two rounds, added,

“It’s a little hard for the rest of us to catch Lucy if she doesn’t have any faults!”

Guerra, 18, said he was helped by the vociferous support of the large Mexican contingent that was so noticeable throughout the week. “Hearing all that cheering and support every time you enter the ring really helps you ride better. It makes you feel confident and I know it helped me.”