It was an exciting weekend of finals at the 2025 Gotham North/FEI North American Youth Championships (NAYC) at Traverse City Horse Shows’ Great Lakes Equestrian Festival. Young athletes from Guatemala, Honduras, Canada, Mexico, and the United States desplayed their remarkable talents in stiff show jumping and dressage competition from July 29 – August 3.
(Left) Junior Dressage double bronze medalist Ainsley Leach; Junior Team silver medalists (l-r) Sofia Popescu, Livia Martin, Giuliana Dim, and Isabella Erlick. (Isaiah Dahl / Halite Creative photos)
Friday
Friday was another medal day for Canada: in the Junior Dressage Individual Championship, Ainsley Leach picked up a bronze medal with Frangelico on a score of 67.294%, with fellow Canadian Imogen Hawes and Knights Cavollo Dolce not far behind in 5th on a score of 66.118%.
In jumping, the Junior team of Sofia Popescu riding Katorose HV, Livia Martin and Vico G, Giuliana Dim with Espoir de l’Ermitage, and Isabella Erlick aboard Toucare KDW Z earned a silver medal behind a very strong US Zone 4 team.
Brooke Mancusi riding Dejohn Ymas won silver in the CDIU25 Grand Prix Freestyle. (Isaiah Dahl / Halite Creative photo)
Saturday
The only Canadian in the CDIU25 Grand Prix Freestyle, Brooke Mancusi riding Dejohn Ymas, brought home the silver medal on a score of 69.085%. Anna Swackhammer also delivered a silver medal performance in the Individual Young Rider Dressage with Fabienna GV! Their consistent test earned a score of 68.206%, just fractions behind the winner, Gatino van Hof Olympia ridden by Lexie Kment (USA). Fellow Canadian Sophia Rokstad finished in 5th with Lord Nunes on a 67.235%.
In the Children’s Individual Dressage, Gwendolyn Joinson and Blind Date AT finished 6th on 69.590 and Annabelle Gauthier were just behind in 7th with Northwind Marrakesh scoring 68.746.
On the show jumping side, five Canadians placed top-15 in the Children’s Individual Final: Lexi Pathy with Billy Lincoln (5th), Emma Ludwar with Clever boy van’t Gelutt Z (8-T), Keira Smith with Hautrantzau (10th), Valentina Da Silva Giusti and Ginacolada (11th) and Clara Zdunich and GCS Rosie (13th).
Sunday
It was a golden day for Team Canada when Sophia Rokstad of Langley, BC, and Lord Nunes earned the gold medal in the CDIOY Freestyle Young Rider test on an overall score of 73.350%. Fellow Canadian Anna Swackhammer of Rockwood, ON, finished 5th in the class with Fabienna GV.
In the Junior Freestyle Championship, Ainsley Leach of Oakwood, ON, picked up the bronze medal with Frangelico with a score of 70.665%. Imogen Hawes of North Saanich, BC, finished 7th in the class with Knights Cavollo Dance on 69.620%.
Sofia Popescu with Katorose HV. (Isaiah Dahl / Halite Creative photo)
Honourable mentions go to Sofia Popescu with Katorose HV (based out of Wellington, FL) and Isabelle Erlick and Toucare KDW Z (Burlington, ON) for their 9th and 11th places, respectively in the Final Junior Individual Rankings. It was a very tough division full of strong horse and rider athletes and they rode consistently well all week long to stay in the mix. Kudos also to Elizabeth Grace Thomassin of Westmount, QC, with Uris de la Roque, who finished 9th overall in the Young Rider Individual rankings. It was her first 1.50m competition and she rode very confidently all week.
Valentina Da Silva Giusti was awarded the Captain Andrew B. De Szinay Memorial Sportsmanship Trophy. (Isaiah Dahl / Halite Creative photo)
The icing on the cake was Valentina Da Silva Giusti of Oakville, ON, being awarded the Captain Andrew B. De Szinay Memorial Sportsmanship Trophy in the Children’s Jumper division. This is awarded annually to the young rider who best personifies the virtues of integrity, sportsmanship, honour, courage, team spirit, good temper and unselfishness; athletes are nominated by the chefs d’équipe.
Speaking of which, much appreciation goes to the Canadian chefs d’équipe Peter Gisborn and Jill Mancusi, and team leader Kelsey McDonell. Until next year…
Full results here.
https://results.hippodata.de/2025/2581/html/en/hippodata/index.html
~ with files from Equestrian Canada
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