Region 3 and Mary Haskins Gray won team and individual gold at the 2003 North American Young Riders Championships held in Bromont, Canada, on 20 - 24 August 2003.
Round 1: Team Medals
Winning individual Gold Medals for the U.S. were Mary Haskins Gray of USA Region 1 (dressage), Ashley Dalton of USA Area 4-9 (eventing), and Georgina Bloomberg of USA Zone 2 (show jumping). Team Gold Medals went to USA Region 3 in dressage, Canada-Ontario in show jumping, and USA Area 2 in eventing.
The USA Region 3 Gold Medal dressage team comprised Jodie Kelly riding Welt Kaar, Trae LaPoete with Fleetwood, Megan McKoy on Volsung, and Schondel aboard Wallaby. The team had a total combined score of 195.066.
The Silver Medal went to USA Region 1 with a total score of 192.888. The team consisted of Mary Haskins Gray and Fregat, Lauren Hopper riding Mephisto, Catherine Malone aboard Kashmir, and Mary Alice Malone, Jr. with Marko.
USA Region 2 received the Bronze with Lindsay Koffler riding Alfredo, Martin Kuhn with Romulus, Courtney Massie aboard Galateo, and Lauren Sprieser on Bellinger receiving a team score of 192.000.
Round 2: Shondel Leads overall Ranking
An exciting battle has taken place in the dressage arena of the 2003 North American Young Riders' Championships in Bromont, Canada. Region Three rider Michael Shondel and Region two anchor Lindsay Koffler are both vying for top honors and are closely on each other's heels in the race for the individual gold. Although Shondel was the convincing winner of the team championship test, he had to change places with Lindsay Koffler as a class winner.
Koffler, a resident of Lexington, KY, won the individual test aboard her Hanoverian Alfredo. With a 66.974%, Koffler felt the breeze of Shondel in her neck, who finished second on his Hanoverian Wallaby with 66.308%. Shondel is still in the lead in the overall ranking, but only with a 0.223 points advance.
Finishing third in the individual test and holding a virtual grip on individual bronze is Region T star rider John Murrey aboard Festival. Murrey was already dominating the West coast young riders' classes in May at Dressage at DG Bar, and the talented Californian can keep a strong hold on a top placing in the international ring. With 65.026%, Murrey ranked third and beat Canadian Veronique Lavallee, who rode her horse Alegria to a 64.410 percentage.
The individual finals, the Prix St Georges kur to music, takes place on Sunday, August 24, 2003, and will determine which young rider will be added to the NAYRC wall of fame.
Round 3: Haskins Gray Wins Individual Gold
Not Lindsay Koffler, nor Michael Shondel, but Region 1 young rider Mary Haskins Gray became the 2003 North American Young Riders Champion in dressage. Riding a phenomenal kur to music, Haskins Gray scored a superb 74%, won the Finals on Sunday 24 August and defeated the provisional championships' leader Michael Shondel.
In the Individual Finals, the PSG kur to music, gold medal hopeful Lindsay Koffler finished second on Alfredo with an 68% freestyle and claimed the individual silver medal. Californian John Murrey retained his third place position and with a 67% kur score, he and his horse Festival received the bronze medal.
The unfortunate fourth place went to Floridian Michael Shondel and Wallaby. Shondel won the team test, finished second in the individual test and fourth in the kur to music. Due to Haskins Gray overall top score, Shondel finished in the unfortunate and ungrateful fourth overall position.
With her individual NAYRC gold, Mary Haskins Gray concluded an already extraordinary 2003 show season. Winning all through Young Riders classes at the 2003 Festival of Champions, Haskins Gray and Fregat became the 2003 American Young Riders Champions in Gladstone, NJ, mid June 2003.
Fregat is a 10-year old Budyonne bred warmblood. Mary Haskins Gray, located in Greensboro, NC, took over Fregat in 2002. Haskins Gray already had NAYRC experience as she competed her thoroughbred mare Black Tie at the 2001 NAYRC at Tempel Farms. Haskins Gray is currently in school in Raleigh and training with Dennis Callin.
Consolation Finals
Saturday's Young Riders Dressage Consolation Finals were won by Region 1 rider Mary Alice Malone Jr. on Marko. With a 62.933% score, Malone Jr. dominated the consolation class of 17 competitors. Finishing second were Region 6 Lindsey Anderson and Intrepid, the 2002 NAYRC individual bronze medallists, who received 62.400%.
The official website of the 2003 NAYRC is extremely slow in reporting the official and complete results of the competition.
This report has been based on preliminary postings of scores. The official site does offer a very nice photo album of the event.
Complete scores of the 2003 NAYRC will be online soon at horsesdaily.com
Related Links
Mary Haskins-Grey and Fregat, 2003 North American Young Riders Champions
Jacqueline Paxton Earns Double Gold at 2002 NAYRC
Region 2 and Jacqueline Paxton Win Gold at the 2002 North American Young Riders Championships
Eurodressage On the Scene at the 2000 North American Young Riders Championships
Meet the 1998 NAYRC Medallists: Labrucherie, Perry, Hites
Scores - 1998 North American Young Riders Championships