Contact:
Beth Gold, (508) 698-6810, beth@classic-communications.com

Lexington, VA-July 31, 2007-Young equestrians from across North America are getting their first feel for what it's like to compete in the Olympic Games with the opening of competition in the 2007 CN North American Junior and Young Riders' Championships (NAJYRC), presented by Gotham North and Merial, the makers of UlcerGard, at the Virginia Horse Center in Lexington, VA. The Championships continue through Sunday, August 5.

This year marks the third consecutive appearance in the mid-Atlantic region for the NAJYRC, the premier equestrian competition in North America for Juniors and Young Riders, age 14-21. Young equestrians come from the United States, Canada, Mexico, Puerto Rico, and the Caribbean Islands to vie for team and individual medals in the three Olympic equestrian disciplines of show jumping, dressage, and eventing.

For many competitors, the NAJYRC is their first experience riding on a team, as well as their first time competing under the rules of the Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI), the international governing body for equestrian sport. At the CN North American Junior and Young Riders' Championships, more than 200 riders are slated to compete in one of the three distinct equestrian disciplines.

Tuesday marked the official start of this year's Championships with veterinary inspections of most horses and opening day briefings. Actual mounted competitions begin on Wednesday, August 1, for show jumping and dressage, while eventers will have their first horse inspections. Show jumpers will compete in warm-up rounds, and the team championship for Young Riders begins in dressage and continues through Thursday.

Competition in the USHJA Show Jumping Division continues on Thursday with individual qualifying rounds that lead up to Friday's Nations' Cup-style competition that determines the team medals. Saturday, August 4 features a farewell competition for riders who have not qualified to compete in Sunday's individual championship. Those that have qualified will compete for individual medals in the championship rounds on Sunday.

The USDF/Platinum Performance Dressage Division sees the team competition for Junior riders on Thursday and Friday. Young Riders have individual Prix St. Georges tests on Friday, followed by a musical freestyle championship on Saturday for those who qualify. Juniors compete for the individual championship on Saturday and a freestyle competition for qualified riders on Sunday.

The USEA Eventing Division includes dressage tests on Thursday and Friday, followed by cross-country on Saturday. All eventing competitors then ride in the final show jumping phase on Sunday when both team and individual medals are awarded.

The NAJYRC operates under the rules of the Federation Equestre Internationale (FEI), the international governing body for equestrian sport. In addition to the championship competition in dressage, show jumping and eventing, this year's NAJYRC also features demonstrations of two other FEI disciplines-vaulting and reining.

The NAJYRC is the continuation of an annual competition that began in 1974 as an eventing challenge between Canada and the United States. In the years since its inception, it has grown considerably with the addition of a Dressage Championship in 1981 and the Show Jumping Championship in 1982. The first complete Championships with all three Olympic disciplines was held in British Columbia, Canada in 1982.

Last year's Championships saw the addition of officially-sanctioned championship divisions for junior riders in the three Olympic disciplines for the first time.

Dressage is primarily about the balance and harmony between horse and rider. Careful attention to detail and seamless transitions are a top priority. Competitors perform a standard test, demonstrating obedience, ability, and precision. Each movement is judged subjectively and scored separately.

Show jumping tests horse and rider team over a course of fences and other obstacles. The objective is to make it over the course with as few faults as possible. Going over the designated time allowed, knocking down rails, as well as any refusals or falls, accumulates faults or results in elimination. Show jumping has been referred to as having the excitement of horse racing mixed with the daring of downhill slalom skiing.

Eventing combines dressage, show jumping and cross country to give each horse-and-rider combination a cumulative score over the course of three days. Eventing begins with the dressage test, with cross-country following, and then ends with show jumping, testing the endurance and ability of both horse and rider. The cross-country element consists of a timed ride over an outdoor course, jumping over natural or natural looking obstacles. The rider must ride the same horse for all three phases of the competition.

The 2007 CN North American Junior and Young Riders' Championships, presented by Gotham North and ULCERGARD, are sponsored by the American Horse Trials Foundation, Ariat, Beval Saddlery, Blue Ridge Farm Center, Borné Saddlery, Brandy Parfums, CN, Davis Manufacturing, Devoucoux, Dover Saddlery, Dressage Today, The EMO Agency, Inc., EquiFit, Equine Canada, Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI-the International Equestrian Federation), Foxden Equine, Gotham North, Hadfields, Harmony Sporthorses, Hint Water, The Horse Tack Review, The Jefferson Florist & Garden, Larry and Marnye Langer, Mary Phelps, a Markel Equine Insurance Specialist, Mead Associates, Merial, the makers of UlcerGard, The Mosaic Foundation, New England Dressage Association, North Carolina Dressage and Combined Training Association, Northern Ohio Dressage Association, Practical Horseman, Prestige Saddlery, Rebecca Farm, Royal Riders, Howard and Martha Simpson, Southern States/Triple Crown, Starr Vaughn Equestrian, Inc., Tennessee Valley Dressage and Combined Training Association, U.S. Dressage Federation/Platinum Performance, U.S. Equestrian Federation, U.S. Eventing Association, U.S. Hunter Jumper Association, Virginia Golf Cars, Virginia Horse Shows Association, VTO Saddlery, Waterjumps.us, and www.Horse.dk.

For more information on the 2007 CN North American Junior and Young Riders' Championships, presented by Gotham North and UlcerGard, please call (540) 348-1152, email to vht@cfw.com, or visit www.youngriders.org .