Parker, CO - August 4, 2000 - Canadians made their presence felt today in the show jumping arena at the 2000 North American Young Riders' Championships (NAYRC), Presented by State Line Tack, at High Prairie Farms Equestrian Center in Parker, CO. Exciting show jumping victories were scored by British Columbia in the CSIOY team competition and Toronto in the CSI-JY team competition, while U.S. Region 3 ruled in team dressage.

Show Jumping
The CSIOY team championship was decided by just 4 1/4 faults, with British Columbia scoring 30.25 faults to triumph over U.S. Zone 10 - Nina Herrera, Claire Prieto, Jennifer Williams, and Rebecca Wolfson - who took the Silver Medal with 35.50 faults. Ontario earned the Bronze Medal with 41.50 faults.

Riding for the British Columbia team was Lindsay McLean, 18, of White Rock and her horse, Caldero, Briana Hughes, 20, of Edmonton and her horse, Pele, Sandra Hardy, 19, of Victoria and her horse, Keepsake, and Cathleen Calvert, 18, of Vancouver and her horse, Shania.

"We're thrilled," said Hughes. "It hasn't sunk in yet!"

Chef d' Equipe Morgan Thomas commented, "We're extremely proud today as Canadians. Not only did British Columbia win the Gold Medal in the CSIOY team competition but Toronto won the Bronze, and Toronto also won the CSI-JY team competition. With this accomplishment, we hope to raise awareness of the importance of young riders having the goal to come here."

Dressage
The U.S. Region 3 team of Jodie Kelly, 17, of Destin, FL and Jericho, Amber Walker, 19, of West Palm Beach, FL and Rabelais, Katherine Poulin, 21, of Deleon Springs, FL and Winter's Impression, and Gwen Poulin, 19, of Deleon Springs, FL and Herb Commander, took the team Gold Medal with a combined score of 3836.

"We knew we would have to work really hard to achieve victory," Walker related. "The quality of riders and horses here is tremendous."

"I'm ecstatic!" stated Gwen Poulin. "And, as a team, we're really proud of what we have accomplished." The team not only worked hard at perfecting their riding, but also spent a lot of time fundraising and looking for sponsors to enable them to compete here..

Former 1997 and 1998 NAYRC individual Gold Medalist Louise Labrucherie of Santa Rosa, CA led the U.S. Region 7 team to the Silver Medal. Riding for Region 7 with Labrucherie were Maurine Frey of Riverside, CA, Nicole Diesel of Highland, CA, and Amanda Barr of Reno, NV. The team secured the Silver Medal with 3782 points.

Scoring 3760 points, the 1998 and 1998 Silver Medal team, U.S. Region 2, finished in third earning the team Bronze Medal. The Region 2 team is comprised of Jacqueline Paxton of Cincinnati, OH, Joanne Chmiel of Northbrook, IL, and sisters Reese and Lindsay Koffler of Lexington, KY.

Eventing After the dressage phase of the CCI-YR** competition, U.S. Area 2 leads with 177.8 points, while the combined team of U.S. Areas 6/9/2 is narrowly behind with 179.4 points. With 186.8 points, U.S. Area 3 stands in third place.

In the individual CCI-YR**, Adam Wieser of Park City, UT and his Thoroughbred, Merlot, lead with 57.8 penalty points. Wieser is riding as part of a combined U.S. Areas 6/9/2 team. Sara Kozumplik of Clifton, VA stands in second with 58.6 points, while her Area 2 teammate, Holly Payne of Califon, NJ, is just behind in third with 58.8 penalty points.

NAYRC Facts The premier equestrian competition in North America for young riders, age 16-21, equestrians come from the United States, Canada, Mexico, Central America, Puerto Rico, and the Caribbean Islands to vie for the Championships. NAYRC riders compete in the three Olympic equestrian disciplines of Show Jumping, Dressage, and Eventing. The competition is run under rules of the FEI (Federation Equestre Internationale, the international governing body for equestrian sport).

Many top international and Olympic riders began their successful careers at the NAYRC. Such great riders as Olympic Silver Medalists Greg Best and Karen O'Connor, as well as Megan Johnstone, Elise Haas, Buck Davidson, Abigail Lufkin, Alison Firestone, Chris Kappler, Nicole Shahinian Simpson, Ray Texel, Chris Pratt, Lisa Carlsen Lubitz, Kathleen Raine, Heather Mason, David Wilson, Tiffani Loudon, Mara DePuy, and Julie Gomena all competed at the NAYRC.

NAYRC History
The NAYRC began in 1974 as an eventing challenge between the United States and Canada. A Dressage Championship was added in 1981, and Show Jumping debuted in 1982. The first complete NAYRC was held in British Columbia, Canada in 1982. The 1998 NAYRC was hosted by High Prairie Farms Equestrian Center, while Tempel Farms in Wadsworth, Illinois was the site of the 1994-1997 and 1999 NAYRC.

NAYRC On Television
If you can't join the excitement of the NAYRC at High Prairie Farms Equestrian Center, you can still watch it on TV. Both the Outdoor Life Network (OLN) and Fox Sports will broadcast the competition. Fox Sports coverage airs on Sunday, August 27 at 10:00 a.m. (MDT).

Further Information
High Prairie Farms Equestrian Center is located on Bayou Gulch Road, just off Parker Road, in Parker. The beautiful facility is perfect for a family picnic while watching talented horses and riders compete. Exciting equestrian action at the NAYRC continues daily through Sunday and admission is FREE Thursday and Friday, $6 per day on Saturday and Sunday (or $10 for both days), and children 11 and under are free each day. For more information, please call High Prairie Farms Equestrian Center at (303)841-5550 or go to www.youngriders.org or highprairiefarms.com on the Internet.