Parker, CO - August 5, 2000 - The eventing cross-country phase showcased many examples of brave riding at the 2000 North American Young Riders' Championships (NAYRC), Presented by State Line Tack, at High Prairie Farms Equestrian Center in Parker, CO. The individual and team championships in eventing will be decided tomorrow, while the individual championships are at stake for the dressage riders and show jumpers.

Eventing
In CCI-YR** team competition, U.S. Area 2 continues to lead after all four members of the squad put in strong cross-country rides. Comprised of Sara Kozumplik of Clifton, VA with What You Will, Holly Payne of Califon, NJ with The Federalist, Sean Brescia of The Plains, VA with Von Otto, and Mary Grantham of Charlottesville, VA with Ides of March, the team has led since the opening dressage phase.

Kozumplik went penalty-free during the cross-country phase today to move to the top with her dressage score of 58.6 penalty points in the individual CCI-YR** championship. Close behind is her Area 2 teammate, Payne, with 58.8. Kurt Martin from McMurry, PA, riding for the combined Area 8/5 team, stands in third with 64 penalty points.

Yesterday's individual CCI-YR** leader, Adam Wieser of Park City, UT and his Thoroughbred, Merlot, added 20 penalty points to their score due to a refusal on course. He is now ranked in 7th place with 77.8 points.

U.S. Area 7's Katie Cyr of Gig Harbor, WA and her horse, Holy Mackerel finished clear in the cross-country phase of the CCI-YR* to maintain first place with their dressage score of 51.4. Keeley Rankin of Paradise Valley, AZ and her Quarter Horse, Copper Jet, are in second place with 53.8 penalty points.

The final phase of both eventing competitions, show jumping, takes place on Sunday in the Grand Prix arena at High Prairie Farms Equestrian Center..

Dressage
Former 1997 and 1998 NAYRC individual Gold Medalist Louise Labrucherie of Santa Rosa, CA leads after the Dressage Individual Test Competition and team competition with a combined score of 67.818%. Labrucherie and her horse, Picone, were members of the Silver Medal Dressage Team on Friday.

Gwen Poulin of Deleon Springs, FL now stands in second place with a score of 65.792%. Jacqueline Paxton of Cincinnati, OH is in third with 65.221%.

The final and deciding competition for the individual dressage medals, the Prix St. Georges Freestyle, begins on Sunday at 9:30 am.

Show Jumping
The CSIOY Farewell Competition was captured by Ashley Bewick of the Ontario Team in 35.94 seconds, while Sandra Hardy of the British Columbia Team finished second. In the CSI-JY Farewell Competition, U.S. Zone 10's Lauren To of Santa Monica, CA took the blue ribbon. Summer Bruington of Boerne, TX won the Non-Championship Jump-Off class.

The CSI-JY individual championships will be decided tomorrow at 9:00 am, while the CSIOY individual championship kicks off at 12:30 pm.

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.