Parker, CO - August 6, 2000 - Equestrian action culminated today at the 2000 North American Young Riders' Championships (NAYRC), Presented by State Line Tack, at High Prairie Farms Equestrian Center in Parker, CO.

Eventing
U.S. Area 2 staged a stunning sweep of the team and individual medals in the CCI-YR**. After years of pursuing the dream, Sara Kozumplik of Middleburg, VA with What You Will, Holly Payne of Oldwick, NJ with The Federalist, Sean Brescia of The Plains, VA with Von Otto, and Mary Grantham of Charlottesville, VA with Ides of March, finally accomplished their Gold Medal goal.

"This is the best day of my life," said Kozumplik, 21, who also captured the individual Gold Medal with 63.6 penalty points. "We've been a very close team, so it means a lot to do this together."

Taking the Silver Medal in the individual CCI-YR** championship was Brescia with 68.2 points, while Payne brought home the Bronze with 73.8. Grantham was fourth individually.

The CCI-YR** team Silver Medal went to U.S. Area 3 and the Bronze was awarded to the combined U.S. Areas 6/9/2 team.

Heyday and Maisy Grassie of Unionville, PA moved from fifth place into first place with a clear show jumping round in the CCI-YR*. They scored a combined total of 61.4 penalty points. Grassie's horse, Heyday, is well-known as Olympian Bruce Davidson's former international horse.

Scoring 61.4 penalty points, Lindsay Smith of U.S. Area 7 finished second. Yesterdays' CCI-YR* leader, Katie Cyr of Gig Harbor, WA had a time fault and dropped three rails in the crucial show jumping phase to finish in seventh place with 67.4.

Dressage
Louise Labrucherie, 21, of Santa Rosa, CA made NAYRC history by winning her third individual Gold Medal. Scoring 68.55% in the Prix St. Georges Freestyle, Labrucherie left no doubt that she would again be victorious. She previously captured Gold in 1997 and 1998 on her other horse, Artiste. Labrucherie now holds the record for most individual Gold Medals won in NAYRC dressage competition.

"This time is the most special for me," Labrucherie, 21, stated of her third Gold Medal. "I'm just thrilled." Labrucherie and her �� Hanoverian/�� Thoroughbred gelding, Picone, were also members of the Silver Medal Dressage Team on Friday. Labrucherie trains with Debbie McDonald, the 1999 Pan American Games individual and team Gold Medalist.

Gwen Poulin of Deleon Springs, FL took the Silver Medal with a score of 67.328% in the Freestyle. "I did not expect to win a medal," she commented, "but I was hoping to!".

The Bronze Medal went to Joanne Chmiel of Northbrook, IL. Chmiel moved up from fifth place to third overall with a strong performance in the Prix St. Georges Freestyle. In the Freestyle, she choose a medley of Polish folk songs that showed off her horse's gaits and personality to the best advantage.

Show Jumping
The CSIOY individual Gold Medal in show jumping was awarded to Lindsay McLean, 18, of White Rock, British Columbia. McLean and her horse, Caldero, were also members of the Gold Medal CSIOY team.

Ricardo Nizri of the Mexico North team and his horse, Inocente, galloped home with the individual Silver Medal. Jennifer Williams of Oakland, CA and her mare, Mariska, won the Bronze Medal.

Carly Campell-Cooper and Rex Get Busy of the Ontario team won the individual CSI-JY competition. Second place went to Kiera Steele from U.S. Zone 9, and third place to Randy Sherman of U.S. Zone 10.

High Prairie/ACORD Team Challenge Riding I Believe in Magic, Schoena Townsend won the individual championship in the High Prairie/ACORD (American Competition Opportunities for Riders with Disabilities) Team Challenge. Megan Strigh and That's a Rocket finished second, while Chris Lipe and Halloh were third.

In the team competition, the Gold Medal was taken home by Team Vail. The Silver Medal went to Team Loveland, while the Bronze Medal was awarded to Team Copper.

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. The FEI has awarded the 2001 and 2002 NAYRC to Tempel Farms.

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 For more information, please go to www.youngriders.org or highprairiefarms.com on the Internet.