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Wadsworth, IL - August 12, 2001 -William Coleman, Lesley Eden and Amanda Baird won individual Gold Medals at the 2001 North American Young Riders' Championships (NAYRC), Presented by State Line Tack, held at Tempel Farms in Wadsworth, IL.

Coleman, of Charlottesville, VA and USA Area 2, won the eventing Gold on Ratzi with a three-phase score of 55.00 penalties. Riding in his first NAYRC, Coleman, 18, trained by U.S. Olympic medalists David and Karen O'Connor, won the opening dressage phase with a score of 51.00 and then completed the cross country phase with no additional penalties and stadium jumping with no jumping and 4.00 time penalties.

"I really enjoy all three phases," Coleman said. "I'm not crazy about riding dressage tests, although I do enjoy training in dressage, but cross country and jumping I love."

USA Area 5 won the team Gold with Heidi Hewlett of Venton, LA on Ocotillo, Clark Montgomery of Bryan, TX on Cape Town, Will Faudree of Midland, TX on The Big Easy and Amy Smith of Dallas, TX on Ringwood Ventura combining for a score of 261.40 penalties.

In the one-star eventing competition, Laura Sauer of Ipswich, MA won the Young Rider Gold Medal with a score of 49.40 on Perryfield's Max and Jenna Jacobson of Houston, TX won the Junior Gold Medal with a score of 58.20 on Disorderly Senate. Sauer also teamed with Jennifer Fitch of Perkinsville, VT on Seaborne's Flagship, Julia Ryan of Rochester, NYon Adam, and Julian Stiller of Shelburne, VT on Peter Shambles to win the one-star team Gold for USA Area 1.

"I was worried about the jumping coming in and felt really nervous this morning," Sauer, 18, said, "but I'm really happy with the way it turned out."

Jacobson, 15, said that nerves were not a factor for her. "This whole experience was so much fun and there was such a supportive and friendly atmosphere that I really didn't get nervous."

Eden, 20, of Lake Mary, FL, won the dressage Gold and the Fiona Baan Trophy on her 10-year-old, Dutch-bred Picasso with a three-round score of 201.85%. She scored 67.95% in the final Freestyle phase to clinch the Gold to go with the team Gold she won as part of the Region 3 team earlier in the week.

"I was trying my best not to think about it before my ride," Eden said. "I came here not expecting a medal at all and I'm in shock that I won the Gold! This is the biggest event I've ever done. I just can't believe it."

Baird, of Greenwich, CT and USA Zone 1, won the show jumping Gold after completing Sunday's final two-round phase with one only rail down, her only knockdown in five rounds of jumping during the week of the Championships. She finished the competition with a score of 5.12 faults on Poleander to edge Silver Medal winner Emily Williams of Loveland, OH and USA Zone 5 who finished with a score of 6.00 on Oyster. The Bronze Medal went to Carly Campbell-Cooper of Canada-Ontario who had a score of 17.23 on Rex Get Busy.

"Emily and I decided ahead of time that we didn't care who won, but we thought it'd be great if we could be first and second," Baird said in reference to she and Williams, her closest friend. "This is so great that we get to share this."

Christopher Lipe rode Romulus to a score of 65.23% and first place in the individual standings in the Supracor Team Challenge for riders with disabilities. Jenni Rowe was second with a score of 63.57% on Rafferty, while Rebecca Hart finished third with Miss Jane Marple. Meghan Strigh led her team, The Rhinos, to victory in the overall Supracor Team Challenge.

Dressage rider Alison Bush won the Colonel Donald Thackery Award. Bush earned this award for her support as a groom after being unable to ride on the Region 2 team herself.

The Captain Andrew B. de Szinay Memorial Sportsmanship Trophy was presented to Alison End of Region 8. End also finished in fifth place in the Dressage Consolation class.

The NAYRC is the premier competition for young riders, age 16 through 21, in the Olympic equestrian disciplines of show jumping, dressage, and eventing. Many Olympic veterans such as Karen O'Connor, Mara Depuy and Greg Best, began their international careers atthe NAYRC. The NAYRC is recognized as a USA Junior Olympic - Equestrian event.

The broad range of nationalities and fierce competitors that attend the Championships produce an Olympic-type atmosphere throughout the competition week. For many riders, it is their first competition under Federation Equestre Internationale (FEI) rules, and their initial experience of international competition.

The North American Young Riders' Championships began in 1974 in Jokers Hill, Newmarket, Ontario as an eventing challenge between the United States and Canada. In 1985, the competition was held at Tempel Farms in Wadsworth, Illinois for the first time. It has returned there 12 times since.

Full results of all disciplines are available at the North American Young Riders' Championships website at www.youngriders.org or at www.Saddletude.com which also features interviews and video highlights.