Join
Photo credit: Anthony Trollope for Shannon Brinkman Photography
With two trips to the podium, it was a stellar day for Canada’s up-and-coming reining athletes at the North American Junior & Young Rider Championships, which runs from July 17 – 21 in Lexington, KY. and welcomes 222 young athletes from across Canada, the United States and Mexico.
In the Junior Rider division, Canada earned team silver for the second year in a row with a total score of 400.5 points. The Junior Team consists of 2012 NAJYRC Team silver medallist Emily Wilson of Uxbridge, ON riding Miss Cielo Chex, an 11-year-old Quarter Horse mare sired by Buenonic Chex, owner Tamalyn Wilson; 2012 NAJYRC Individual gold medallist Haley Franc of Prince Albert, SK and Jacs Shy Boy, her nine-year-old Canadian bred Quarter Horse gelding sired by Jacs Main Sail; Hannah Steed of Cochrane, AB with Lil Cat N Gun, a nine-year-old Quarter Horse gelding sired by Colonels Lil Gun, owner Ron Barnes; and Maxine Whiteside of Olds, AB and her mount, Sailors Good Sackett, a 17-year-old Quarter Horse gelding sired by Jacs Main Sail.
“I am very pleased with all of the riders. The Junior Team had some challenges with nerves, which are now out of the way, and we look forward to seeing them have great individual runs on Saturday,” said Chef d’Equipe, Wendy Dyer. “Madison Steed was the last member to ride for the Young Rider Team and knew she had to get 208.5 to put us in the gold medal position. She went out there and scored a 211.0 to secure the gold medal for Canada.”
The Young Riders brought home team gold today by scoring 631.5 points for their runs in the ring besting their USA counterparts who finished on a final score of 628.5. Riding for the gold were, Pearl Aebly of Okotoks, AB partnered with Ms Smart Hollywood, nine-year-old Canadian bred Quarter Horse mare by Hes A Bueno Jac; Stephanie Thomson of Fort McMurray, AB on Jacs Docsan, Mark Thomson’s 13-year-old Canadian bred Quarter Horse gelding by Dolls Union Jac, and Madison Steed of Cochrane, AB aboard Jumpin Jac Trash, her 13-year-old Quarter Horse gelding by Trashadeous.
