in the
ZONE
Zone 10 Does it Again
The NAJYRC is a competition for North American riders between the ages of 14 & 21 to compete in the Olympic
disciplines: eventing, dressage, show jumping, and now reining. Zone 10 show jumpers traveled to the beautiful
Colorado Horse Park in the town of Parker to defend its 2007 record: the gold medal sweep of the team competitions
and two individual Young Riders medals. I feel that this year’s team was a testament to the strength of our unique
trials system. The Young Riders team had great depth and ability, with 2007 Individual Gold Medalist Karl Cook,
2007 Junior Team Gold Medalist Paige Dotson, 2006 Junior Team Silver Medalist Hannah Selleck, newcomer Haley
Roberson, and 2005 Junior Team Bronze Medalist Sophie Benjamin. The Junior Team, made up entirely of NAJYRC
newcomers included Savannah Carr, Lucy Davis, Annie Laurie Cook, Alec Lawler, and Shelby Wakeman, had
outstanding results. – Team Member Sophie Benjamin
The Experience Explained
careful vertical. Multiple riders lost started off Zone 10’s run with pizzazz,
BY PAIGE DOTSON
momentum in the turn, so the oxer picking up just four faults. When I
was difficult to get across, and then it went in my stomach was doing flips!
The North American Junior Young
was tough to make it in six, which was Even so, I was going to jump clear
Rider Championships experience
the better choice, to the water. After until the second to last jump. It is
is completely unlike any other
equestrisol.com/bes/2008VIPBOXorderform.pdf
riding hard to the water, it was again amazing how at that height, slight
competition. All the team members
challenging to get the horses back in mistakes can cause a rail. Sophie, a
are from different parts of the
time to jump the vertical. After the late substitute when Haley had some
state with different trainers and
first round our team was standing third unfortunate horse trouble the day
backgrounds. As a team we spend
behind a Canadian team and Mexico before, went next with an impressive
a week together cheering each other
South. In order to win, the Junior ride but she had a few down. Karl
on when we usually compete against
team could not incur any more faults. put in a great ride, but had an unlucky
one another. In this unique setting, I
Annie set the tone with a clear round eight faults. The course proved to be
made new friends and strengthened
followed by another from Savannah. just as grueling for our competition,
current friendships, not only with riders
The team’s medal placing now rested however, and after the first round we
but with the parents, trainers, and
on Lucy’s shoulders. If she dropped were in the lead by five points, with the
grooms as well. The 2008 NAJYRC
one rail the team would win silver. If two highest scores in the first round.
Championships can best be described
clean, the Junior team would win gold The California cheering section was
as simply amazing! Zone 10 swept the
for the second year in a row. Talk ecstatic.
gold medals and had a great time.
about pressure! She went in cool and
We continued into the second round
Junior Team Sets The Pace collected, had a flawless round, and
with confidence. Hannah gave us
Coming off a solid day of individual
secured the first gold medal of 2008
the first clear round of the day. Next
competition, the Junior team was
for Zone 10.
was my turn. All I had to do was fix
brilliant under pressure. In the first The Young Riders Team is next my mistake from the last round, and I
round of team competition, the
Olaf Peterson Jr. set a course that
did it! I went clean. Sophie had some
two trouble spots were the triple
required lots of scope and technical
unfortunate rails again, but she had a
combination, and the last line. The
know-how. Once again the triple
brilliant ride. Then Karl went clean as
triple was a very short two to a big
proved to be a challenge - a tall
well. We had succeeded in not adding
oxer, then a vertical which was hard
vertical to a HUGE oxer then a very
any rails to our score. Not only were
to leave up after powering over the
short distance to a careful vertical,
we thrilled to have won the gold, but
oxer. The last line was off of a very
all uphill. However the triple was
we swept the team competitions for
short turn to a wide oxer then a short
not the only deal breaker, rails fell
the second year in a row. That night,
seven or a forward six to the open
throughout the course. Hannah
everyone celebrated together at a gala
water, then a very short seven to a tall
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