Carrying forward 6.92 penalties from opening day, Zone 10’s young rider athletes limited their Friday tally at the Gotham North/FEI North American Youth Jumping Championships, held at Flintfields Horse Park in Williamsburg, Michigan, to 8 faults and secured the gold medal.

The team included Emmeline Adamick (San Francisco) aboard Andy’sboy Bretoniere, owned by Proper 12, LLC; Talise Baker-Matsuoka (Los Altos Hills, California) on her own Levisto Junior A Z; Ariana Marnell (Las Vegas) in the irons of Alison Firestone LLC’s Jikke-Cara; and Skylar Wireman (Bonsall, California) riding Wireman Investment Group’s Barclino B. Zone 10 is led by Chef d’Equipe Mike Endicott.

Wireman, who currently leads the individual standings ahead of Sunday’s final, was fault free on Friday. “This is my third year at NAYC; I started in the junior category, and this is my last year, so it was really fun to get the gold medal,” she said. “Getting the experience of having this team pressure is really good. I’m happy to be sitting here and ready to go into the last day.”

“The jumping pathway that has been created through this program is really amazing,” added Adamick. “After doing this, I know there’s going to be a lot of opportunities that will open up for me, so I’m super excited about that. I came to NAYC two years ago in the pre-junior [category] and then I took two years off because my horse got injured, so it feels really amazing to be able to get back here and take the win.” 

After a single rail fell in each round on Friday, the silver medal was presented to Zone 2. The runner-up team was comprised of Mia Bagnato (Fishkill, New York) on Elan Farm’s Cordiamo; James Leone (Franklin Lakes, New Jersey) riding Mark Leone’s Galliano LW; Alexa Elle Lignelli (New York City) with her own Xo Zadora; and Clara Propp (New York City) with Aquitaine Equine’s Mistral Van De Vogelzang.

Taking bronze was the three-athlete team from Zone 4, represented by Mia Albelo (Coral Gables, Florida) riding Carriado, owned by Husain Horse Sales LLC; Olivia Sweetnam (Wellington, Florida) aboard Sweet Oak Farm’s Epicm; and Lawson Whitaker (Ocala, Florida) on her own Conlugo PS.

For full young rider team results, click here. 

Zone 4 Juniors Get Their Gold

With only one rail down throughout Friday’s two rounds, Zone 4 won their second team gold of the week, this time in the junior category.

The winning team consisted of Sophia Ayers (Reddick, Florida) riding her own Conthinder; Gabriella Curry (Fort Lauderdale, Florida) aboard GA Stables’ Esto de Viscourt; Lily Epstein (Coral Gables, Florida) on her own Zjechov; and JJ Torano (Wellington, Florida) with Lyon 50, owned by Kadley Farms LLC and North Run. Zone 4 is led by Chef d’Equipe Kim Land. Both Ayers and Epstein jumped double-clear rounds on Friday to help Zone 4 clinch the victory. 

“I don’t think I could choose a better horse to show at this competition,” said Ayers. “He has more experience than I do, but I have the confidence that he’s going to jump whatever I ask whenever I ask it. It was so competitive to get on this team in the first place, so the fact that we came together feels amazing and that atmosphere gets you ready for junior and even senior nations cups in the future and it was incredible.”

For Epstein, the pressure was on after having two rails on Thursday. “Typically nerves don’t bother me, but I was really going for a smooth round. After the first round [on Friday], I just tried to do everything the same. Once my horse is in the ring, he’s very locked in, so that helped us to stay focused today.” 

Taking silver by fractions of a penalty point, Team Canada was comprised of Giuliana Dim (Smithville, Ontario) riding her own Espoir de l’Ermitage; Isabella Erlick (Burlington, Ontario) on her own Toucare KDW Z; Livia Martin (Ottawa, Ontario) with Vico G, owned by Oakland Ventures; and Sofia Popescu (West Vancouver, British Columbia) in the irons of Katorose HV, owned by Popescu Advisory.

Earning the bronze, Zone 2’s junior team was Emma Brody (New York City) and Brody Sporthorses’ Charlie PS; Rylynn Conway (Fair Haven, New Jersey) on Capella Y, owned by Conway Equestrian; Adriana Forte (Water Mill, New York) aboard Arctic Blue, owned by First Blue, LLC; and Tarin Kiely (Rumson, New Jersey) with Kiely Equestrian, LLC’s Wonder If.

For full junior team results, click here.

The top-25 qualified young rider and junior athletes will next jump for individual medals on Sunday. Complete results from the FEI North American Youth Championships can be found here.