Region 3 earned the first dressage gold medals of the 2025 FEI North American Youth Championships, topping the Junior Team test on Wednesday, the first day of competition in Williamsburg, Michigan.

In the Discover Dressage/FEI North American Youth Dressage Championship, Region 3 took top honors with strong efforts from all four team riders. The team posted a combined score of 201.24 to finish in gold medal position ahead of Region 7/9, which earned silver with a combined score of 194.75; and Region 1/5, which rounded out the podium in bronze position with 193.78.

Elia Fisk, Aiken, South Carolina, and Quaresma, a 9-year-old Oldenburg gelding (Quantensprung 3—Gala, Fuerstenball OLD), owned by Gina Fisk, delivered the team’s top score of the day, earning 68.60% for a confident and expressive test where they earned high marks from the judges for their collected canter and trot work.

“Quaresma has taught me so much,” Fisk said. “He has such a great build. I can feel everything he is doing, and I’ve learned so much about biomechanics from him. I am so proud of how we’ve moved up the levels. He has so much talent, the best collection, and he’s so willing. It’s just the best feeling.”

Also contributing solid efforts to the team total were Lark Heckman, Ocala, Florida, and Franzissimo, her own 10-year-old Oldenburg gelding (Franziskus FRH—Elfenliebe, Belissimio NRW); Lauren Polk, Atlanta, with Donauwelle P, a 12-year-old Hanoverian gelding (Don Frederico—Well Worth It MLW, Wolkentanz) owned by Dawn Haynie; and Alexis Troutman, Gainesville, Georgia, aboard Mondo ‘L’, her own 8-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding (Don Tango B—Zildonja, Obelisk).

“I’ve had Franzissimo for about a year, which is also when I started competing in dressage,” said Heckman, who finished with the second-highest score of the competition on 67.09%. “He was ready to do everything and was with me throughout the test. It was like he was saying ‘I’ve got you, you don’t have to worry.’ He was so good and I’m proud of him.”

In the jumper ring, the 2025 Gotham North/FEI North American Youth Jumping Championship got underway Wednesday with Agatha Lignelli and Ellington Vasan currently leading the way after day one victories in children’s and pre-junior individual qualifiers. 

For a schedule and complete results from NAYC competition, click here. The competition continues through Sunday and is being streamed live on USEF Network powered by ClipMyHorse.TV. Create your free fan account here.