Lexington, Ky.—July 17

Checkmate did not make the path to the podium easy for rider Helen McNulty. In fact, after the opening team competition test, McNulty was sitting in 14th place individually.

“My horse and I, we have a lot of problems,” McNulty said candidly. “I’ve had him for about a year and a half, and we lack in communication sometimes. We weren’t really speaking the same language.

“It was sort of difficult for me; sometimes I would want to do something, and he would give me a different response,” McNulty continued. “I couldn’t really ride him well. He’s a very hot horse.”

So how did the Junior rider manage to move ahead of 13 other competitive pairs and take the gold medal in the Adequan/FEI North American Junior and Young Rider individual competition? For McNulty, she had to stop playing it safe.

Checkmate and Helen McNulty strut their stuff in the award ceremony.

“I was getting really frustrated because I wasn’t doing as well as I could be doing, I said to myself after the team test that night that if you want to do well, you have to start pushing a little bit more and asking a little bit more, because he can give it to you,” McNulty said. “I just did that today, and it paid it off. I took some risks that maybe could have ended badly, but they didn’t.”

Pushing the envelope proved just what the troublesome horse needed—Checkmate performed beautifully, taking the gold medal with McNulty and leaving the silver for Cammille Bergeron and Delfiano, and the bronze to Chloe Taylor and Calecto V.

Bergeron did not have much to say at the press conference, but her demeanor showed just how happy she was with her and Delfiano’s silver medal finish.

“Just to be here and win is a dream come true,” Bergeron said. “It proves all of our hard work.”

Notably, this years NAJYRC marks Calecto V’s very final competition—the former Olympic mount of Tina Konyat is set to retire afterward.

“He’s going to be a professional trail pony,” Taylor said with a smile. No official word yet on Calecto’s official retirement ceremony, but Taylor guesses it will be in Florida this coming winter season.

Chloe Taylor gives Calecto V a pat after her individual test–the horse is set to be retired following her freestyle test Saturday.

Natalie Pai takes the cake with Fritz San Tino in the NAJYRC Young Rider individual test

When Natalie Pai guided her horse, Fritz San Tino, into the ring for the Young Rider individual test, instantly all eyes were on them. The gorgeously built black horse has presence, and he knows it. He and Pai’s top-notch efforts landed them at the top of the podium.

“I came in here—I felt a lot of pressure,” Pai admitted. “But I honestly just came here to have a lot fun. I’m so thrilled with how it turned out. He was such a good boy, and I’m so happy with him.”

Mr. Fritz had quite a fan club that was thrilled with his efforts, too. After their test, when Pai had halted and saluted the judges, a group of people began chanting his name from the stands, and Fritz responded by piaffing to the beat of their cheers—that’s a horse who knows how to show off!

Taking the silver medal in the Young Rider individual test was Catherine Chamberlain and Avesto Van Weltevreden, and the bronze went to Naima Moreira Laliberte and Belafonte.