Lexington, KY - USEF is pleased to announce the top 12 qualified horse and rider combinations for the 2006 USEF National Junior Dressage Team Championship to be held July 6–9, 2006 and hosted by Pebble Beach Dressage & CDI 3*/P in Pebble Beach, California (www.ridepebblebeach.com). This event, celebrating its 10th anniversary, showcases some of the most talented young dressage riders in the country today. This Championship continues to be made possible through the support of sponsors Collecting Gaits Farm, the Dutta Corporation and Performance Sales International. After applications of intent were received from around the country, the top five scores submitted for each horse and rider combination were averaged to determine the final placings. The top 12 horse and rider combinations have been selected and placed on teams to compete for Gold, Silver, and Bronze medals. The teams are as follows:

Team Freedom:

Amanda Stearns of Royal Palm Beach, FL, riding Mitchell, a 12-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding, owned by John Zopatti
Ariel Stern of Perris, CA, riding Raffaelo, a 13-year-old Westphalian gelding, owned by Ariel Stern
Emily Wagner of LaCygne, KS, riding Phreia, an 11-year-old American Warmblood mare, owned by Elaine Wagner
Jessica Banaszak of Placerville, CA, riding Mango, a 12-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding, owned by Jessica Banaszak

Team Independence:

Ashlee Todosijevic of Crown Point, IN, riding Sjoerd, a 9-year-old Friesian, owned by Candie Todosijevic
Christine Stephenson of Mission Viejo, CA, riding Charly 285, a 10-year-old Oldenburg gelding, owned by Christine Stephenson
Julie McKean of Camden, ME, riding Hicarlos, a 17-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding, owned by Julie McKean
Susan Walker of San Diego, CA, riding Kalibre, a 14-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding, owned by Susan and Gay Walker

Team Liberty:

Elizabeth Wilson of Fox Island, WA, riding Bentley, a 13-year-old Belgian Warmblood gelding, owned by Elizabeth Wilson
Hannah Holland Shook of Charlotte, NC, riding Cape Town, a 12-year-old Dutch Warmblood/Thoroughbred gelding, owned by Mitzi Presnell and Hannah Shook
Katie Johnson of El Cajon, CA, riding Meeko, an 11-year-old Oldenburg gelding, owned by Elizabeth Johnson
Laura Andrews of Ross, CA, riding Perception, a nine-year-old Hanoverian gelding, owned by Laura Andrews.

More information regarding the USEF National Junior Dressage Team Championship is available on the USEF website or by contacting Jennifer Keeler, National Director of Dressage at [email protected] or (859) 225-2024.
~~~For more information, please contact Jeannie Blancq Putney, National Marketing Manager, at (859) 225-6974, or via e-mail at [email protected].