Lexington, VA—The CN North American Junior and Young Riders’ Championships (NAJYRC) are adding officially-sanctioned championships in reining to this year’s schedule. This addition paves the way for the biggest and best championships ever when the NAJYRC returns to the Virginia Horse Center in Lexington, VA, July 31-August 5.

The North American Junior and Young Riders’ Championships is the premier equestrian event in North America for riders, age 14-21. Many young equestrians travel from around the United States, Canada, Mexico, Puerto Rico and the Caribbean Islands for a chance to compete for Team and Individual championships in the Olympic equestrian disciplines of dressage, show jumping, eventing and now the Western riding discipline of reining. The NAJYRC operates under the rules of the International Equestrian Federation (FEI), the international governing body for equestrian sport.

“We are thrilled to be able to add reining championships to our schedule at this year’s NAJYRC,” said Penny Ross who, along with her husband, Brian, serves as NAJYRC event director. “It’s very gratifying for us to know that in addition to the juniors and young riders who are able to compete in the three Olympic disciplines, North America’s best young reiners will now also have an opportunity to experience what it’s like to compete in an international event under FEI rules.”
The NAJYRC is the continuation of an annual competition that began in 1974 as an eventing challenge between Canada and the United States. In the years since its inception, it has grown considerably with the addition of a dressage championship in 1981 and the show jumping championship in 1982. The first complete championships with all three Olympic disciplines was held in British Columbia, Canada, in 1982.
Last year’s championships saw the addition of officially-sanctioned championship divisions for junior riders in all three disciplines for the first time. Now, with a fourth discipline joining the world-class line-up, the championships have reached a whole new level of significance.
In addition to the championship competition in dressage, show jumping, eventing and reining, this year’s CN North American Junior and Young Riders’ Championships will also feature demonstrations of the FEI discipline of vaulting.
Sponsorship and advertising opportunities connected with the Championships are available. Please call (508) 698-6810 or e-mail to [email protected] for further information.
For more information on the 2007 CN North American Junior and Young Riders’ Championships, please call (540) 348-1152, e-mail to [email protected], or visit www.youngriders.org.
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