Traverse City, Mich. – Competition continued today at the 2023 FEI North American Youth Dressage Championships presented by USDF and welcomed Individual winners in the Junior and U25 Freestyle divisions.
Junior Individual Championship
Sienna Rowe (Urbanna, Va.) and Jason Rowe's 13-year-old Westphalian gelding Lightfire Just Do It landed atop the podium in the Junior Individual Championship with the only 70% of the class, riding to a final score of 70.676%.
"I was thrilled because my ride Thursday was close to a 70%, but not quite," said Rowe. "I was very happy to get a 70% and to have had a really good ride."
Rowe and "Nike" have been partnered for three years, and Rowe described him as a personable mount.
"He's like the perfect little guy," Rowe said. "He's like this little ball of fire. He's got a great personality. When you go to open his stall door, if you try and leave, he sticks his face out and doesn't let you shut it."
Rowe set her sights on NAYC and will decide her next moves with the gelding soon.
"I was just really hoping to do good here," Rowe said. "From here, we'll see where it goes."
Madison Sumner (Wellington, Fla.) and the 16-year-old KWPN gelding, Briar, owned by Madison and Wayne Sumner, rode to a personal best score of 69.382% to take home the silver medal.
"It's been an amazing experience to be here with all these talented riders," said Sumner. "I'm grateful to have my amazing support team, and it means a lot [to be at NAYC]. I was really happy with my half-passes today. And the overall feeling he gave me, he was really with me the whole time."
Norah Wright (La Grande, Ore.) and her own 18-year-old Andalusian gelding, Baccos Do Retiro, rounded out the top three by claiming the Junior individual bronze. The pair began their week as members of the gold medal-winning Region 6/4 team and today earned a score of 69.382%.
"What makes Baccos special is that he really tries no matter what he does and just loves to get out there and show," said Wright. "Today, our high points were the trot for the whole test; he was balanced and really with me."
2023 FEI NAYC Dressage Junior Individual Results
Gold: Sienna Rowe and Lightfire Just Do It (Region 1)
Silver: Madison Sumner and Briar (Region 3)
Bronze: Norah Wright and Baccos Do Retiro (Region 6)
U25 Grand Prix Freestyle Championship
Saturday evening brought a special treat for spectators at Flintfields Horse Park as the inaugural NAYC U25 Freestyle Championship took place. Eight combinations performed their freestyles for the judging panel, and for many of them, it was an early experience in their FEI Grand Prix career.
Claire Robinson of Canada was the final entry on the order, and with Glamour Boy, a 2011 KWPN gelding owned by Carol Robinson, she put down the best test of the evening, earning a 71.090% from the judges and the gold medal.
“I’ve not ridden this freestyle too many times, and of course every time you learn something a little bit new about the pattern and how you’re riding it,” said Robinson. “When I finally came to that final halt, I just looked back and was like, ‘I think that was everything. I think it all happened!’ It was a really good feeling on that final centerline where I knew he was with me, and I felt that I had had him with me for the whole test. It was really awesome.”
Robinson’s freestyle is set to music from Hamilton, which she chose to fit her horse.
“We had to find something that would really suit him. He’s sort of a tall, elegant horse, and I really loved the music,” she said. “This is a horse that I finished to the level myself, so I’m a little bit green at the level and he’s a little bit green at the level. I just really wanted [a floorplan] I felt like could play to his strengths a little bit, and where I could really produce a clean test and that worked out today.”
Alexander Dawson of U.S. Region 2 earned a 69.185% from the judges to take home the silver medal. Dawson rode Freedom, a 2007 Oldenburg stallion owned by Barbara Caldwell.
“My trainer Patty brought him up from a young age, and she trained his father,” said Dawson. “He really has a lot of history going back in Region 2, with Barbara Cadwell breeding multiple of the stallions and the mares on his dam’s side. He’s a really cool horse and super intelligent. Every horse I ride from here on out is going to be compared to him, and just his understanding and really wanting a fair, consistent partnership. It’s a real pleasure to ride him and I’m honored that I had the opportunity to.”
Dawson’s freestyle test was designed for Freedom when he was a developing horse.
“We borrowed it for the event,” said Dawson. “We went through it a few times in the two weeks leading up to it, and I’m really glad it all came together in the ring instead of just in the warmup.”
Emily Hewitt from Region 3 earned the bronze medal in the freestyle, posting a 67.985% with Fidens, a 2010 KWPN gelding owned by her sister, Hannah.
“Fidens is actually Hannah’s horse that she’s had since he was five, and so since this was my last year [of U25 eligibility], she provided me this opportunity to take him out, get to know him, and really allow for me to be here,” said Hewitt. “I feel like [having a U25 division at NAYC] adds a different level of seriousness and competitiveness, and when it comes to showing at Grand Prix, I think showing without a whip and in front of five judges really makes you grow as a rider.”
2023 FEI Dressage U25 Grand Prix Freestyle Results
Gold: Claire Robinson and Glamour Boy (CAN)
Silver: Alexander Dawson and Freedom (Region 2)
Bronze: Emily Hewitt and Fidens (Region 3)
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