Lexington, Ky. – Excitement is building as the U.S. Saddle Seat Young Riders Stripes Team prepares for the 2019 U.S. Saddle Seat Invitational Test Event in New Orleans, La. Hosted at Cascade Stables from July 1-5, the competition will see the U.S. face off against teams from South Africa in pursuit of four gold medals in three- and five-gaited saddle seat equitation. Judges Dejané Poil (South Africa), Michael Craghead (Fresno, Calif.), and Lisa Hillmer (Kearney, Mo.) will officiate.
The U.S. Saddle Seat Invitational Test Event features amateur athletes who compete for individual scores, ultimately accumulating a total team score. The athletes compete on horses they are not familiar with as a true test of their equitation and horsemanship skills. This competition serves as an opportunity to develop and observe potential riders for future team competitions, including the Saddle Seat World Cup.
Christy Parker (Hortense, Ga.) will coach the U.S. team, and Mary Mag Wilson (Cave Creek, Ariz.) will serve as the assistant coach. This year, the Invitational features South African Senior and Junior teams and one U.S. team competing against one another in the three-gaited and five-gaited sections. The South African Senior Team is coached by Petro Botha De Waal and managed by Rika Joubert and Amanda Williams. The South African Junior Team is coached by Elra Tonkin and managed by Kristie Van Der Westhuizen and Amanda Williams.
The following athletes comprise the U.S. Saddle Seat Young Riders Stripes Team (in alphabetical order):
Three-Gaited:
Alayna Applegate (Ewing, Ky.)
Lauren Beck (Lake Forest, Ill.)
Gabriella Costantini (Hinckley, Ohio.)
Alayna LoCascio (Dayton, Ohio.)
Hallie Ricci (Allentown, N.J.)
Five-Gaited:
Makayla James (Smithfield, Ky.)
Max Michalek (Winston-Salem, N.C.)
Haily Miller (Nicholasville, Ky.)
Stephanie Sanders (Winston-Salem, N.C.)
Clayton Stinnett (Kernersville, N.C.)
Mackenzie Todd (Cleveland, N.C.)
The following athletes comprise the South African Senior Team (in alphabetical order):
Three-Gaited:
Nadine Bester
Zanki Botha
Anjé Dercksen
Iané Ferreira
Chanika Labuschagne
Lizerese Janse Van Rensburg
Five-Gaited:
Nadine Bester
Zanki Botha
Carla Conradie
Anjé Dercksen
Carla Krugell
Bridgitte Nel
The following athletes comprise the South African Junior Team (in alphabetical order):
Three-Gaited:
Menique Olivier
Mila Olivier
Marichen Piek
Marion Schnebel
Mignon Schnebel
Christiaan Theunissen
Five-Gaited:
Christine Naudé
Menique Olivier
Mila Olivier
Marion Schnebel
Mignon Schnebel
Jessi Wessels
Competition Information
All teams draw for horses on Monday, July 1, and team practices start on Tuesday, July 2. Competition takes place from July 4-5 and consists of four segments to be completed in two phases, group rail work and individual workouts.
For more information about the U.S. Saddle Seat Young Riders Teams and 2019 U.S. Saddle Seat Invitational Test Event or for a complete list of our supporters, go to www.usasaddleseatworldcup.org.
The 2019 U.S. Saddle Seat Young Riders Teams’ efforts are supported by the USA Equestrian Trust. US Equestrian is pleased to partner with Becker Brothers LLC, who supplied practice jodhpurs for the 2019 U.S. Saddle Seat Young Riders Stripes and Stars Teams. Additional support has been generously provided by Golden Creek Farms Inc., Dawson Archibald, Mr. and Mrs. Andrew J. Schindler, and multiple patron, fan, and stall donors.
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Learn more about saddle seat equitation and all of US Equestrian’s 29 recognized breeds and disciplines in this Learning Center video.