Julie Welles and Felix Des Noues Take Early Lead in Team Competition at NAYRC
by Jennifer Kappler , Special Report provided by PhelpsSports.com
Lexington, Virginia – August 3, 2006 – The CN North American Junior and Young Riders’ Championship show jumping began today with the first round of the Team Competitions.
There were three classes on today’s busy schedule of show jumping, beginning with the NAYRC Table C Speed (1.40m-1.45m) for Young Riders. The track is set by world renowned Course Designer Linda Allen (USA), who has a reputation for testing riders technically while also testing a horse’s scope and carefulness. There were 15 numbered efforts including the infamous indoor water jump set with a birch vertical over it.
The first class is faults converted, so riders can choose very different strategies. “I have built in lots of options for shaving off time that many of the experienced riders will take, but there is also a more conservative track there,” Allen said. “When you have a diverse group of riders, you have to build tough enough to challenge the top of the class, but fair enough so as not to back off the less experienced riders. I put in three doubles and no triple for the first class because it is challenging without being dangerous. The first is vertical, vertical towards the ingate. It will be hard to jump clean, but not hard to jump. There are some spreads early on to get them going and riding aggressively. They will have to ride the whole time, start tidy and stay tidy, to have a good score,” she explained.
The big speed class proved to be difficult with 34 starters, five eliminations, and one scratch. Starting fifth in the order of go, Carolyn Kelly and Omona AW (Zone 2) put in the first competitive score finishing in 77.83 seconds with one rail. The class really kicked in after that and Paige Beal-Andros on Gelha’s Junior (Zone 10) had a very fast time of 72.38 jumping without penalty. Javier Berganza riding Hbc Haum Des Malais (Mexico North) proved that his team was in the running with a time of 76.92. All in all the zones looked pretty even until Julie Welles (Zone 1) put in an amazing round that was so fast it placed her safely in the lead, even with a rail. Her blazing time of 69.22 on Felix Des Noues was good enough to hold the lead through the last 20 riders still left to compete.
“Last year I was really nervous because it was my first time here, but this year I am more excited than nervous,” Welles said. “The girls that are on the team with me are the same as the Prix des States team from Harrisburg last fall. We have competed together before and know each other well. This year Natalie Johnson and Cody Auer will be aged out (of NAYRC) so this will be our last Young Riders Championship together,” she added.
“Felix Des Noues is 12 year old Selle Francais that I started riding at the end of January, 2006. Before we had him he was a speed horse in Europe with Peter Wylde and won a bunch of the competitions over there. Missy Clark bought him, and I ended up leasing him from her. He is naturally fast. I love him. I did not think that we were going to have such a fast time,” she laughed. “We don’t really have a strategy for tomorrow other than trying to jump clear rounds, and also to have fun, because that is what we are here for.”
Finishing with three riders in the top ten, Zone 1 led by Julie Welles is looking strong and experienced. The consistent fast scores of Maggie McAlary, Natalie Johnson, Cody Auer and Cassie Herman will be hard to beat in tomorrow’s Team Final.
The West Coast (Zone 10) is well represented with two riders in the top ten. Teammates Paige Beal-Andros, Katherine Bardis, Kelly Connor, and Karl Cook gave everyone a run for their money. Megan Edrick is also from Zone 10 but is competing as the alternate, so her eighth place finish only counts toward the Individual Final.
Last year’s Team Gold Medalists, Zone 2, cannot be overlooked with four solid rounds from Miasha Fisher, Carolyn Kelly, Hillary Dobbs, and Addison Phillips.
After tomorrow’s two team rounds, the top 60% (approximately 20 riders) will qualify for the Individual Final on Sunday, August 6.
Results from NAYRC Table C Speed (1.40-1.45)
Horse Name Team Time
1. Felix Des Noues Julie Welles Zone 1 69.22
2. Champigny Evan Coluccio Zone 3 70.81
3. Gelha’s Junior Paige Beal-Andros Zone 10 72.38
4. Kitty 41 Miasha Fisher Zone 2 73.00
5. Pedro Maggie Mcalary Zone 1 74.61
6. Crocket 16 Natalie Johnson Zone 1 74.64
7. Pariska 2 Katherine Bardis Zone 10 74.71
8. Kandel Megan Edrick Zone 10 76.30
9. Hbc Haume Des Malais Javier Berganza Mexico N 76.92
10. Omona A.W. Carolyn Kelly Zone 2 77.83
The Drawn Order of Go for tomorrows NAYRC Team Final is as follows:
1. Zone 1
2. Zone 6/7
3. Zone 4
4. Zone 3
5. Zone 10
6. Mexico North
7. Mexico South
8. Zone 2
In other action…
The North American Junior Championship NAJC Table A Speed (1.35-1.40) finished the first round of team competition with crowd favorites, Lola and Julianna Fischer (Zone 4), taking first place. For anyone who knows the lightning fast grey mare Lola, it was a fairly conservative round with a time of 74.62 seconds.
This is the first Young Riders Championship that fourteen year old Fischer has competed in. “Lola is amazing. She is pretty small, so I have to be very careful with her. I need to sit very still and not use too much spur,” she said. “My goal is to be steady tomorrow and jump clean rounds,” Fischer added.
Zone 4 had a strong showing with Katie McDaniel and Julia Capalino also finishing in the top ten.
Zone 10 matched them with three top ten scores from Paris Sellon, Hannah Selleck and Erica Buie.
Results >From NAJC Table A Speed (1.30m-1.35m)
Horse Name NAT Faults Time
1. Lola Julianna Fischer Zone 4 0.00 74.62
2. Papillon Hannah Anderson Ontario 0.00 75.13
3. Daisy Alexa Wisz Zone 7 0.00 78.28
4. Quasar Katie McDaniel Zone 4 0.00 79.39
5. Aurora Paris Sellon Zone 10 0.00 80.86
6. Bauer Hannah Selleck Zone 10 0.00 84.22
7. Naleida Catie Boone Zone 5 4.00 71.67
8. Oscar R Julia Capalino Zone 4 4.00 74.13
9. Alaska Nicole Lakin Zone 2 4.00 78.16
10. Lady D Erica Buie Zone 10 4.00 81.30
The Drawn Order of Go for tomorrows NAJC Team Final is as follows:
1. Zone 2/5
2. Ontario/Quebec
3. Zone 4
4. Zone 7
5. Mexico
6. Zone 3/8
7. Zone 10
With such close scores going into the last two rounds of team competition; both NAYRC and NAJC Team Finals should be exciting to watch tomorrow.
This special report is a preview provided by PhelpsSports.com. Look for the debut of this new equestrian news website during the World Equestrian Games in August. Visit http://www.PhelpsSports.com for more information.
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