July 24, 2006 – Toronto, Ontario – Ontario has named its Show Jumping Team for the 2006 CN North American Young Riders’ Championship taking place August 1-6 at the Virginia Horse Center in Lexington, VA.

Ashton Belcher, 19, of Manotick, ON, and Adrienne Iverson, 19, of Oakville, ON, will represent Ontario as individuals in the Young Riders' Championship division open to competitors aged 16-21. Ontario's last individual medal came at the 2003 North American Young Riders’ Championship in Bromont, QC, when Keean White of Cambridge, ON, won the Individual Silver riding Libidou. Last year, Kim Farlinger of Annan, ON, finished just out of the medals, placing fourth individually riding La Forza.

For the first time, the North American Junior Show Jumping Championship for competitors aged 14-18 will be held in conjunction with the North American Young Riders’ Championship. Ontario's Junior Team will be comprised of Hannah Anderson, 16, of Caledon, ON, Amanda Knowles, 15, of Toronto, ON, and Lauren Patava, 16, of Toronto, ON. While Anderson and Knowles were members of the Ontario Team that claimed the Silver Medal at last year's event, Patava is making her debut at the Championship.

Sally Sainsbury of Bond Head, ON, will act as Team Manager while Erynn Ballard of Hillsburgh, ON, will be the chef d’equipe. The 25-year-old professional rider has a wealth of experience gained through competing at the North American Young Riders' Championship, having claimed a Team Bronze in 1997 with Ordinary Man and the Individual Gold in 1999 riding Leacock.

The opening phase of competition will take place on Thursday, August 3, with the Team Medals decided on Friday, August 4. The Individual Final for both the Junior Championship and the Young Riders' Championship will be held on Sunday, August 6. Course designer for the show jumping events at this year's Championships will be Linda Allen of the United States, who was also the course designer at the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games.

First established in 1974 as an eventing challenge between Canada and the U.S., the North American Young Riders’ Championship is considered a ‘mini-Olympics’ for riders competing in the three Olympic disciplines of dressage, eventing and show jumping. Teams and individuals representing Canada, the Caribbean, Mexico, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. are expected to compete in this year’s event.