August 6, 2006 – Lexington, Virginia – Hannah Anderson of Caledon, ON, was the highest placed Ontario show jumping competitor at the CN North American Junior and Young Riders' Championship held August 1-6 at the Virginia Horse Center in Lexington, VA.

After claiming the Team Bronze on Thursday, all three Ontario Junior Show Jumping Team members - Hannah Anderson, 16, Amanda Knowles, 15, of Toronto, ON, and Lauren Patava, 16, of Toronto, ON, qualified for Sunday's Individual Final.

Anderson was tied for the lead in the standings with a perfect score of zero faults heading into the Individual Final open to riders aged 14 to 18. In the first round of Sunday's competition, Anderson incurred four faults to move to the top of the leader board with Papillon, a nine-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding that she has been riding for four years. In the second round, Anderson ran into difficulty over the shortened course designed by Linda Allen when her horse refused the second element of the triple combination. The 10 faults she accumulated dropped Anderson to fifth place in the final Individual standings.

"The course was really hard," said Anderson, who led Ontario to the Team Bronze Medal on Thursday with two clear rounds. "In the first round, we had one rail that was my fault. I was going into the second round with two rails in hand, but the sport can change so fast. My horse jumped everything so well. I couldn't have asked him to jump any better."

Lauren Patava, who was ranked tenth coming into the Individual Final, incurred eight faults in the first round and four in the second to finish her first North American Championship bid tied for eighth place overall. Patava and her horse, Revelin, an eight-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding, had produced double clear rounds on Thursday to help Ontario secure the Team Bronze Medal.

The third member of the Ontario Junior Show Jumping Team, Amanda Knowles, completed the first round of the Individual Final with 17 faults. When it was discovered that her horse, Mill Creek Marco Taere, had lost a shoe, she opted not to come back for the second round. In her second North American Championship appearance, Knowles faced the challenge of riding a new horse. She had only ridden Mill Creek Marco Taere, a 12-year-old Belgian Warmblood gelding owned by Mill Creek Stables, in one competition before contesting the Championship. The pair finished in 17th place individually.

USA Zone 2/5's Catie Boone riding Naleida won the Individual Junior Gold Medal while Nicole Lakin, also of USA Zone 2/5, claimed the Individual Silver riding Alaska. Paris Sellon of USA Zone 10, who had been tied for the lead heading into the Individual Final, took home the Individual Bronze Medal riding Aurora.

The North American Junior and Young Riders' Championship hosts the three Olympic disciplines of dressage, eventing and show jumping and are considered a 'mini Olympics' for equestrian competitors aged 14-21. Teams and individuals representing Canada, the Caribbean, Mexico, and the U.S. competed at this year’s event.


Ashton Belcher Wins Farewell Final
Ontario was presented by two individuals in the Young Riders' division, open to competitors' aged 16 to 21. Ashton Belcher, 19, of Manotick, ON, won Saturday's Farewell Final riding Karolus K, a 14-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding owned by Melissa Brown. Belcher was the only rider to produce a clear round in the three-horse jump-off to clinch the victory.

Reflecting on her experience competing in her first North American Young Riders' Championship, Belcher commented, "I feel like it was a really big competition for my first year jumping at this level. It was a really big test to come here and jump at a height of 1.50m. I feel very confident going back home because I won't think anything will be too big!"

Belcher will be eligible to compete again in 2007, and it is an opportunity she would take full advantage of. "Being part of the team and representing Ontario was very special. I would love to come back again next year!"

Adrienne Iverson, 19, of Oakville, ON, also making her North American Young Riders' Championship debut, placed fourth in the Farewell Final with the fastest 12-fault effort riding Zerneborg, a 10-year-old Oldenburg gelding owned by Augustin Walch.

The Ontario Show Jumping Team was supported by chef d'equipe Erynn Ballard, herself an Individual Gold Medalist at the 1999 North American Young Riders' Championship, and Team Manager Sally Sainsbury.

The Ontario Young Riders' Show Jumping Team would like to recognize the Barton family for its generous donation to the Ontario Young Riders' Show Jumping Team program, as well as BMO Mutual Funds and Sceptre Private Asset Management for their sponsorship. In addition, the support of Bahr Saddlery, Equine Canada, Imaging Express, Jump Canada, the Ontario Hunter/Jumper Association, and Running Fox Equestrian is greatly appreciated.