- Zone 10 broke the winning streak of Zone 2 and jumped to the gold medal on Friday, July 30, in the young rider show jumping team competition at the 2010 North American Junior and Young Rider Championships. With only 16 total faults, the Zone 10 team—Richard Neal riding Cavalier Tommi Tank, Taylor Siebel on Thunder-Ball, Saer Coulter riding Chalan, and Lucy Davis on Nemo 119—comfortably took the lead over the six teams that came back for a second round.
- Zone 5 and Zone 2 had to jump off to determine the silver and bronze medals.
- Zone 5’s Ali Wolff and H&M Necoll had a quick round with only 4 faults. Teammate Kirstie Dobbs, riding Kolette, had 1 time fault, while Theo Genn and Paradox had a rail and 1 time fault. Taylor McMurty on Just An Illusion had 6 time faults to give Zone 5 a total of 10 jump-off faults, and the second-placed finish.
- For Zone 2, Jessica Springsteen on Vornado van den Hoendrik posted a clear round. Katie Dinan on Couletto K James were eliminated in the second round but returned for the jump-off to post 8 jump faults. Karen Polle on Cachette Z had two rails with no time faults and the final team member Reed Kessler on Mika had the last rail down for a four-fault score. The zone added 12 faults to their score and picked up the bronze medal.
- The Zone 10 team, from California, enjoyed cheering for one another rather than the routine of rivalry. “We compete against each other on a weekly basis in California,” Neil said. “You are sort of wishing against them a little bit. So it’s a total different feel here when you are hoping on every jump, cheering for everyone.”
- Neal, 18, Los Angeles, Calif., participated in the Emerging Athletes Program this summer and came to NAJYRC with the added benefit of intensive training at Spruce Meadows with Mario Deslaurier. “It was a program that drove you to get out and learn more about your sport and your horse,” Neal said.
