Show jumping competition has started for the prestigious 2010 FEI Adequan American Junior & Young Rider Show Jumping Championships presented by Gotham North. The top American, Canadian and Mexican riders between the ages of 14 and 21 ventured to the Kentucky Horse Park to compete in the individual qualifying round in the Main Outdoor Stadium. Riders vied for the top sport during today’s classes and the opportunity to compete in the Individual Junior Rider Finals and Individual Young Rider Finals being held on Sunday, August 1, 2010.

Olaf Petersen, Jr designed courses for both the Junior and Young Rider sections. The Young Rider course, set at 1.50 m, was set at Table A, with faults were converted, adding four seconds to the rider’s time for each rail that was dislodged. Petersen designed a technical track which included an open water obstacle, double and triple combinations, and many options for inside turns along the way.

“There are ways you can gain time, that’s the main purpose of the table A course,” said Petersen. “You don’t have to only watch speed but also the turns.” For each successive round in the Junior and Young Rider sections, Petersen said the courses will become more demanding.

After 37 of the 42 Young Riders had tackled Petersen’s course, Reed Kessler took over the top spot aboard her 10-year-old Selle Francais gelding, Mika. The duo executed a daring route in order to have the quickest time. Her goal was not only to have a conservative clear, but also find ways to shave time in order to be on top.

“It was faults converted, so I knew no matter what I needed to be neat and quick to be in the top three,” explained Kessler. “Everyone was going for conservative clear, but there were so many places you could make time so easily.”

Although Kessler dislodged the final two jumps at the last in and out on course, she still managed to have the fastest time even with eight seconds added to her total time of 86.97 seconds. Kessler praised her horse for helping her clinch the first place honors.

“He’s amazing, he has 1.60 scope,” said Kessler. “He’s going to be my ‘big’ horse when I’m old enough to do bigger classes, God willing I get there, he’ll be the one I do it on. He’s fantastic!”

Coming in second place was Mexican Alberto Balas and Sylvana with a time of 87.29 seconds and no faults added. Canadian Marshall Whyte and Quinlan trailed close behind that time, tripping the timers at 87.87 seconds.

“It’s a great experience, there’s a good crowd out there,” Whyte said of his first trip to Kentucky. “This is beautiful facility and it has been just an excellent time.” The 21-year-old of Alberta credited his horse for their quick speed, and said he worried more about the rails while on course. “He’s a unique horse, because we both learned how to do this sport together,” Whyte mentioned.

Junior Section

The Junior Riders faced off at a 1.40 m course, also designed by Petersen. Twelve numbered obstacles were set with Table II, section 1 specifications.

Thirty-one riders went head-to-head in order to qualify for the next phase of competition, and it was Frances Land of Zone 4 who had the quickest clear round, coming home in 80.41 seconds, an impressive 5 seconds in the lead.

The red rosette was awarded to Jasmine Wiggins, of Alberta, aboard Little Milton, while the third place ribbon went to Ben Asselin, also of Alberta, with Lolita.

NAJYRC competition will continue with team competition tomorrow at 3:00 p.m. in the Main Outdoor Stadium. The next round, a team competition, will also account for the total individual score. In order to qualify for the tomorrow’s round of NAJYRC competition, individual riders needed to place in the top 25 in their Junior or Young Rider group. The third and final round of NAJYRC show jumping competition will take place on Sunday at 7:30 a.m. for the Junior Individual Final, and 2:00 p.m. for the Young Rider Individual Final.

Photo Credit: Reed Kessler and Mika won the First Individual Qualifier in the Young Rider division at the NAJYRC. Photo By: Kenneth Kraus/PhelpsSports.com. This photo may only be used in relation to this PMG press release.

RESULTS: NAJC INDIVIDUAL PHASE ONE 1 125 MERLIN Frances Land Frances Land 0 0 0 80.410 2 67 LITTLE MILTON Jasmine Wiggins Jasmine Wiggins 0 0 0 85.340 3 65 LOLITA Ben Asselin Attache Stables 0 0 0 90.060 4 121 ESPERANTO Kendall Skreden Kendall Skreden 0 0 0 91.110 5 119 RODENBURGHS CALIFORNIA Audrey Coulter Copernicus Stables LLC 0 1 1 92.320 6 133 SACHA 12 Abigail McArdle Old Barrington LLC 0 1 1 93.000 7 60 MAGIC JUMPER Rachel Schnurr Rachel Schnurr 0 1 1 95.980 8 122 FAUSTINO Cayla Richards Ilan Ferder 4 0 4 81.190 9 123 SINATRA IV Meg O’Mara Thinks Like A Horse 4 0 4 82.020 10 113 CR ARYENNE Brett Gage Brett Gage 4 0 4 82.670 11 132 UTOPIA H 2 Erin Hickey Erin Hickey 4 0 4 87.020 12 118 GAJA 20 Jocelyn Neff Donna Neff 4 0 4 87.200

RESULTS: NAYRC INDIVIDUAL PHASE ONE 1 83 MIKA Reed Kessler Reed Kessler 8 86.97 2 74 SYLVANA Alberto Balas Jaime & Lilian Balas 0 87.29 3 71 QUINLAN Marshall Whyte Marshall Whyte 4 87.87 4 108 CAVALIER TOMMI TANK Richard Neal Richard Neal 4 88.00 5 75 NOSIR DE L’HERMITAGE Fernando Martinez Gerardo Tazzer 4. 88.28 6 91 KARONDA V SCHLOSSLIHOF Taylor Land Taylor Land 0 88.40 7 GLEN DEVON Alec Lawler Alec Lawler 4. 88.46 8 96 JUST AN ILLUSIONTaylor McMurtry Taylor & Robert McMurtry 0 89.61 9 85 VORNADO VAN DEN HOENDRIK Jessica Springsteen Stone Hill Farm 8 89.83 10 109 THUNDER-BALL Taylor Siebel Mountain Home Stables 4 89.91 11 100 CICERO 75 Eirin Bruheim Nordic Lights Farm 0 90.00 12 88 MY BOY Catherine Pasmore Pasmore Stables LLC 4 90.26