Attending the Championships for the first time, 14-year-old Camille Carier Bergeron of Mascouche, QC once again earned the highest Junior score for her Freestyle test. With Lowelas (Hockey 41 x Inster Graditz), a 14-year-old Trakehner gelding owned by Gilles Bergeron, Carier Bergeron earned a 71.275% for the gold medal.

"My test was very good and my horse was very focused," said Carier Bergeron. "I have confidence in my horse, and he is very consistent. This result was the best that I could have imagined."

Alexandra Meghji of Toronto, ON finished in sixth in the Junior Freestyle riding Iliado II (Idilio II x Ibiza), a nine-year-old Andalusian gelding. The pair received a score of 68.325%. 

In the Young Riders Freestyle test, Laurence Blais Tetreault of Montreal, QC rode  Michelangelo (Amiral x Utrillo), 16-year-old Swedish Warmblood gelding owned by Mathilde Blais Tetreault, to a bronze medal finish with 70.625%.

"I'm really, really happy that we ended on such a great note," said Blais Tetreault. "Everything went perfect in my Freestyle, and I couldn't be more happy with my horse."

Tanya Strasser-Shostak of Ste. Adele, QC, and Action Time (Aktuell x Aleksander), a 14-year-old Oldenburg gelding owned by Evi Strasser, were fourth in the Young Riders Freestyle with 69.950%.

Young Rider, David Ziegler of Beiseker, AB, who is attending his first NAJYRC and competing in both the Young Rider dressage and CH-Y** eventing, won the dressage Style Award. The award is given to one rider from each discipline, voted on by the chef d'équipes, who best demonstrates style and sportsmanship both mounted and unmounted throughout the competition.

Photo Credit -- Cealy Tetley

Meagan Beunder of Calgary, AB and RRC Black Magic (King's Master x Ricardo Z), a 10-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding owned by 944700 Alberta Ltd, was double clear and fast for fifth place in the Farewell competition. 

"I was super happy with the way we finished up. My horse came out ready to jump," said Beunder. "Unfortunately, we did not have the best day yesterday, but it was good to come back and have such a positive end."

"I'm very grateful to Equine Canada for sending me down here to have the opportunity to do this competition, and I am ready to come back next year and give it a good go," exclaimed Beunder.

Tomorrow is the Individual Final for both the Young Riders, 16-21 years of age, and the Juniors, 14-18 years of age, for jumping.


Leading CH-Y** Division after cross country is Ziegler riding his second horse of the competition, Critical Decision (Consul x Two a Day), his 18-year-old Oldenburg gelding, on his dressage a score of 46.3. The pair currently has a 13.9 lead on second place.

"All the credit has to go to my horse. He is a cross country machine and it's what he lives for," said Ziegler. "We had a great ride today."

"It was a technical 2* cross country course, but Critical Decision's experience shone and he and David went clear," said Kathleen Ziegler, chef d'équipe of Alberta.

In second is April Simmonds of Uxbridge, ON and Impressively Done, Don Simmonds' nine-year-old Thoroughbred gelding sired by Eulogize. Simmonds, who was sitting in sixth after dressage, added only 3.2 cross country time penalties to her dressage score of 57.0 for a two day total of 60.2.

"My horse was awesome," said Simmons. "I have never felt so confident going out on a cross country course on him. He used his second gear of gallop, which he normally does not use. He was just on fire. I was just so happy that I was on my horse today. I would not have wanted to be on any other horse going out there."

Currently leading in the CH-J* Division on her dressage score of 49.2 is Moira de Ste Croix-Laframboise of Kars, ON and Blue Ben, a 13-year-old Westphalian gelding sired by Gambit Z and owned by de Ste Croix-Laframboise and Teddie Laframboise. The pair moved up from third place to the top the leaderboard after cross country.

Eventing concludes tomorrow with CH-J* jumping at 12:30 p.m. and CH-Y** jumping at 3 p.m.

Photo Credit -- Cealy Tetley

For more information and complete results for NAJYRC, please visitwww.youngriders.org.