CN North American Junior and Young Riders’ Championships Presented by Gotham North Welcome 2007 Sponsors
RELEASE: June 7, 2007
AUTHOR/ADMINISTRATOR: By Classic Communications
An unprecedented line-up of sponsors are giving their support to the 2007 CN North American Junior and Young Riders’ Championships (NAJYRC), presented by Gotham North. The 2007 NAJYRC will be held at the Virginia Horse Center in Lexington, VA, July 31–August 5.
The NAJYRC is the premier equestrian event in North America for junior and young riders, ages 14-21. Many young equestrians travel from around the United States, Canada, Mexico, Puerto Rico and the Caribbean Islands for a chance to compete for team and individual championships in the Olympic equestrian disciplines of dressage, show jumping and eventing. The NAJYRC operates under the rules of the International Equestrian Federation (FEI), the international governing body for equestrian sport. In addition to the championship competition in dressage, show jumping and eventing, this year’s NAJYRC will also feature demonstrations of another FEI discipline, vaulting.
Heading the list of sponsors for this year’s championships is the event’s Title Sponsor, CN. CN is one of the largest freight railroads and a leader in the North American transportation industry. CN’s rail network spans across Canada and mid-America, from the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans to the Gulf of Mexico, serving the ports of Vancouver, Prince Rupert, British Columbia, Montreal, Halifax, New Orleans, and Mobile, as well as the key cities of Toronto, Buffalo, Chicago, Detroit, Duluth, Green Bay, Minneapolis/St. Paul, Memphis, St. Louis and Jackson, with connections to all points in North America.
Georgina Bloomberg’s Gotham North has signed on as Presenting Sponsor for the 2007 NAJYRC. Bloomberg, a two-time Gold medalist in show jumping at the championships, views her sponsorship as a way to give back to the event that helped set her on the path to stardom in international competition.
“The NAJYRC was my first taste of team competition, and it made me want to go on and represent not just my zone, but my country,” said Bloomberg. “The Young Riders program was a very important first for me in my career. I learned the value of team spirit there and learned first-hand what coming together as a team can mean to your eventual success. This is something that’s so important for younger riders.”
The three discipline associations that oversee dressage, eventing and jumping have committed their support as sponsors of their respective divisions. The division sponsors are the United States Dressage Federation/Platinum Performance, the United States Eventing Association and the United States Hunter Jumper Association.
“While these associations have been actively involved before, the level of support they are giving this year is unprecedented,” said John Long, CEO of the United States Equestrian Federation (USEF), who led the effort to further involve the discipline associations. “The USEF recognizes the importance of the Young Rider program as a crucial step in the development of potential stars for our future international teams, as well as the opportunity for many youth to have what might be a once-in-a-lifetime experience. We are committed to its success.”
Gold Medal sponsors of the championships are Howard and Martha Simpson, the Mosaic Foundation, the United States Equestrian Federation, Equine Canada,
Dressage Today and
Practical Horseman. Silver Medal sponsors include Devoucoux, Rebecca Broussard, and Horseware Ireland, and Bronze Medal sponsors include The Jefferson Florist & Garden and Larry and Marnye Langer.
Other sponsors signed on for 2007 include Blue Ribbon sponsors Equifit, Markel Insurance Company, Southern States/Triple Crown, Virginia Golf Cars, and VTO Saddlery, and Booster Sponsors include the American Horse Trials Foundation, Starr Vaughn Equestrian, Inc., Harmony Sporthorses, Virginia Horse Shows Association, The EMO Agency, Inc., and the New England Dressage Association.
The 2007 NAJYRC also extends its thanks to the Interna