Area I and VI Young Riders Clinch Final 2008 USEF National Eventing Championship
RELEASE: November 5, 2008
AUTHOR/ADMINISTRATOR: Joanie Morris
Lexington, KY - The final United States Equestrian Federation National Eventing Championship of the year wrapped up the season at the Galway Downs International Three-Day Event. Held in Temecula, CA (concurrently with the CCI**) on November 1-2. Juniors and Young Riders shone in the 2008 USEF National Junior/Young Rider CCI* Team Championship-West.
The team made up of three riders from Area I and VI, triumphed in the long format CCI* over the team from Area VII to claim the Championship. Suzy Hettich and Given Half a Chance led the team; they were third individually on a score of 54.0, one place ahead of their teammate Katherine Erickson and Dually who were fourth. Jillian Terzian and Belmont Ballygowan picked up costly time faults on Roads and Tracks but added no jumping faults on the cross country.
Hettich, 17, from Goleta, CA, was fifth in the short format CCI* at Twin Rivers in their final prep for the Championships. Erickson made the trek from Carlisle, MA worth the miles (she is also attending school in California), moving up from 14th after the dressage into fourth. Belmont Ballygowan is a seasoned CCI**** horse from Australia and has proved a classy campaigner on the West Coast for Terzian.
The second place team of Amber McCluskey and Huadoresya, Lucia Clemetson and Proper Precaution and Lexy Funk and Cameron only finished two of their three riders, giving the Area I and VI a clear victory.
The 2008 USEF National Junior/Young Rider CCI* Team Championship-East was run two weeks earlier at the Hagyard Midsouth CCI* held at the Kentucky Horse Park.