Traverse City, MI, Aug. 14, 2023 – Canada’s future stars showed great promise and took significant steps forward in their development at the FEI North American Youth Championships (NAYC), held Aug. 8-13, 2023, winning three gold and two bronze medals at the Great Lakes Equestrian Festival VI in Traverse City, MI, USA.
The gold medal Young Riders Show Jumping team on the podium
Photo Credit: Ben Radvanyi
It was a trifecta for the Canadian national anthem at Traverse City Horse Shows as Canada’s youth athletes represented the maple leaf with dedication and passion in Dressage and Jumping. Team gold medals were won by Brooke Mancusi and Claire Robinson in the U25 Dressage division and by the Young Riders Jumping team of Quintyn Baeumler, Halle Duke, Lily Elliot, and William Martin.
Robinson went on to win individual gold in the U25 Grand Prix Freestyle division and earned her third medal with a bronze in the Grand Prix 16 – 25 class. On the final day of competition, Martin captured Canada’s fifth medal with a bronze in the Young Rider Individual event.
NAYC ’23
Photo Credit: Andrew Ryback Photography
Teamwork Makes the Dream Work in U25 Dressage and Young Riders Show Jumping
Marking the first NAYC to include a U25 division for Dressage, a total of eight athletes from Canada, Mexico, and the U.S. came to compete, performing the FEI Intermediate II test for the team competition on Wednesday, Aug. 9.
Claire Robinson (L) and Brooke Mancusi (R)
Photo Credit: Ben Radvanyi
Mancusi of Chambly, QC, had the top individual score of the day on her way to winning team gold. She rode Arthur (Jazz x Contango), a 13-year-old Dutch warmblood gelding owned by Windhaven, to a 67.853%. Teammmate Robinson of Edmonton, AB, posted the second-best score of the day with Glamour Boy (Bojengel x Jazz), a 12-year-old Dutch warmblood gelding owned by Carol Robinson, earning a score of 67.794% to help secure their position on top of the podium.
“My horse was very, very good. I’m really happy with him,” said Mancusi. “I really wanted to nail my piaffe and passage, he was really on my aids and really listening to me, so I think it was pretty good. I couldn’t have asked for more from him. I’ve been riding him since January, so we’re a fairly new partnership. I’m really grateful to his owner, Jill Irving, for allowing me to ride him. We get along super well.”
Mancusi in competition prior to winning the gold medal
Photo Credit: Ben Radvanyi
Robinson in competition prior to winning the gold medal
Photo Credit: Ben Radvanyi
“One of the many highlights of this week was our U25 riders winning team Gold!” said Chef d’equipe Denielle Gallagher-Legriffon. “Both riders represented Canada with class and pride.”
It was an exciting afternoon of jumping competition on Friday, August 11, that saw 10 Young Rider teams battle it out over Nick Granat’s demanding courses. After finishing the first round in seventh place, the Canadian team of Baeumler, Duke, Elliot, and Martin dug deep and came back in the second with fault-free rounds from leading and anchor riders to end on the lowest score and secure the victory over the United States.
The gold medal Young Riders Show Jumping team with Chef D’Équipe Dayton Gorsline
Photo Credit: Ben Radvanyi
Lead rider Duke, 20, of Spruce Grove, AB, riding her own Ilana (KVF Tacorde x Contender), a 10-year-old Canadian warmblood mare, added six to the score in the first round but jumped clear in the second. When asked, she shared her pride for her horse and for Canada. “She jumped incredibly today and the second round I gave her the ride she deserved. This is my second year coming here and it’s amazing, every part of it. To be able to represent your country is incredible.”
Halle Duke and Ilana
Photo Credit: Ben Radvanyi
Paired with Pesgo Adelheid Z (Gestion Priamus Z x Chardonnay Z), a nine-year-old Zangersheide gelding owned by Yvonne van Duin, Elliot, 18, of Richmond, BC, did their best to help the Canadian team reach the podium
Lily Elliot and Pesgo Adelheid Z
Photo Credit: Ben Radvanyi
Baeumler, 18, of Campbellville, ON, had two very solid rounds riding his own Haydn (Zambesi TN x Kojak), an 11-year-old Dutch warmblood gelding. “Being on a Canadian team is wonderful and the team we have here is one of the best,” said Baeumler.
Quintyn Baeumler and Haydn
Photo Credit: Ben Radvanyi
The youngest of the team at 17 years old, Martin, of Vineland, ON, aboard Ricore Courcelle (Quaprice Bois Margot x Alme), an 18-year-old Selle Français gelding owned by Lesley Martin, delivered as the team anchor and ensured the win in the second round.
William Martin and Ricore Courcelle
Photo Credit: Ben Radvanyi
Jumping Chef d’equipe Dayton Gorsline was very proud of the team’s performances throughout the week. “Our pre-juniors had some bumps in the road but preserved to a fourth-place team finish. The senior team only got better as the week went on, from bottom of the pack to the top of the podium,” said Gorsline. “Everyone, athletes, parents, grooms and coaches were always supportive and there for one another, it was a great feeling!”
Individual Medalists
Claire Robinson wins two gold, one bronze at NAYC 2023
Photo Credit: Ben Radvanyi
Robinson, 21, earned Canada’s third gold medal at the NAYC 2023 competition on Saturday, Aug. 12. Riding Glamour Boy, Robinson captured the inaugural gold medal of the U25 Grand Prix Freestyle, finishing with the highest score of the evening with 71.090% over USA’s Alexander Dawson and Freedom (69.185%).
Robinson was all smiles after winning her second gold medal at NAYC 2023
Photo Credit: Ben Radvanyi
“I’ve not ridden this freestyle too many times, and of course every time you learn something a little bit new about the pattern and how you’re riding it,” said Robinson. “When I finally came to that final halt, I just looked back and was like, ‘I think that was everything. I think it all happened!’ It was a really good feeling on that final centerline where I knew he was with me, and I felt that I had had him with me for the whole test. It was really awesome.”
Robinson’s freestyle is set to music from Hamilton, which she chose to fit her horse. “We had to find something that would really suit him. He’s sort of a tall, elegant horse, and I really loved the music” said Robinson.
Robinson also earned a bronze medal in the Grand Prix 16 – 25 class, aboard Glamour Boy, scoring 66.231% by a narrow margin behind USA’s Emily Hewitt and Fidens (66.641%) and Dennesy Rogers and Chanel (66.256%).
Martin takes a victory lap after earning his second medal of NAYC 2023
Photo Credit: Ben Radvanyi
Two days after winning a team gold, Martin and Ricore Courcelle came back on the final day to earn a spot on the podium in the Young Rider Individuals division. The Canadian pair completed the NAYC competition with a bronze medal for Canada with a score of 11.22 behind USA’s Baylee McKeever and Formidable (10.24) and Augusta Iwasaki and Fresca (10.81).
Martin, who won the individual junior gold last year, commented on what it means to represent the maple leaf. “This is a show we look forward to all year long mainly because we get to represent our home country,” he said. “To bring back a medal means a lot.”
Reflecting on his teammates, the young and upcoming athlete shared his pride of Team Canada. “I’m extremely pleased with the teams results this week, everyone delivered excellent rounds all week. We have a great group of talented kids as well as a positive team that lifts one another.”
Other Notable Performances:
After winning a gold medal earlier in the week, Brooke Mancusi finished in fourth place in the Dressage Grand Prix Freestyle with a score of 67.810%.
The Show Jumping pre-junior team of Livia Martin (Coradi), Sofia Popescu (Giandra), Taylor Wood (New York’s Joy) and Mathilde Candele (Disco de Pleville) finished in fourth place in the pre-junior team competition.
Technical Advisor ‘Captain Canada’ Ian Millar was on site providing additional support to the jumping riders throughout the week. Seen here with Pre-Junior rider Taylor Wood with New York’s Joy in the warm up ring.
Photo Credit: Ben Radvanyi
The Ontario / Quebec team of Zachary Marshall (Gatsby), Camille Duhaime (Romero), Kiara Williams-Brown (Fortissimo) and Anna Swackhammer (Fabienna GV) finished in fifth place in the Dressage Young Riders team competition.
In the Dressage Junior Team competition, the Ontario team of Marlies King (Hollywood), Eliza Marshall (Garfunkel), Kara Adams (Visual Addiction) and Sophia Trites (Latika) finished in seventh place.
In the same competition, the British Columbia and Quebec team of Amelia Mosumgaard (Sergei), Hanae Thivierge (Fiorettino), Léa Landreville Cloutier (Le Ferro Mta) and Alison Campbell-Wright (Slapstick) finished in eighth.
Livia Martin of Manotick, ON, and Coradi placed eighth in the pre-junior individual final competition, with four faults and a total of 7.76.
Anna Swackhammer of Rockwood, ON, and Fabienna GV placed eighth in the Dressage Individual Young Rider championship, with a score of 66.765%.
The Canadian Show Jumping Team won the 2023 Captain Andrew B. de Szinay awarded to the team with the most spirit at the parade of nations and throughout the championships.
Photo Credit: Ben Radvanyi
Thank you
Reflecting on the championships as a whole Gallagher shared her gratitude. “Wow what a week! We had 16 horse and rider combinations,” she said. “Our Young Riders and Juniors rode so well, they were all so professional, and focused. After team gold, Claire later went on to win Individual Bronze and Individual Gold in the freestyle and Brooke with top placings as well! I’m very excited about the amazing talent we have coming up in the sport. So many great riders, and all with such love and compassion. To say I was proud to stand there for each and every one is an understatement!”
The support from friends, family, donors, staff and Canadian fans was palpable throughout the championships.
Photo Credit: Ben Radvanyi
EC would also like to thank the organizers, athletes, coaches and parents who were part of this exciting experience for our young athletes. EC thanks team sponsors LC Taylor Trustees, Caledon Dressage, Bonnie Brae Farm, Dressage Facebook Auction Group, Brillance Stables, Ride Every Stride Inc., Sam Sheild America, EquiFit, EcoGold Pads, Sport Innovations Equine, J.C. Anderson Foundation, Foothills Horse Transport, Trace Embroidery, Film Logical, CAN Jump Initiative, Vicky Lavoie, and many others for their contributions in helping our teams travel to Traverse City, MI and compete at NAYC 2023.
For more information on NAYC 2023, please click here.