Traverse City, Michigan, USA – August 01, 2024 – The 2024 Gotham North/FEI North American Youth Jumping Championships (NAYC), presented by USHJA resumed at Flintfields Horse Park during week five of the Great Lakes Equestrian Festival presented by B&D Builders, on Thursday with children’s and pre-junior team titles being decided. 

With a nearly foot-perfect second day of jumping, the combined Zone 1, 2, & 10 team was awarded the gold medal for the children’s section.

The Team consisted of the following rider-and-horse combinations:

Kaitlyn Linck (Clinton Corners, N.Y.) and Don Touch De Tiji Z (Don’t Touch Tiji Hero x Viva La Vida Hero Z), her own 2016 Zangersheide gelding; 

Naomi Cates (Valencia, Calif.) aboard L’Air Visto Meershoven Z (Levisto Z ), her own 2015 Zangersheide gelding;

Agatha Lignelli (New York, N.Y.) on her own Girl Scout (Quasimodo VD Molendreef x Corland), a 2011 KWPN mare; and,

Eva Mackenzie (Darien, Conn.) riding Debbie Harry (Diamantino x Cardento 933), her own 2014 Swedish Warmblood mare, rode to a fault-free score over two rounds of competition.

After the first round and the combined individual scores from Wednesday’s competition, the Zone 1, 2, & 10 team sat tied with Canada on a zero-fault score. Coming down to the second round of Thursday’s competition—with a drop score—the combined zone team held onto a fault-free tally and took gold. 

The final rider to head in for her team and keep all the rails in the cups over the two days was 14-year-old Eva Mackenzie. “I felt I needed to do the best for my team,” said Mackenzie. “I definitely felt the pressure, but my horse is amazing. She’s a very seasoned horse and gives me a lot of confidence.”

The silver medal went to Zone 4, represented by Adele Dewar (Ocala, Fla.), Sophia Segesman (Aiken, S.C.), Jesus Alejandro Rigu (Loxahatchee, Fla.), and Ryan Haselden (Cumming, Ga.). Zone 7/8 represented by Carlysle Drosos (Budas, Tex.), Isabella Uhrig (Greenwood Village, Colo.), Haley Honegger (Elizabeth, Colo.), and Violet Rheingold (Boulder, Colo.) took bronze. 

The Children’s division brought many NAYC first-timers to Traverse City, including bronze medal team member Isabella Uhrig. 

“As it is my first time here, my goal was to have fun with my horse and build up my partnership for next year,” Uhrig said about her partnership with 2011 Zangersheide gelding Kapow (Brainpower x Rebel II Z), owned by Laura Evans. 

Source: Press Release from Traverse City Horse Shows

Photos: © TCHS / Megan Giese Photography / Andrew Ryback Photography

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