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Sunday, August 3, 2008

North American Young Rider Dressage Individual Championships
By Lynndee Kemmet for DressageDaily

Chelsea Pederson Takes Bronze as Rider – and Trainer

Chelsea Pederson, the bronze medal winner in this year's Young Rider Individual Championships, was especially pleased with her placing as she did it on a horse she's trained from the start. Pederson earned the bronze with H.S. With Honors, a horse she has had since he was four. Their score was 67.90 percent.

"We've done all the training together and it's an amazing feeling to know that we can make it here and hold our own. We worked a lot on basics so he has really learned to listen to me. And, we've got a great bond going because we've been together for so long," said Pederson, 20, from Gig Harbor, Washington.

Pederson did have some errors in her Individual Test, just as she did in her Team Test, and she took full responsibility for the mistakes saying H.S. With Honors, a nine-year-old Hungarian Warmblood sired by Wistar, had done his job. "I probably didn't help him because this is my first year and I'm a little nervous," she said. During her Team Test, she forgot some of her changes and in her Individual Test, she forgot her rein back. 

"Who would have thought I'd go off course in Young Riders because I haven't all season, but it happens. You just have to laugh at it and everybody understands and everyone is really friendly about it," she said. Pederson said all young riders should strive to qualify for the NAJYRC because if they make it, the experience of competing at such a high-pressure event will make all other shows seem so much easier and hence, young riders – such as her – won't be as nervous about showing. "You'll go back to other shows and will think nothing of it."

For Pederson, earning the bronze medal allowed her to fulfill the one real goal she had for her trip to NAJYRC – a victory gallop. "I was so excited to do the victory gallop. I came here and that's what I wanted to do and I was so excited about that. It was great."

Results NAJYRC Dressage Young Rider Individual

• 1 - Katie Johnson - Millenium - 69.050%
• 2 - Brianna Dutton - Tibet - 68.450%
• 3 - Chelsea Pederson - H.S. With Honors - 67.900%
• 4 - Kassandra Barteau - Gabriella - 67.550%
• 5 - Laura Noyes - Syncro - 67.300%
• 6 - Kristen Becker - Ramses - 67.200%
• 7 - Sarah Cunningham - Ivan - 67.150%
• 8 - Jessica Blackmon - Irnas 65.950%
• 8 - Christine Stephenson - Charly 285 - 65.950%
• 10 - Jaimie Holland - Fleurina - 65.550%
• 11 - Brittany McCarthy - Cinbad - 65.250%
• 12 - Chelsea Seburn - Rolex - 65.000%
• 13 - Amy Jager - Jive - 64.850%
• 14 - Julie McKean - Stravinsky - 64.700%
• 15 - Emily Wagner - Wagnis - 64.250%
• 16 - Anya Bershad - Wonderboy - 64.050%
• 17 - Holly Bergay - Soliloquy - 63.700%
• 18 - Thomas Walker - Grundsteins Legacy - 63.700%
• 19 - Danielle McKinnon - Noma Tender - 63.500%
• 20 - Bonnie Efird - Magie Noir - 63.500%
• 21 - Jade Deter - Mastermind - 63.250%
• 22 - Jessica Zoskey - FA Patriot +- 63.200%
• 23 - Jillian Costello - Kismo - 62.250%
• 24 - Rachel Campbell - Wandango - 62.150%
• 25 - Meagan Davis - Cachet - 61.750%
• 26 - Maya Dalla Valle - Tiolivi - 61.250%
• 27 - Alexa Rice - Maarten - 59.850%
• 28 - Rhiannon Williams - Rockstar - 59.700%
• 29 - Dan Kreitl - Fruhlich - 59.250%
• 30 - Elisabeth Steel - Caramello 7 - 59.100%
• 31 - Meredith Kenyan - Rambunctious - 58.750%
• 32 - Kristina Wang - Belladiva - 58.550%
• 33 - Sara Winkleman - Icarus - 57.800%