2000 North American Young Riders Championships
Parker, Colorado, USA

Barr and Diesel, American visitors in Braine L'Alleud

For NAYRC dressage team silver medallists Amanda Barr and Nicole Diesel their trip-of-the-year to North American Young Riders Championships, August 2000, got an unexpected spin-off. Both Region 7 young riders received a personal invitation from Olympic judge Linda Zang to compete at the CDI-YR in Braine L'Alleud, Belgium. Of course, they took the opportunity with both hands.

At the NAYRC in Parker, CO, Amanda Barr rode Roma, a bay Deutsches Reitpferd-bred gelding by Rauech, in one of his first major competitions. The combination ended 14th in the overall ranking, scoring 62.607% in the kur, 63.385% in the team 56.947% in the individual test. In their best test, the team competition, Roma lost some suspension in the extended trot and could have stayed more uphill in the flying changes. The collected canter work was exceptional, but could have been more electric from behind. Nicole Diesel rode the Dutch warmblood Jamelone in the team test to a 60.67%. The overall impression in that test was that Jamelone lacked collection in the trot traversal movements and canter pirouettes. Nevertheless, Diesel had a soft and steady contact with the bit. Both riders won the silver medal with their region 7 team. However, the fun for them was not over when the NAYRC ended on August 5th, 2000.

Image copyrighted: Mary Phelps - reproduction without permission/payment

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