Welcome to the information and resource page for Reining athletes and supporters striving to represent the United States of America at the FEI North American Junior & Young Rider Championships (NAJYRC).
In 2016, the NAJYRC will be held in Parker, CO (outside Denver) tentatively schedule from July 26th to the 31st.
The NAJYRC is a long-standing tradition to name the continent's champion equestrians on an annual basis and is also a proven training ground for future Olympians and FEI World Champions. Young equestrians come from the United States, Bermuda, Canada, Mexico, Puerto Rico, and the Caribbean Islands to vie for team and individual FEI medals in the three Olympic equestrian disciplines of Show Jumping, Dressage, and Eventing, and the FEI World Equestrian Games disciplines of Reining and Endurance. Many of North America’s top equestrians who now regularly represent their country on Olympic, World Championship and Nations Cup teams got their first taste of International experience at NAJYRC including Olympic medalists Greg Best, Karen O'Connor, Chris Kappler and McLain Ward. Reining household names like Mandy McCutcheon also got their start competing at the NAJTRC.
We have organized this page into sections to help you discover exactly what steps to take depending on your role.
Definitions:
Juniors are defined by the FEI as athletes competing in the year in which they turn 14 until the year in which they turn 18 years old.
Young Riders are defined by the FEI as athletes competing in the year in which they turn 16 until the year in which they turn 21.
Athletes that fall within the overlap period of 16-18 years old may choose which of the two division they will compete, however if an athlete steps up to the Young Rider division they cannot go back to Juniors until the start of the next competition year.
Similarly, athletes who compete as Seniors cannot compete in Juniors or Young Risers until the start of the next competition year.
Step-By-Step Tasks for the Road to Denver in 2016:
Junior & Young Rider Athletes:
1) Ensure that you are a current member in good standing with USA Reining and that your horse is recorded with USA Reining. USA Reining is the sport's affiliate to the United States Equestrian Federation, the National Governing Body for Equestrian Sport in the USA. Click on the membership or horse buttons to the left in order to accomplish this.
2) Make plans to attend as many USA Reining shows as you can within the qualifying period (now until June 10, 2016) to accumulate points and ensure that you are a nationally ranked rider within your age bracket. This will give you an advantage when teams are formed.
3) Make plans to attend your region's NRHA Affiliate Regional Championship event and enter the USA Reining - NAJYRC Junior & Young Rider Qualifying class. You'll find it on the list of classes for this event in your region.
4) If you are a ranked rider at the end of 2015 and meet other certain criteria, you can apply for two different grants in order to attend on behalf of the U.S. Reining Team:
A) USA Reining "Road To Denver" Accreditation Grant - which allows you grant money and assistance in acquiring an FEI passport for your horse and all other USEF and FEI required accreditation prior to the NAJYRC. (NOTE: Pending Board approval - tentative plans)
B) USEF Travel Grant - awarded to athletes representing the USA to help with travel costs to the NAJYRC.
5) Declare your intention to compete according to the USEF Selection Procedures. We at USA Reining will help you with this when the time comes in 2016. Once you are a ranked rider, we will communicate with you in 2016 with plenty of time for you to accomplish this step.
6) Train hard, enjoy your horse and follow the rules as you earn your place on the prestigious U.S. Reining Team. It will be an amazing experience and a very rewarding championship. Don't forget to thank your parents or guardians along the way!
Parents/Guardians:
1) Please read through and become familiar with the steps above for a Junior or Young Rider athlete and let us know if you have any questions. Click Here to Email USA Reining with any inquries.
2) Encourage the events you attend to add USA Reining classes into the schedule. There is no approval or application fee in order to hold USA Reining classes and every time your young athlete shows it helps them gain ranking.
3) Begin to form a Booster Club in your affiliate and/or your region to collectively support young people from your area all the way to the international level at the NAJYRC.
4) Save the dates for the 2016 NAJYRC: July 26-31, 2016.
5) Let us know if you have any questions or concerns. We are here to help.
6) Contact USA Reining if you are interested in serving as your region's team captain or youth advisor.
Organizers of Reining Events:
1) Give the Juniors and Young Riders at your show support by offering USA Reining classes, which allows them to qualify. There is no approval fee for these additions to your schedule and the classes may run concurrently with your NRHA and/or breed youth classes.
2) Assist is the gathering of resources for teams in your region. Supply a place for boosters to meet, assist in gathering support funding if needed and help draw attention to your region's team so that the adults in our industry can help Juniors and Young Riders achieve international success and start them on a path for a gold medal future.
Officials:
1) if you have not done so already, get your USA Reining, USEF, and FEI accreditation and encourage the events you contract with to include USA Reining qualifying classes at their events.
Helpful Links:
NAJYRC official website
Direct link to required membership
Direct link to required horse recording
In 2016, the NAJYRC will be held in Parker, CO (outside Denver) tentatively schedule from July 26th to the 31st.
The NAJYRC is a long-standing tradition to name the continent's champion equestrians on an annual basis and is also a proven training ground for future Olympians and FEI World Champions. Young equestrians come from the United States, Bermuda, Canada, Mexico, Puerto Rico, and the Caribbean Islands to vie for team and individual FEI medals in the three Olympic equestrian disciplines of Show Jumping, Dressage, and Eventing, and the FEI World Equestrian Games disciplines of Reining and Endurance. Many of North America’s top equestrians who now regularly represent their country on Olympic, World Championship and Nations Cup teams got their first taste of International experience at NAJYRC including Olympic medalists Greg Best, Karen O'Connor, Chris Kappler and McLain Ward. Reining household names like Mandy McCutcheon also got their start competing at the NAJTRC.
We have organized this page into sections to help you discover exactly what steps to take depending on your role.
Definitions:
Juniors are defined by the FEI as athletes competing in the year in which they turn 14 until the year in which they turn 18 years old.
Young Riders are defined by the FEI as athletes competing in the year in which they turn 16 until the year in which they turn 21.
Athletes that fall within the overlap period of 16-18 years old may choose which of the two division they will compete, however if an athlete steps up to the Young Rider division they cannot go back to Juniors until the start of the next competition year.
Similarly, athletes who compete as Seniors cannot compete in Juniors or Young Risers until the start of the next competition year.
Step-By-Step Tasks for the Road to Denver in 2016:
Junior & Young Rider Athletes:
1) Ensure that you are a current member in good standing with USA Reining and that your horse is recorded with USA Reining. USA Reining is the sport's affiliate to the United States Equestrian Federation, the National Governing Body for Equestrian Sport in the USA. Click on the membership or horse buttons to the left in order to accomplish this.
2) Make plans to attend as many USA Reining shows as you can within the qualifying period (now until June 10, 2016) to accumulate points and ensure that you are a nationally ranked rider within your age bracket. This will give you an advantage when teams are formed.
3) Make plans to attend your region's NRHA Affiliate Regional Championship event and enter the USA Reining - NAJYRC Junior & Young Rider Qualifying class. You'll find it on the list of classes for this event in your region.
4) If you are a ranked rider at the end of 2015 and meet other certain criteria, you can apply for two different grants in order to attend on behalf of the U.S. Reining Team:
A) USA Reining "Road To Denver" Accreditation Grant - which allows you grant money and assistance in acquiring an FEI passport for your horse and all other USEF and FEI required accreditation prior to the NAJYRC. (NOTE: Pending Board approval - tentative plans)
B) USEF Travel Grant - awarded to athletes representing the USA to help with travel costs to the NAJYRC.
5) Declare your intention to compete according to the USEF Selection Procedures. We at USA Reining will help you with this when the time comes in 2016. Once you are a ranked rider, we will communicate with you in 2016 with plenty of time for you to accomplish this step.
6) Train hard, enjoy your horse and follow the rules as you earn your place on the prestigious U.S. Reining Team. It will be an amazing experience and a very rewarding championship. Don't forget to thank your parents or guardians along the way!
Parents/Guardians:
1) Please read through and become familiar with the steps above for a Junior or Young Rider athlete and let us know if you have any questions. Click Here to Email USA Reining with any inquries.
2) Encourage the events you attend to add USA Reining classes into the schedule. There is no approval or application fee in order to hold USA Reining classes and every time your young athlete shows it helps them gain ranking.
3) Begin to form a Booster Club in your affiliate and/or your region to collectively support young people from your area all the way to the international level at the NAJYRC.
4) Save the dates for the 2016 NAJYRC: July 26-31, 2016.
5) Let us know if you have any questions or concerns. We are here to help.
6) Contact USA Reining if you are interested in serving as your region's team captain or youth advisor.
Organizers of Reining Events:
1) Give the Juniors and Young Riders at your show support by offering USA Reining classes, which allows them to qualify. There is no approval fee for these additions to your schedule and the classes may run concurrently with your NRHA and/or breed youth classes.
2) Assist is the gathering of resources for teams in your region. Supply a place for boosters to meet, assist in gathering support funding if needed and help draw attention to your region's team so that the adults in our industry can help Juniors and Young Riders achieve international success and start them on a path for a gold medal future.
Officials:
1) if you have not done so already, get your USA Reining, USEF, and FEI accreditation and encourage the events you contract with to include USA Reining qualifying classes at their events.
Helpful Links:
NAJYRC official website
Direct link to required membership
Direct link to required horse recording
NRHA Affiliate Regional Championship Dates and Locations:
South Central: September 1-6 : Tulsa, OK
East Central: September 10-13: Springfield, OH
Mountain: September 24-27: Denver, CO
Southeast: September 24-27: Williamston, NC
Northwest: October 14-18: Nampa, ID
Southwest: October 21-25: Burbank, CA
Northeast: October 23-25: Syracuse, NY
North Central: October 30 – November 1: Winona, MN
Map of NRHA Regions:
South Central: September 1-6 : Tulsa, OK
East Central: September 10-13: Springfield, OH
Mountain: September 24-27: Denver, CO
Southeast: September 24-27: Williamston, NC
Northwest: October 14-18: Nampa, ID
Southwest: October 21-25: Burbank, CA
Northeast: October 23-25: Syracuse, NY
North Central: October 30 – November 1: Winona, MN
Map of NRHA Regions:
