Parker, CO - August 3, 2000 - Equestrian action continued today at the 2000 North American Young Riders' Championships (NAYRC), Presented by State Line Tack, at High Prairie Farms Equestrian Center in Parker, CO. All three disciplines - show jumping, dressage, and eventing -are now underway.

Show Jumping
Mexico and Canada are standing atop the leader board in the CSIOY first individual qualifying competition. Juan Carlos Franco of the Mexico South team and his brave horse, Omadon, are in first place with a time of 83.29 seconds. Representing British Columbia, Canada, Lindsay Maclean and Caldero are in second place, while Keean White and Zack of the Ontario team are in third.

Carly Campell-Cooper of Puslinch, Ontario, and her horse, Rex Get Busy, a Dutch Warmblood gelding won the CSI-JY first individual qualifying competition in 80.26 seconds. Dan Urban of Elkhorn, NE and Ichabod Crane took the blue ribbon in the non-championship jump-off.

Dressage
The team championship was cut short by torrential downpours in the afternoon and will be continued on Friday morning. This has caused a change in the schedule. The team championship will be followed by the consolation round, while the individual championship will take place on Saturday.

Eventing
In CCI-YR* competition, Katie Cyr of Gig Harbor, WA, and her Thoroughbred, Holy Mackerel, lead after the dressage phase with 51.40 penalty points. The CCI-YR** dressage phase begins Friday morning.

NAYRC Facts
The premier equestrian competition in North America for young riders, age 16-21, equestrians come from the United States, Canada, Mexico, Central America, Puerto Rico, and the Caribbean Islands to vie for the Championships. NAYRC riders compete in the three Olympic equestrian disciplines of Show Jumping, Dressage, and Eventing. The competition is run under rules of the FEI (Federation Equestre Internationale, the international governing body for equestrian sport).

Many top international and Olympic riders began their successful careers at the NAYRC. Such great riders as Olympic Silver Medalists Greg Best and Karen O'Connor, as well as Megan Johnstone, Elise Haas, Buck Davidson, Abigail Lufkin, Alison Firestone, Chris Kappler, Nicole Shahinian Simpson, Ray Texel, Chris Pratt, Lisa Carlsen Lubitz, Kathleen Raine, Heather Mason, David Wilson, Tiffani Loudon, Mara DePuy, and Julie Gomena all competed at the NAYRC.

NAYRC History
The NAYRC began in 1974 as an eventing challenge between the United States and Canada. A Dressage Championship was added in 1981, and Show Jumping debuted in 1982. The first complete NAYRC was held in British Columbia, Canada in 1982. The 1998 NAYRC was hosted by High Prairie Farms Equestrian Center, while Tempel Farms in Wadsworth, Illinois was the site of the 1994-1997 and 1999 NAYRC.

NAYRC On Television
If you can't join the excitement of the NAYRC at High Prairie Farms Equestrian Center, you can still watch it on TV. Both the Outdoor Life Network (OLN) and Fox Sports will broadcast the competition. Fox Sports coverage airs on Sunday, August 27 at 10:00 a.m. (MDT).

Further Information Contact: Hallie McEvoy (802)233-2415 High Prairie Farms Equestrian Center is located on Bayou Gulch Road, just off Parker Road, in Parker. The beautiful facility is perfect for a family picnic while watching talented horses and riders compete. Exciting equestrian action at the NAYRC continues daily through Sunday and admission is FREE Thursday and Friday, $6 per day on Saturday and Sunday (or $10 for both days), and children 11 and under are free each day. For more information, please call High Prairie Farms Equestrian Center at (303)841-5550 or go to www.youngriders.org or highprairiefarms.com on the Internet.