Zone 5/7 Earn Gold Medal in Young Rider Team Final

The Young Rider Team Final saw a changeup at the top of the order as competition got underway, with another challenging track by Anderson Lima (BRA). Two teams jumped to clear slates in round one: Zone 4 and Zone 5/7, but it was Zone 5/7 that held the lead on just 5.68 penalties coming into the final day of team competition. 

As more riders jumped, rails continued to fall, even for top-two placed athletes in the first qualifier, Tanner Korotkin (Zone 4) and Sam Walker (CAN). As Canada 1 came home on 16 faults through both rounds, their team members, Eric Krawitt (Okotoks, AB), Lauren Esdale (Seagrave, ON), Sara Tindale (Campbellville, ON), and Walker (Nobleton, ON), brought home the bronze medal. With a surprising four faults for Korotkin (Wellington, Fla.), Zone 4 ended up with the silver along with teammates Sheer Levitin (Wellington, Fla.), Elli Yeager (Wellington, Fla.), and Zayna Rizvi (Wellington, Fla.). 

The eight faults in round two for Zone 4 put Zone 5/7 into the automatic gold-medal position, even with Charlise Casas still to jump. Their total score of 9.68 and only one rail to their total score over the two rounds of jumping put Casas and Mustique VZ along with teammates Alexandra Pielet aboard Hyperbolics, Alexander Alston on Prestigious, and Sofia Cady with Deleyn atop the podium.

“My horse is one of the most competitive horses I've ever had,” Casas said of her mount, Mustique VZ, a horse she acquired from her trainer, Kent Farrington. “I know if I do it right, so will she. It's the first time she's ever done it and my third time here, so I have the knowledge to try and help her out. 

“Kent just told me to keep my head cool,” Casas continued. “One of the things I struggle with most is mental discipline. I get excited and let stress or pressure get the best of me. Today he told me to keep my cool and not stress about the weight that the rounds carry, and just do my best and hopefully that’ll be enough.”

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