Parker, Colo.—July 29

In 2014, Nicholas Hansen listened as his veterinarian told him some devastating news about his mount, Ritter Benno. The horse had a stifle injury, and the chances he’d come back to full dressage work? They were not good.

But fast forward to today, when Hansen and “Ritter” led the victory gallop for the FEI Young Rider Individual test at the Adequan FEI North American Junior and Young Rider Championships, gold medal draped around Hansen’s neck, and Ritter outfitted in a championship cooler. 

Parker, Colo.—July 28

When you can hardly stay on your horse jumping a 1.20-meter course, you don’t expect to shine at the 1.40-meter level. But Alexandra Ozymy did. 

“I think it’s so funny, in almost exactly a year I went from falling off in the low juniors to now, here we are,” Ozymy, 18, said with a laugh.

Parker, Colo—July 28

After a day of FEI Junior Team tests at the Adequan FEI North American Junior and Young Rider Championships, Region 3 triumphed over Region 4 and the combined team from Regions 1 and 6 with a final tally of 65.76 percent.  

Parker, Colo.—July 27

Mallory Chambers found herself in a place she never thought she’d be Wednesday afternoon at the Colorado Horse Park: riding her horse, Urithmic, around the ring at the Adequan/FEI North American Junior and Young Rider Championships, a gold medal around her neck and a blue cooler draped over “Uri’s" haunches.