USEA AREA X YOUNG RIDERS. The Area X Young Riders Program has re-grouped, committees are being formed and we have been very busy with behind the scenes planning and organizing.  Here are a few things that we have accomplished.  We have identified four 2010 NAYRC candidates from our current 25 members, the Young Rider Representatives have been chosen and the Team Coach and our first clinician have all been selected by the members.
 
Current 2010 NAYRC Candidates
·         Ellie Brown – New Mexico (2*)
·         Lindsay Crnkovich – Arizona (2*)
·         Alistaire Ruggiero – Arizona (1*)
·         Catherine Ruggiero – Arizona (2*)
 
Young Rider Representatives
Lindsay Crnkovich – Arizona
Claire Parker – New Mexico
Need a Volunteer - Nevada
 

ICP Level III Certified NAYRC Team Coach - Natalie Rooney-Pitts

1994 NAYRC Gold Medal winner

1998 USET Long Listed Rider

Late 1990’s started own eventing training business “Four Star Farm” in California

2001 USET debut at Burghley CCI4* placing 4th

2002 Rolex CCI4* placing 6th and the Alternate for the WEG in Jerez Spain

2003 USDF Bronze Medal winner and ICP Certification achieved

2004 World Cup Final in Pau France highest placed American and graduated with Distinction the USDF L-Program for Judging Dressage

2004 Gave birth to her first child

2004 Initiated the “Four Star Pony Club” in California

2006 Gave Birth to her second child

 
Clinician - Nick Cwick  (Giving Back to the Young Riders)

1997 Began riding and training young and difficult horses for Ira Schulman

1998 NAYRC 7th Place and USET Long Listed Rider

1999 Area X Intermediate Champion and Young Rider of the Year

2001 Area X Young Rider of the Year and High Prairie CIC1* 2nd place

2002 Galway Downs CIC2* 1st place, Camino Real CCI2* 13th Place and Assistant Trainer to Yves Sauvignon at Oakridge Training Stables in California.

2004 Galway Downs CIC2* USEA Gold Cup 1st Place

2005 Galway Downs CCI2* 1st Place and became a training partner with Dayna Lynd-Pugh at Flying Tail Farm in California

2005-2008 Advanced, One, Two and Three Star top placings

2008-2009 Buck Davidson’s Rider & Assistant, ranked 31st on the USEA Leader Board.

2009 Rolex CCI4* Featured Rider, One and Two Star top placings, started own eventing training business “Capstone Eventing” in Georgia.

 
Both Natalie and Nick are very excited to be working with our young riders and with the rest of the members of Area X.  Natalie has offered to coach our team at the NAJYRC without charging a daily fee for her services!  All she asks is that we pay her expenses.  Both Natalie and Nick have offered to “Give Back to the Young Riders” by not charging a fee for the registered Young Riders who participate in their clinics and to only take a portion of the other participants entry fees so that each of their clinics will realize a profit to help the Area X Young Riders achieve their fundraising goals.  I am so very appreciative that they are happy to give to our Area.  Please let me know if you would like me to send you their Biographies or you can visit each of their web sites:  Natalie www.fourstarfarm.com   Nick www.CapstoneEventing.com.
 

For our first educational and fundraising effort we will be hosting a Nick Cwick “Gives Back to the Young Riders” clinic on Saturday & Sunday December 26 & 27, 2009 in the Phoenix area.  Registered Young Riders will get a nice price break of a $125 entry fee and they will earn Good Standing points in the program for participating in the clinic in addition to earning Good Standing points in the program for bringing in other clinic participants at a $250 entry fee.  So please, put these dates on your calendar and start making a list of those that you want to encourage to participate in our first clinic to help support the Area X Young Riders.  If you are a non-registered rider, please register your membership with the USEA so that you can be a part of the team and you can take advantage of the clinic discounts.   We can provide Gift Certificates for this or any of our upcoming clinics.  What a nice gift to give to someone at the Holidays or for a special occasion.  The clinic entry form is attached.
 

Natalie is looking over the calendar and will be giving me a schedule of dates that she will be available for clinics also.  Since Natalie and Nick have so generously offered their educational services to help our young athletes achieve their fundraising goals, we intend on hosting many clinics with both of them throughout the year in Arizona, New Mexico and Nevada providing we have good participation from the Area.  I am working on contacting additional clinicians suggested by the Young Riders and will update you all as soon as I know who will be coming and when.  
 
Success of the Young Rider Program starts with its members.  They will all have to work together to achieve their goals; their performance and rewards will be based on their Good Standing status within the Program.  We have not finalized the Good Standing parameters for the Program yet but it will likely include:
Number of Young Rider & Parents hours worked within the Program
Serving on a committee
Amount of Donations received, fundraising efforts
Meeting attendance, manning our booth at the Area X horse trials
Grooming for an Area X NAYRC team member, volunteering at the NAYRC
Number of non-registered young rider clinic participants that they bring to each clinic
Number of items they obtain for silent auctions
Thank you cards written to those who donate to the Program
Sadly, all of the Young Riders equipment has either been discarded or cannot be located and will need to be replaced.  If any of you have an easy-up tent in your garage or in storage that you don’t use anymore, please consider donating it to the program for use at the Area horse trials and at our clinics and fundraisers.  We will also need to replace our tables, chairs, rugs, coolers, saddle pads, draperies, PA system, cash box, stall guards, bridle hooks, blanket hangers, XC vest & helmet covers, buckets, scrapers, sponges…  Everything is gone.       
 
Thank you for your support of our young athletes in the past and in the future.
 
Amy B. Cwick
Coordinator
623-533-4833