2008 AQHA YOUTH WORLD CUP

TRAIL, DAY TWO

BY CHRISTINE HAMILTON, FIELD EDITOR

Carolin Lenz and Stay Bay Lucy repeated a win in trail on July 13 for Team Germany.

Jessica Vangenechten of Team Belgium took second place in the second round of trail competition.

TEAM GERMANY FIRST

Show organizers shifted the second trail competition from July 13 to before the reining on July 12, in hopes of easing the next day's schedule. From 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. in an open draw, riders made their way over to the Western Fair Sports Centre where the hockey rink ice has been replaced by dirt. Carolin Lenz won first again for Team Germany, maneuvering Stay Bay Lucy through the Tim Kimura trail pattern.

Tell me about today’s trail go.

She was good. However, I think (we) had three plunks on the poles, but she is a really good horse.

You’ve ridden three different horses in three different disciplines, how do you do that?

I ride at home a lot of horses, our own and we have a riding stable there and I have the possibility of riding different horses. My advantage is to ride different horses.

Fun Fact: Be sure to read more about Carolin's first trail win, and her second place finishes in western riding on the first day of showing and in cutting on July 11.

TEAM BELGIUM SECOND

Team Belgium's Jessica Vangenechten captured second place in day two of trail, riding Tabu On You owned by Catherine Lemieux of Val Caron, Ontario. We found her behind Team Belgium's stalls, fresh after the awards presentation. She was on the phone spreading the good news.

Tell me how your pattern went.

It went great, actually. When I started to go in, the owner helped me a little bit with how I should ride the horse, and it helped me a lot. I really had the horse ready. She went over the poles right; she paid attention to me. Some parts I thought were not that good, but when I saw the video afterward, it looked so nice! I didn’t ride trail like this before, never. I was really happy.

Tell me about your background in trail.

I don’t do a lot of trail with my horses, but I like to do trail. If I (ever) have a trail horse, I am going to do trail if I can. I have one young horse that I am starting trail with, and she’s doing pretty good. I did trail in the United States two years ago in the 2006 Youth World Cup, and I was placed good, but I had a really good trail horse. It was awesome.

If you were going to tell someone back home what this experience has been like, what would you want them to know?

That you can learn to know a horse in a short period of time, and you can really trust them. If you trust them, they trust you and they do everything for you. If you have a good connection with your horse, they are going to do anything for you. I really, really believe that.

What is left for you to show in on day two?

I am going to do the showmanship, horsemanship, hunter under saddle, hunt seat equitation, western riding and western pleasure. Tomorrow is going to be the biggest day. I am happy, though.

Fun fact: Jessica,18, also participated in the 2006 AQHA Youth World Cup in Amarillo. Her father, Marcel, is Team Belgium's manager, and has been a long time supporter of the team and Belgian Quarter Horse youth.