Area IV NAYC Team
The Adequan/FEI North American Youth Championships (NAYC) competition is held annually in the summer. Teams from all areas of the U.S. as well as from Canada, Mexico, Bermuda, the Bahamas and the Caribbean are invited to compete in this international event. The championship models the format of the Olympic Games. In the Eventing competition, each area will send a team and/individuals to represent their area at the CCI-L** and CCI-S*** levels. From very early on, many young riders see this as a potential goal for themselves as they progress through the levels of competition. In 2019, The Event at Rebecca Farm is also offering a Training 3-Day Team Competition for Young Riders as part of the North American Youth Championships experience.
Kate McGown
Mya Poulos
My name is Mya Poulos, I am 15 years old and live in Barrington Hills, Illinois. I train with Julie Bryer, Claire Yates, and Amelia McArdle. I have been riding since I was 4 and started eventing at 11. I have had my horse Guy’s Elegant Miss (Ellie) for a year and a half. Ellie is an 11 year old Canadian Warmblood that has competed up to Advanced. I hope to one day compete at the Olympics and Kentucky Three Day Event! Mya will represent Area IV Young Riders in the T3D competition.
Annika Weisjahn
Annika is 20 years old from Hugo, MN but is currently living in Des Moines, IA to ride with her trainer Meaghan Marinovich and attend Drake University where she just finished her sophomore year. Annika has had horses and been riding since she was very young, she started off competing in the hunter and jumper rings before discovering Pony Club where she learned about eventing. She has been eventing for the past 6 years and has competed through the preliminary level. Annika will be riding Wayward Son (Loki) owned by the Spencer family. Loki is an 8y/o 17.0 hh OTTB. Annika will represent Area IV Young Riders in the T3D competition
Benjamin Noonan
Hello, my name is Benjamin Noonan and I am very proud to say that my horse, Keep Kitty, and I have qualified for NAYC in the CCI2*-L.
My parents gave me “Kitty” for my twelfth Christmas present, after they got a call from my coaches saying that they have found the “perfect horse”. My parents didn’t quite know how the whole horse thing was going to play out, since they have never ridden before, but ever since I was ten, I knew NAYC was an event I wanted to attend.
I am going to be a Sophomore in high school this year. Since seventh grade I have been traveling during school breaks to train/compete in either Virginia, Florida or Missouri. I have been fortunate to train with who I feel are the top trainers in the country. They have molded me to the rider I am today. I met one of them at a clinic in Louisiana when I was eleven years old. She invited me to come visit her in Virginia and the path toward competing in Young Riders began.
Benjamin will represent Area IV Young Riders in the CCI**-L competition.
Caitlyn Ruud
My name is Caitlyn Ruud and I am a 16 year old from Racine, Wisconsin. My horse is an 11 year old Selle Français named Up To You De Lorage (but his barn name is Kevin)! We have competed through the intermediate level together and are very exited to represent Area IV in the CCI2*-L this year at Rebecca Farms!
Emma Fettig
I have been riding for 16 years now and 9 of those years have been with my current horse, Satori. I couldn’t have asked for a better partner. In order to get to where I am today I owe it to him, my family, and my trainers. Cindy Bonamarte, Brad Hall, and Kenny Dierks have given me so much in information and through faith in me and Satori. Life is as great as it is because of my support system and it couldn’t get any better. I sometimes ask what that life is to me, and, well, quite frankly I live to ride. Emma will represent Area IV Young Riders in the CCI3*-S competition.
2019 USEA Area IV Grooms
Merideth Payton
nickname: Crew
Crew began riding at age 9, her first horse was a retired reining quarter horse, Paid Gun. With the help of trainer Carrie Montgomery, Next Level Dressage and Eventing, She successfully transitioned Gunny into eventing horse, competing in beginner novice. She purchased her new horse in March 2018, Irish Sport Horse, Manu Forti’s Royal Blue a.k.a. Windsor. She began competition at starter as he was new to eventing and just turned 6. He has progressed to Beginner Novice. She is a member of the United States Pony Club, Silver Springs In Midwest Region for the past 5 years. Has achieved C2 traditional certification. She plans to progress and compete through the levels of eventing.