An unprecedented sixteen FEI Juniors competed for qualifying scores at the Toronto Cadora Show on May 12 & 13! Two more riders achieved the required qualifying scores to put them on the Short List, and even those who did not, were good humored “team players”.

Team Coach, Albrecht Heidemann, attended the show to watch “his kids” in action. He seemed to be everywhere; in the warm up ring coaching riders without personal coaches, working with personal coaches to help their riders, watching tests, chatting with parents and even warming up an elite rider or two! With sensitive and adaptive style he has achieved huge acceptance amongst the riders and personal coaches. Congratulations, Albrecht! And congratulations to all of the Juniors, their mothers who worked so hard on Mother’s Day, their supporters and to the organizers of the Wine and Cheese Fundraiser for the Juniors. A total of one thousand dollars was raised thanks to generous show spectators, riders, parents and our fabulous show announcer Paul Hillier!

The count down has begun…just a short month from now the North American Junior Dressage Championships will happen at Paxton Farms (June 28, 29, 30 & July 1 2001!) The final qualifying show in southern Ontario will be Palgrave (June 1, 2, 3) and it is hoped that riders with only one set of the required scores will be able to achieve another and be short listed. The Silent Auction fundraiser and Cocktail Party for the juniors will also be a huge event at that show so join the Juniors and come BID, BOOGIE AND BUY with them at Palgrave.

~Misha Dubbeld