2016 NAJYRC: The Road to Colorado

I'm Jenna Upchurch and I have been hooked on horses since I was 4 years old. After 5 years of riding hunter/jumpers and then making the switch to dressage in 2010, I found a love for the discipline. When I started taking lessons on the school horses at a local hunter/jumper barn I never dreamed my journey would lead me here. In 2016, I am thrilled to say for the second year in a row I have qualified to represent my region at the North American Junior & Young Rider Championships (NAJYRC) ,also known as Junior Olympics, in Parker, CO!

Since my freshman year of high school I made the plan to graduate early in order to give myself time to focus on dressage. In December of 2015, that plan became a reality as I began to live 6 days a week in Illinois at StarWest Dressage, 2 hours from my home in St. Louis. At the same time, my parents made the incredible investment in my riding career when we welcomed Greystoke, an 11 year old Oldenburg gelding, to our family. As we learned to become a team in 5 short months, we launched into the qualifying season. With all my time dedicated to my amazing partner, we saw great success and have ended our qualifying season as the current Number 1 Junior Dressage combination in the country. Although, the ranking lists will continue to change until August, I am blessed to be able to hold this position for any amount of time!

We have begun to look towards July when we make the near 900 mile trip to Colorado for the 2016 NAJYRC! As with most horse shows, there are significant expenses including entries, hotels, travel, and training. Competing at these international championships is no small feat and my team needs all the support we can find to help make the trip possible. Please help support Oz and I on the road to Colorado! Donations are tax deductible!