photo by US Equestrian
Maryland young riders Ryan Keefe (Sandy Spring) and Tayler Stewart (Damascus) competed at The Event at Rebecca Farm in Kalispell, Montana, during the Adequan FEI North American Youth Championships, July 18-22. The pair of Maryland natives were part of the winning Area II CICOY2* team alongside Alexa Lapp and Olivia Dutton of Pennsylvania.
Ryan rode Flintstar, an 18-year-old Thoroughbred gelding owned by her mother, Rumsey. Ryan and Flintstar have been consistently placing in the top 10 at various events up and down the east coast. This spring, the pair placed second at the Fair Hill International. On dressage day, the pair earned a 35.4 to sit in eighth place. A double clean go around the cross-country course moved them up into fourth place. Even with one rail dropping in show jumping, they finished the event in fourth place on a final score of 39.4.
Tayler has represented Area II at these championships on several occasions, and returns to the CIC2* team aboard Ideal Contini, a 15-year-old Westphalian gelding owned by her father, Tyler Stewart. This past spring, Tayler and Ideal Contini moved up to Advanced, most recently completing the Jersey Fresh CIC3*. At the NAYC, Tayler put in an impressive dressage test to score a 31.2 and move into second place, less than a point behind first. She also jumped double clean on cross-country day to remain in second. Tayler held on to second with one rail dropping in show jumping to finish on a final score of 35.2.
The Area II CIC2* team dominated the competition from start to finish never giving up the lead and won by nearly 20 points.
photo by US Eventing Association
