Welcome to the Ontario Young Rider Team's blog! My teammates and I will try and keep you updated throughout the week with not only our young rider results but the junior results as well.

First of all, a big thank you needs to go out to a couple people. Patricia from ECOGOLD for donating ECOGOLD team saddle pads with the Canadian flag, Mark and Victoria from Equestrian Factory Outlet for the amazing package they put together including our team jackets, Peter Sharpe from Cadillac Fairview and Craig Mauchan from BMO for their donations and support, and everybody who participated in our fundraisers this year. Every little bit counts and we appreciate your support and contributions. I hope I haven't forgot anyone!

I'll start with an introduction of myself just like my teammate, Amy Jager. My name is Jaimie Holland and I am one of the four members of this years Ontario Young Rider team. I am 21 years old and am pursuing an Honours Bachelor of Science Kinesiology degree with a minor in Psychology at McMaster University. My horse, Fleurina, is a 12 year old Westphalian mare out of Floristan I and Nevermind. I have owned "Nina" since she was a four year old and was brought over from Germany by Lori Bell from Norbert Van Laak's barn. Together with the help of my long time coach Tom Dvorak, we have brought Nina up and trained her through the levels from training level to PSG now. Periodically my coach Tom Dvorak has German trainer Norbert Van Laak over for clinics that I also ride in. Nina and I share a close bond because I have had her and ridden her since she was a baby. Nina has a heart of gold and tries her heart out for me every ride. She is a true competitor and has all of the tests and the freestyle pattern memorized - sometimes she thinks she is smarter than me...which may be the case.

Nina and I have represented Canada at the North American Championships four years in a row now, sometimes qualifying at the last show and the last ride only to have personal bests at the championships each year. In 2007 we helped earn the Junior Team Gold Medal in Virginia, followed by the Young Rider Bronze Medal in 2008 in Colorado. This year has been our best so far finally cracking that infamous 70% in the technical tests. Now in our final year of young riders, we're aiming for gold!

It's Sunday night right now as I write this. The trailer is packed, Nina is bathed, and I am just packing my suitcase at home. The trailer will be leaving from my coaches barn at 4am for Lexington, Kentucky tomorrow morning (:s). It should take us just over 12 hours of driving to arrive! Nina is going down with Amy Jager's horse, Key West, and Santana Royakker's horse, Ravallo Son, who both train with my coach, Tom Dvorak, as well. Big congrats to Santana for qualifying at the last show in the last 2 rides. She will be competing on the team with three other riders from out west!

Getting ready for a major competition like this is very exciting, but like Amy mentions, also a lot of work. To prepare for it this year, I have been working with my personal trainer, Kendra Olsen, doing a lot of cross fit workouts to physically prepare. Additionally, I have been working with Sport Psychologist, Dana Sinclair, from Human Performance International since my first year at Juniors to make sure I am mentally prepared. To cap it off, making sure every ride I have a game plan ahead of time of things I want to work on and achieve, and just honing Nina's and my skills and partnership. I can't wait to get there and just ride and have fun!!!!!! I don't know if I will sleep tonight I'm so excited!!!