The championship, which took place on July 31 at the Colorado Horse Park, saw the Ontario team, comprised of Jager, Jaimie Holland of Caledon, Jade Deter of Kemptville and Danielle McKinnon of Aurora, finish third with a total score of 4,374.

According to Dressage Canada, Jager led the team with the highest score of 66.133 per cent atop her Dutch Warmblood gelding, Jive.

Upon her return home to Puslinch, the 19-year-old elite rider told the Review that she was happy with her team's result.

"We got bronze, so it was really good," she said.

Jager arrived one week prior to the event's kickoff to better acclimatize herself to the altitude. Jive, explained Jager, didn't seem to be bothered by the climate or elevation. "He was so good the whole week," she said of her 17-year-old horse's performance at the show.

"He really pushed through; it's like he knew he was at a big competition," said Jager.

On the first day of the competition, Jager took part in the team test. Although she did not perform as well the following day, she did place in the top 15 riders for the individual test, which resulted in her qualification for the freestyle event. She finished 13th in the freestyle.

Jager hopes to qualify for next year's installment of the North American Junior and Young Riders' Championships. And in order to do so, she will spend a great amount of time in the ring, training.

To be a competitor at the 2009 championships, Jager will have to compete at various shows to earn the required number of points. Her goal is to continue training with Jive as well as her other horse, eight-year-old Key West, to get both horses up to the next level.

"The training process begins all over again," she said.

Although she has faith in her younger horse, Jager said there is a lot of work to be done to build his confidence. "It's not that he (Key West) can't do it; he just needs to be really comfortable with me," she explained. "Key West and I are trying to move up the ranks together. It takes a lot of patience to work together as a team."

Starting her first year of post-secondary education at the University of Guelph in September, Jager anticipates juggling her studies and her training regime will prove to be a bit of a challenge, but she's up for the task.

Her next show is slated for May, 2009.

For more information on the 2008 North American Junior and Young Riders' Championships, visit www.youngriders.org.