JustWorld International Combines Charity With Champions at FEI North American Youth Championships
JustWorld Ambassadors from Canada to Guatemala and zones across the United States represented the organization at the 2024 FEI North American Youth Championships, hosted by Traverse City Horse Shows.
Competing in Michigan, July 30-August 4, Ambassadors showed how they combine elite competition with an understanding of the need for philanthropy.
Annika Kriening, who rides for Canada, represents JustWorld International as an Ambassador. Tori Repole Photo
“I’m riding for JustWorld as their mission really resonates with me,” Annika Kriening of Manitoba said.
The 17-year-old joined JustWorld as an Ambassador in January of this year while competing in Wellington, Florida, and she’s been using her social media to spread the word about JWI’s work and mission. At NAYC, she represented Canada in the junior dressage competition.
“Riding for the cause means supporting and raising awareness for children and communities who need it most,” Kriening said. “I’m super proud to rep JustWorld, especially as I compete at NAYC this week.”
Other riders were new to JustWorld, but the mission immediately resonated with some of them, including Jesus Rigu. He applied to be an Ambassador following his experience doing an Adopt A Project as a member of the Zone 4 silver-medal children’s jumping team. On his application, the 12-year-old from Loxahatchee, Florida, said he hopes to be able to help those in need and “get more involved with a reality that nobody talks about.”
Jesus Rigu, Sophia Segesman, Adele Dewar and Ryan Haselden represented Zone 4 on the silver-medal children’s jumping team at the FEI North American Youth Championships, earning $500 to spend in an Adopt A Project activation with JustWorld. Tori Repole Photo
Over the course of three days of team competition, JustWorld connected with medalists from six divisions in jumping and dressage. Like other medal-winning riders, Rigu and teammates Sophia Segesman, Adele Dewar and Ryan Haselden deliberated over the choice of impactful items needed at JustWorld’s partner projects in Cambodia, Guatemala, Honduras and the United States. The Zone 4 team selected to split the $500 they were allocated for their win, sending $250 each to the People Improvement Organization in Cambodia, where the funds will purchase half a ton of rice, and El Patojismo in Guatemala, where the money will stock the health clinic with medical supplies and medications.
“We picked these because we want kids and families to have enough food to go around and then medical supplies so that they can take care of people who are sick when they don’t have enough [resources] to do so,” Haselden said.
The Adopt A Project also struck a chord with parents like Marianne Berger, mother of Allison and Alicia Berger, gold medalists on Regions 3 and 5’s combined young riders dressage team.
“There’s significant value [to Adopt A Project],” Marianne said after watching her daughters participate in one. “They’re all so fortunate to be able to compete at this level, and to teach them to be caring and to be philanthropic to others at this age, for the next 60 years, is so impactful.”
Allison and Alicia Berger (center) debate which project to fund in JustWorld International’s Adopt A Project activation after they won the gold medal in the Young Riders dressage competition with teammates Kat Fuqua and Jessica Nordquist at the FEI North American Youth Championships at Traverse City Horse Shows. Tori Repole Photo
In addition to providing for children in underserved communities, teaching the next generation of young riders to embrace philanthropy is one of JWI’s missions and the impetus behind the Adopt A Project activity.
JustWorld Ambassador Sofia Popescu, 16, learned about JustWorld through Instagram this summer. Representing Canada in her second trip to NAYC, she competed on the pre-junior winning jumping team and earned the opportunity to participate in Adopt A Project.
“I was inspired by the differences [JustWorld] has made inside and outside the equestrian community, which really inspired me to want to become an Ambassador and help get involved in any way I can,” she said.
JustWorld International Ambassador Sofia Popescu helped Canada 1 earn the pre-junior team gold medal at the FEI North American Youth Championships. Traverse City Horse Shows // @megangiesemedia Photo
Popescu and teammates Mathilde Candele, Livia Martin and Taylor Wood used the $700 for their win to fund one month of nutritious meals to 250 elementary students at El Patojismo in Guatemala.
“As athletes, we obviously believe that nutrition is very important, and we’d be thrilled to provide this for these students,” Wood said.
Popescu had previous experience volunteering with a food charity at her former school in British Columbia. “I envision making a difference at JustWorld by sharing different ideas of how I can help. I want to help make a difference in and outside the equestrian world and get the opportunity to teach equestrians of all different ages the way they can as well,” she said. “I hope to inspire more people to become Ambassadors and learn ways they can help our world.”
A Natural Partnership
The opportunity to offer Adopt A Projects to winning teams and the generous visibility at the show—including ringside banners, a jump in the arena, participation in the Parade of Nations and a table in the Cabana Coast Club—came compliments of Matt Morrissey and his family, who own Morrissey Management Group, which runs the Traverse City Horse Shows.
The Morrisseys’ support of JustWorld goes back to the organization’s beginnings, which Matt’s great uncle, Show Jumping Hall of Fame show manager Gene Mische, championed. Morrissey Show Management has welcomed JustWorld to Traverse City Horse Shows for all of their 10 years, and four years ago when the FEI North American Youth Championships came to the show, it was a natural partnership, said Morrissey.
“You’re getting different ages of kids from all across Canada, the U.S., Mexico [and other continental countries],” Morrissey said. “I know quite a few [young riders] are already involved, but it’s also awareness of seeing what JustWorld is doing here, their mission. The Ambassador program [has] a lot of young kids, and it’s a great place to look for new ambassadors. This is an FEI championship, and FEI is an official partner of JustWorld, so it’s a great fit.”
JustWorld International’s visibility at the FEI North American Youth Championships helped reach new riders who learned about the organization’s mission and took home souvenirs. Tori Repole Photo
Traverse City Horse Shows also supported JustWorld with a benefit golf tournament held July 22 at Lochenheath Golf Club. Forty-five players teed off, and, with the support of 10 sponsors, raised $11,715 to go directly to JustWorld’s projects around the globe.
Morrissey helps promote JustWorld because he believes that philanthropy is important for young riders. “Not all countries and not all people in our country are able to live certain lifestyles that are synonymous with our sport,” he said. “It gives great exposure to the kids to see other lifestyles in some of these countries or even in parts of the U.S. where health and education is not a priority. We love having JustWorld as a part of the shows, not just at NAYC but throughout the season.”
Ana Sofia and Ana Cristina Rodriguez and their father, Olympian Juan Andres Rodriguez, proudly represented both Guatemala and JustWorld International at the FEI North American Youth Championships. Tori Repole Photo
Team medalists at the 2024 FEI North American Youth Championships selected from education, healthcare and nutrition options on JustWorld International’s Adopt A Project menu.
