Sixteen-year-old Charlene “Charly” Dugan has loved and been involved with horses ever since she was a small child; she comes by her interest naturally since her parents own and operate J&S Farms, a horse farm in the Muncy area, as well as one in the Ocala, Florida area. Never in her wildest dreams could Charly ever imagine that someday she would be competing in an international equestrian endurance competition in the Netherlands.

Charly has been competing in endurance for less than two years, although she has been riding since she was eight years old. Her love of long-distance riding was initially fueled by her participation in mounted fox hunting, which frequently has riders on horseback for multiple hours, going at high speeds through all terrain. She also takes riding lessons when she can, at Miner Leap Stables, of Watsontown, owned by Alexis Miner.

Charly is a varsity field hockey player for Warrior Run High School, practices at home with stick and ball, and is a member of the high school cheerleading squad. In her spare time, Charly plays the flute.

Charly and two other young American riders, Alex Shampoe and Meghan Wert, competed as members of the US Endurance Team in the 2021 FEI Endurance Championships in early September. They placed fifth, the highest for the US team since 2015.

According to the US Equestrian Team Communications Department, it was the only major international championship of the year for US Young Rider and Junior endurance athletes; the 2021 FEI Endurance World Championship was a welcomed opportunity for talented and upcoming youth athletes from the US to test their horsemanship skills against other international youth athletes in a competitive championship environment.

The 2021 FEI Endurance World Championship for Young Riders and Juniors saw more than 20 countries comprised of 74 total combinations contest the ride, with 38 pairs ultimately passing the final horse inspection to complete the ride. Each horse was required to pass a mandatory veterinary inspection focused on soundness and metabolic recovery rate at the conclusion of each loop to continue forward with the ride, with two checks occurring before combinations set off on their final loop.

In the competition in the Netherlands, she rode her family’s horse, Southern Justice (Roo), on the 75-mile course in Ermelo. Roo is a nine-year-old Arab gelding and a former Kentucky show horse who, through no fault of his own, needed a new job. Charly’s family gave him a new home and a chance to try something different — and according to Charly’s mother, Sallie Jellison, he certainly did well in his new role as Roo proved himself to be a gifted long-distance equine competitor.

“Over the span of two years, I’ve learned that hard work and determination pay off. Attending rides, conditioning horses, participating in qualifying two-star events, and enduring selection processes has been my main focus — along with juggling academics and athletics at Warrior Run High school,” Charly told Webb Weekly. “While overseas in the Netherlands, my horse Southern Justice (Roo), and the other competing horses, Dude Free Gold and Promissin Gold arrived several days before the “Young Rider World Championships” to ensure a successful race, since the terrain and climate differ from our local weather in Muncy. Throughout the race, Roo was very enthusiastic and ready to make time down the trail; he was nicknamed the “jumping jellybean” by Steven Morrissey, our USEF director. During the last leg, my adrenaline spiked, thoughts of finishing my first world championship with my own horse and the recognition I would gain from my peers back home flooded my brain. I was so proud that my own horse was able to finish a world championship which wouldn’t have been possible without the help and support of my family, Gold Medal Farms, and my teammates.”

She continued, “After passing the last vet check, tears of joy came; I’ve never felt so many different feelings at once; some of them were proud, excited, relief, and joy. In totality, I felt honored to represent our country and endurance community.”

Charly and Roo had a competent and hardworking support team of four that included Charly’s mother, Sallie, who is an FEI qualified endurance rider and a former FEI steward with 15 years of experience. She was also the main trainer and competitor for Roo during his initial training phase.

The other members of the support team included: Dessia Miller, a Canadian citizen and chair of the Equestrian Canada Endurance committee with extensive experience in horse breeding, training, and competition. Named to the 2010 Canadian WEG team, as well as the 2013 and 2015 North American Endurance Team Championship. Currently she works with the RCMP, managing all horsemanship aspects of the elite mounted police unit. Dessia was instrumental in launching Charly in her endurance trajectory by facilitating the use of her home-bred horse, Cognac Amberfyre, for Charly to complete her novice FEI qualifications. Southern Justice (Roo) is registered in Equestrian Canada by Dessia.

Kim Woolley, another Canadian citizen from Finch, Ontario, is a past coach of the Canadian Endurance Team and, with her mare, Schakka Khan, represented Canada in Endurance at the 2018 World Equestrian Games. Kim is an equestrian Canada certified coach and enjoys supporting young athletes in the sport of endurance.

Mikhaela Hruskova, is an Emergency Room nurse, professional dog handler, and experienced in horse handling, racing, and crewing. Most importantly, she has been a close friend of the family and a mentor to Charly. She was born in the Czech Republic and emigrated to the US in 2000.

Charly is the daughter of Sallie Jellison and John Dugan. Her father assists with the day-to-day running of the farm, including logistical support and trailering J&S Farms horses to various races, hunts, and competitions across North America.

Charly looks to continue her equestrian passion well into the future with the love and support of her parents and many friends.