At just 13 years old, Grace Christianson made history at the 2025 FEI North American Youth Championships (NAYC), sweeping all three gold medals in the inaugural Children’s Dressage division and earning the highest score of the entire dressage competition. 

Christianson and her mount, FHF Roulee, delivered a record-breaking score of 81.116% in the Individual Final to cap off a standout week in Traverse City. The pair also topped the leaderboard in the Children Preliminary Test B and contributed to Region 2’s team gold, making Christianson the most decorated dressage athlete at this year’s championship. 

“This has just been such an incredible experience,” said Christianson. “It’s taken a lot of work to get here, but I feel so lucky to have a horse like Roulee, and to be part of such a great team.” 

“Watching Grace go down centerline with Roulee made my heart so proud,” says her mother, Elizabeth Christianson. “She held herself with courage, determination, and, most of all, love for her four-legged friend! She works so hard for that bond and trust, and it paid off in the ring.” Seeing the 81.116% appear on the scoreboard, Elizabeth adds, “It was surreal. Love, grit, determination, and humbleness all went into that score, and my mom-heart exploded with pride!” 

Grace’s passion for riding started early. At age three, she was introduced to horses by her godmother, Danisa, and quickly fell in love. She began lessons at five in Noblesville, Indiana, and spent her early years learning the basics at a local stable before advancing to competitive riding with a draft mare named Daisy. The pair quickly became a recognizable team, with Grace earning high point awards from the Indiana Dressage Society, and her first competition experiences aboard the eye-catching black-and-white mare. 

In 2022, Grace began training with Jennifer Kaiser of Forrest Hill Farms, a move that helped her take the next step in her riding career. “’Lil Grace’, as we lovingly call her, was paired up with Roulee in a lesson in early 2023.” Kaiser explained, “By March of 2024, the Christiansons decided they were a great match and purchased her from Forrest Hill Farms. With continued coaching by myself and training rides with my assistant Andrea Balas, Grace and FHF Roulee have become a formidable pair.” Grace and FHF Roulee, a homebred eleven-year-old American Warmblood mare whose pedigree has come from three generations of Kaiser’s Forrest Hill Farm broodmares, has become her trusted partner in and out of the arena. 

“She’s a superstar,” said Christianson. “She shows up every day in a good mood. She loves to work, and she always tries her hardest. I’m so happy to have her.” 

Christianson’s performances at NAYC were marked not only by technical quality but by exceptional poise and polish; a credit to her background in the USDF Dressage Seat Medal Program. She regularly earned 9.5 marks for rider position, a testament to her equitation foundation and strong fundamentals. In 2023, she was the winner of the USDF Dressage Seat Medal Semi-Finals for riders 13 and under. 

Her individual final performance showcased that same skill and confidence, paired with precision and high execution scores from the judges. “We’ve worked really hard on this, and I just wanted to go in and have fun,” she said. “Roulee felt like she was with me every step.” 

Though NAYC was her biggest competition yet, Grace brought the same enthusiasm to the event that she brings to every ride. “I loved being here,” she said. “One of the best parts was seeing how many people cheer you on, even the ones from other regions. It’s so cool to be at a show where your competitors are also your friends.” 

That spirit of camaraderie was echoed throughout the Children’s division. Teammates and medalists like Gianna Foley (individual silver) and Maverick Wright (individual bronze) shared the same sense of pride in their partnerships and the joy of competing together. 

Even older riders took note. Young Rider bronze medalist Marin Roth remarked on how special it was to have the Children’s division introduced this year. “It was really fun to mentor the younger kids,” Roth said. “We’ve done NAYC before, so it felt great to be able to cheer them on and help guide them through the experience.” 

As for what’s next, Christianson has her sights set on continuing to develop Roulee and eventually climbing the ranks through the youth divisions. But for now, she’s taking time to enjoy the moment. 

“She’s my heart horse,” Grace said. “And I just want to see how far we can go together.”