Kaitlyn Russell and Kelsey Pyfrom helped the Bahamas Youth Squad finish top 10 in Puerto Rico at Gran Copa Gobernadora 2026, with three straight ribbons in the 0.80m class.
Two Bahamian youth equestrians turned a tough weekend into a confident debut in Puerto Rico.
Bahamas Youth Squad makes a strong Puerto Rico debut
The setting brought together more than 80 riders from across the region and beyond, including Puerto Rico, Guatemala, Costa Rica, Suriname, and the United States, alongside The Bahamas.. Courses for the showjumping events were designed by Sr.. Cune Marroquin of Guatemala, and the competition ran over showjuming classes spread across two days.
One factor that can test even experienced riders showed up quickly: borrowed horses.. Visiting delegations rode horses provided by the Puerto Rican hosts and assigned through a random draw, meaning Russell and Pyfrom had to adjust without the usual time to build routines with the mounts.. Russell, riding Indiana Faith, managed that transition well, and the results reflected the kind of adaptability youth squads are expected to develop.
On day one, Russell delivered two clear rounds in the Two-Phase Special class.. In the speed portion, her time of 31.96 seconds placed her seventh out of 24 riders, a promising start for the Bahamas.. The first-day performance mattered not just for the scoreboard, but for momentum—showjumping is a sport where clean runs build confidence, and confidence can sharpen decisions when the course gets technical.
Day two brought another chance to prove consistency. In the Speed class, Russell again finished in the ribbons, placing seventh out of 25 riders after posting a clear round in 71.48 seconds. Pyfrom’s weekend followed a different path, starting slower before improving as the competition progressed.
Russell stays consistent; Pyfrom surges in the 0.80m
That kind of internal team outcome is a good sign for a youth programme. It suggests the riders are learning quickly from each class and, just as crucially, using the competition structure to gain experience—particularly when unfamiliar horses are involved.
The Gran Copa Gobernadora, held annually, now adds a fresh stop to the Bahamian riders’ Caribbean circuit.. For a delegation making its debut, the weekend provided more than results; it offered a blueprint for what it takes to operate under show conditions abroad—different arenas, different horses, and a lineup of rivals who are also used to competing in the region.
What readers may not see from a list of placings is how demanding that experience can be for young riders.. Switching horses through a random draw asks for quick reading of movement and rhythm, while also managing nerves in front of a full field of competitors.. In that sense, the Bahamas’ top-10 finishes are also a story about control—keeping focus across classes and staying calm when familiarity disappears.
Looking ahead, the youth squad is already set for its next step: the final leg of the Grand Caraïbe circuit in Guadeloupe in early May.. With the Puerto Rico debut behind them, Russell and Pyfrom will carry both the confidence of clear rounds and the practical knowledge of how to adapt faster when the course and the partnership with the horse have to be built on the fly.