Adam Prudent and Vasco. Photos ©LizCrawleyPhotography.
Mill Spring, NC – July 14, 2016 – Adam Prudent (FRA) and his veteran partner Vasco took home top honors in the highly competitive $35,000 1.50m Suncast® Welcome CSI4* at Tryon International Equestrian Center (TIEC). The pair secured the win with a jump off time of 34.566 seconds, while legendary talent Margie Engle (USA) and Royce earned themselves second place honors with a speedy time of 34.933 seconds. Sharn Wordley nearly kept his streak alive, this time aboard mount Barnetta, but ended in third with a time of 35.076 seconds.
Prudent and Vasco have experienced incredible success at TIEC since arriving for the 2016 Summer Series, as the duo also captured a similar win in last week’s $35,000 Suncast® Welcome. Along with the wins, the duo has consistently placed in the top ribbons, including a top two finish in the $130,000 Wellington Equestrian Realty Grand Prix CSI 3*. Prudent spoke of the first round, detailing the course design by Manuel Esparza (MEX).
“The first round was very straightforward. Everyone was doing the same numbers of strides in between the lines, so there was not much that I changed about my ride compared to the other competitors,” said Prudent. “It was pretty big for a Welcome class and it was technical enough, but I thought the jumps were much bigger today.”
Going into the jump-off, Prudent knew he had to be smart about his strategy on course in order to shave time on the clock, but also ensure the win. In the first line of the jump-off, the pair did not leave out a stride, but Prudent went on to explain why he felt this plan was better suited for Vasco.
“Vasco is never one to leave out a stride in the first line. This allowed me to land collected and execute a very tight turn to the next fence,” commented Prudent. “I think that’s where I made up the majority of time; specifically it was in the last turn. I think I went two strides inside of where everyone else turned in that particular rollback.”
“That’s where I won the class,” he added with a smile.
Prudent and Vasco’s success can be attributed to experience and enthusiasm for competition. Prudent spoke of their strengthening relationship, saying, “He is an older horse, but he loves to show. We do every class of the week. We get him out every day to stretch his legs and we spend a lot of time walking. I also work on a lot of laterally movements to stretch his old joints out.”
“All in all, he comes out every day fresh and happy. Vasco loves to do his job,” he detailed.
Vasco’s happiness and joy for life also comes from the love and immaculate care he receives from Prudent’s groom Emeline Heot. Heot is always with Vasco, whether it be in the barns, in the schooling ring, or standing beside him at the in-gate.
“She is in love with him and he loves her too. She takes amazing care of him, which is a huge part of our whole success,” said Prudent, as he spoke of the affectionate relationship between Vasco and Heot. “He is a calm horse as soon as he is with her, but the moment I get on him, he fires up and is ready to go. She is Vasco’s down time.”
Friday, July 15, will feature a $10,000 USHJA National Hunter Derby, a $10,000 Pre-Green Hunter Incentive, and a $35,000 1.45m Speed Stake. The third installment of the “Saturday Night Lights” of the 2016 Tryon Summer Series will be featured on Saturday, July 16, presenting the $216,000 Hollow Creek Farm Grand Prix CSI 4* with gates opening to the public at 6:00 p.m. and entertainment beginning at 7:15 p.m. Competition will commence at 8:00 p.m. For more information on TIEC and to see a full list of results, please visit www.tryon.com.