Shane Sweetnam and Cyklon 1083. Photos ©Sportfot.
Steve Heinecke and So Lucky Win Close Contest in $2,500 USHJA National Hunter Derby
Mill Spring, NC – June 5, 2015 – Shane Sweetnam (IRL) and Cyklon 1083 easily topped the $34,000 FEI 1.45m Speed Stake, finishing almost 10 seconds faster than Ali Wolff (USA) and Brianda who followed in second with a time of 70.36 seconds. Sweetnam bested the class of 19 entries in the first speed class of the week at Tryon Spring 8 hosted at Tryon International Equestrian Center (TIEC). Ljubov Kochetova (RUS) and Wilford Z finished in third completing the course in 73.95 seconds. Competition continues tomorrow at TIEC with the highlight class of the week, the $210,000 Tryon Grand Prix CSI 4* for the Governor’s Cup, which will be aired on NBC Sports on Sunday, June 7, at 4pm. The class will begin at 7pm in the George H. Morris Stadium.
Sweetnam and Cyklon 1083 went early in the class and knew that they needed a fast round to stay in prize contention. The duo laid down an incredibly fast round, which proved to be uncatchable for the rest of the class.
“I thought the course designer did a good job here today. When I walked it I thought it was nice and fair. There were a couple of options for fast riders and also some for the younger horses looking to get experience,” said Sweetnam. “It was definitely fair and when I walked it; I quite liked it.”
The pair took advantage of the fast options on course and dominated the class, taking a commanding lead early in the class with a time of 61.48 seconds. Sweetnam commented that he felt the course was very suitable for Cyklon 1083 and that his consistency throughout his career has been extremely impressive.
“The round went exactly how I planned it when I walked it earlier in the morning. I went for all of the numbers and turns that I wanted to do. It all worked out perfectly. When I went through the timers I was even thinking, ‘They’ll really have to do something to beat that time,'” he commented. “He’s won everywhere. He’s a great little horse. He’s won in Gothenburg, Spruce Meadows, and Wellington, all of the big places. He’s still 14 and going strong, so I’m very happy with him.”
Sweetnam and Spy Coast Farm will take two weeks off before heading to Spruce Meadows to contest some of the big classes in Calgary.
“We’ll have to make a pretty big decision after Spruce if we want to go to Europe or come back here to Tryon. There are the FEI shows here in July, and I’m sure I’ll be back here for those at some point and we’ll just see how everything goes,” said Sweetnam. “It’s a great facility. Mark [Bellissimo] and the partners have done a great job. I don’t think there is a better facility anywhere, and it’s still getting bigger and better. They’ve really made a big effort, and it’s great for the sport. I’m very happy to be here.”
FEI competition at TIEC will continue tomorrow with the $210,000 Tryon Grand Prix CSI 4* for the Governor’s Cup at 7pm in the George H. Morris Stadium. The $34,000 FEI Tryon 1.50m Challenge will take place on Sunday, June 7, and will mark the conclusion of the Tryon Spring Series.
Steven Heinecke and So Lucky Win Close Contest in $2,500 USHJA National Hunter Derby
Steven Heinecke of Charlotte, NC and Jane Olsen Fisher’s So Lucky rode two consistent rounds, receiving a total score of 170 points, to ultimately top the $2,500 USHJA National Hunter Derby, besting Donald Sheehan and EHM Equestrian, LLC’s Kenan, who followed closely behind with a 168.5. Kathryn Haefner and Kathryn Haefner LLC’s Bentley rounded out the top three with a total score of 165.
Heinecke, based at Hi Hopes Farm in Weddington, NC, competed Jane Olsen Fisher’s So Lucky last year in the Pre-Green 3’3 classes. This has been his first year out of the division, and he has garnered some incredible success.
“We did the derby class in Kentucky a few weeks ago and he was third overall. That will be the direction we continue to take him in. He’ll do the amateur classes with Jane, but we would really like to ultimately aim him for some of the USHJA International Hunter Derbies in the future,” said Heinecke. “He’s just seven so we still have some time with him and we don’t want to rush to Derby Finals, so we’ll take this summer to focus on doing more National Derby classes with him.”
The duo scored a 77 in the first round and an 85 in the second handy round, adding 4 points to their score for taking the high obstacle options provided around the course. Heinecke also piloted another Jane Olsen Fisher mount, Swag, to a sixth place finish in the class.
“The course today was nice and not too complicated. It was pretty straight forward which was good in the morning because that always helps,” he laughed. “Swag, my second mount, is only five and he was excellent in the first round, but never had really tried a handy round, which is where we lost some points. But overall I am very happy with both of them and how they went today.”
Heinecke and Hi Hopes Farm typically travel around the East Coast for their summer season, hitting the big shows like Devon, Lake Placid, and Kentucky before returning to their home base to pack for their journey to Florida for the winter. This year though, the plan has changed and Heinecke would like to stay at TIEC to compete throughout the year.
“These Tryon shows are just so nice. They’re offering every division possible and that helps all of my clients and students. It’s affordable, and they’re so close to our farm. It only takes an hour to get here,” commented Heinecke. “We’re definitely tailoring our show schedule to make sure that we can stay here as long as possible. We’ve had a great time here and will continue to add it to our yearly plan and support the show here. It’s worked out so great for us.”
Competition at TIEC continues tomorrow, June 6, with the highlight $210,000 Tryon Grand Prix for the Governor’s Cup which will begin at 7pm in the George H. Morris Stadium. The night will provide an array of entertainment for guests including a highly anticipated performance by Grammy-award winning Lee Greenwood singing “God Bless the U.S.A”. The Special Forces Parachute team will also be doing a four-person tandem jump with a 20-foot by 40-foot American flag. A live showing of the 147th running of the Belmont Stakes will take place on the jumbotron in the main arena at the 6:50 post time.
For more information on TIEC and the events tomorrow, please visit www.tryon.com. Please “Like” the TIEC Facebook page at www.facebook.com/tryonresort to be eligible for various contests and promotions.
About Tryon International Equestrian Center
The Tryon International Equestrian Center is destined to become one of the premier centers in the equestrian world. This new facility opened in June 2014 with sanctioned horse shows and initial supporting amenities including 10 riding arenas, 850 permanent stalls, a covered riding facility and fitness center. Future expansion includes a sports complex, two hotels, sporting clay course, and an 18-hole golf course plus a full calendar of equestrian competitions and activities. It is a spring, summer and fall haven for eastern and northeastern American equestrian competitors and enthusiasts. For more information, call 828-863-1000 or visit www.tryon.com.