Tag Archives: Tryon May Series

Hayley Waters and Uppie De Lis Victorious in $50,000 Tryon Resort Grand Prix

Hayley Waters and Uppie De Lis. Photos ©Sportfot.

Mill Spring, NC – May 30, 2017 – Hayley Waters of Sparr, FL and Uppie De Lis sped to the top of the class in the $50,000 Tryon Resort Grand Prix on Saturday, May 27, after crossing through the timers in 36.594 seconds in the jump-off round. Manuel Torres of Leesburg, VA and Christofolini H rode to second place with a time of 38.508 seconds, while Nicole Shahinian-Simpson of Wellington, FL and Cassi earned third place after stopping the clock in 38.779 seconds.

Waters, one of the youngest riders competing in the class, made a quick and efficient effort around the track designed by Michele Ismalen, which featured 23 entries. Four combinations returned to test their efforts against the short course, which saw three of the combinations complete the evening with a double clear effort in both rounds of competition.

Uppie De Lis, a 2001 Dutch Riding Horse gelding, owned by Mr. & Mrs. Chuck Waters, has a breadth of experience at the international level with several top riders, but has found his stride with Waters piloting from the irons. The pair has already accomplished several career defining feats in 2017, and Waters is looking forward to the rest of their season together.

“I’m really excited. He’s such a good horse. I’ve only had him since the beginning of the Ocala circuit this past winter,” she explained. “I love how dependable he is. He’s a great partner and a great teammate. He fights for you at the jumps and he’s been such a good teacher for me.”

The pair will look to contest both national and international competition this season, and Waters feels that their relationship and partnership will only get stronger as they continue to solidifying their communication with each other. While winning the class came as an unexpected victory for Waters, she noted that she wanted to keep her plan simple by deconstructing each fence and riding the course jump by jump.

“I jumped my first big class on him this past winter and he’s given me a great feeling. I was just trying to go one jump at a time tonight. There were a few things that changed when we were in the ring from my original plan, but he took it all in stride. I just wanted to keep everything organized.”

The pair will head north to contest a few other major competitions before re-evaluating the rest of their summer and fall schedule. She explained, “He is so scopey and has such a good heart. I want to thank my team, my parents, my family, for their help and support. I feel like we’re at such a good point and I think that there are only good things to come from here.”

Waters Takes $25,000 Suncast® Commercial Welcome Stake aboard Quirnt

Waters also took top honors in the $25,000 Suncast® Commercial Welcome Stake aboard Quirnt, owned by Mr. & Mrs. Chuck Waters, who completed the jump-off track in 34.999 seconds. Andrea Torres Guerreiro of Waterford, VA and Emilia, owned by Santa Catalina Farm, rode to second place with a time of 35.228 seconds, ahead of Jorge Andres Barrera, who competes for the nation of Colombia, and his own Cartouche, who rounded out the top three with a time of 39.166 seconds.

Waters of Sparr, FL and her longtime mount Quirnt dashed through the jump-off track, finishing just a hair ahead of Guerreiro to take top honors. Eleven combinations moved forward to contest the jump-off track, while only the top four competitors finished with a double clear effort around both courses. Waters also finished in sixth place with Uppie De Lis, who would move on to win the $50,000 Tryon Resort Grand Prix later in the week.

Tina Yates and Zelote VDL

Jumper Highlights

The $20,000 Hollow Creek U25 Grand Prix was topped by Tina Yates of Wellington, FL and Zelote VDL, owned by Highpoint Farm, LLC, with a jump-off time of 40.514 seconds. Hayley Waters of Sparr, FL and Bull Run’s Ultimate Fire, owned by Mr. and Mrs. Chuck Waters, earned second place, finishing in 40.731 seconds. Yates also secured third place aboard Campitello 5, also owned by Highpoint Farm, LLC, in 45.562 seconds.

The $8,000 High Junior/Amateur Owner Classic was championed by Hayley Waters of Sparr, FL and Idalie Van Doperheide, owned Mr. and Mrs. Chuck Waters, with a jump-off time of 39.674 seconds. Second place honors were awarded to Thaisa Erwin of Middleburg, VA and Evita, owned by Hollberg Equestrian, with a jump-off time of 44.936 seconds. Andrea Torres Guerreiro of Waterford, VA and Evermine, owned by Santa Catalina Farm, finished in third place with eight faults and a time of 76.193 seconds.

The $5,000 Ariat® Medium Junior/Amateur Owner Classic was dominated by Hannah Newton of Houston, TX aboard her own Athena with a jump-off time of 37.301 seconds. Carly Dvorkin of Parkland, FL took home second place honors aboard Acetto Du Lys, owned by Pine Hollow Farm, in 39.484 seconds. Dvorkin also claimed the third place position, this time aboard Carlotta 168, also owned by Pine Hollow Farm, with a time of 41.855 seconds.

Ty Simpson of Royal Palm Beach, FL and Indiana 127, owned by Hollow Creek Farm, won the $3,000 Low Junior/Amateur Classic with a jump-off time of 36.703 seconds. Lauren Palko of Roswell, GA and her own Copy Cat collected second place with a time of 36.983 seconds, while Christi Israel of Ocala, FL and her own mount, Carry Me Over Z, took home third place honors with a time of 38.956 seconds.

The $2,000 NAL/WIHS High Child/Adult Classic was topped by Maggie McCormack of Wellington, FL aboard Finale, owned by Marker’s Make LLC, with a jump-off time 36.175 seconds. Sarah Fisher of Ft. Wayne, IN and her own Casanova W secured second place position stopping the timers in 38.671 seconds. Rounding out the top three was Grace Krueger of Cumming, GA and her own mount Gladiator with a time of 40.882 seconds.

Hunter Results

The $2,500 USHJA National Pony Hunter Derby saw Morgan Ashby of Lincolnton, NC and her own Beatrix Potter take top honors in the class. Second place was awarded to Mary Hunter Millet of Hillsborough, NC aboard her own Just 4 Me, while by Alexandra Ryden of Cary, NC was presented with third place aboard her own Celtics Creek Friar Tuck.

The Adult Amateur Hunter Division was championed by Betty Oare of Warrenton, VA and Zazu, owned by EMO Stables, and the reserve championship was awarded to Tricia Barr of Wellington, FL and Big Girls Don’t Cry, owned by Rodney Bross.

Betty Oare of Warrenton, VA also took home top honors in the Amateur-Owner Hunter 3’3″ Division aboard Belle Glos, owned by EMO Stables, while reserve honors were presented to Chrissie Catto of St. Augustine, FL and her own Intuition.

Missy Yoder of Palm Beach Gardens, FL and her own Too Much Fun took home the tricolor in the Amateur-Owner Hunter 3’6″ Division, followed by Julia Curtis of Villa Rica, GA and her own Ezra.

Addison Benio of Marietta, GA and her own Umako De Virginia earned top honors for the week in the Animobile Mobile Vet Children’s Hunter Horse Division, and Wiley Johannesmeyer of Ponte Vedra Beach, FL and her mount Quincy took home the reserve rosette.

The Children’s Hunter Pony Division was championed by Raine Whitman of Monroe, NY aboard her own Rollingwoods Give’ Em L and the reserve ribbon was presented to Frankie Nicklaus of Duluth, GA aboard Nicely Dun, owned by Patchwork Farm LLC.

Holly Shepherd of Grand Bay, AL and Longstreet owned by Barbara Risius, took home top honors throughout a week of competition in the High Performance Conformation Hunter 3’9″ Division. Reserve honors were again awarded to Shepherd, this time aboard Triompf, owned by Loretta Patterson.

The Platinum Performance 3’6″ & 3’3″ Performance Hunter Division saw Sophie Verges of San Francisco, CA and Kaspa, owned by Bernadette Mulliken, take home the championship, and Daniel Bedoya of Magnolia, TX aboard Gabli, owned by Carlyn M. Elsey, were reserve champions.

For more information on Tryon International Equestrian Center, please visit www.tryon.com.

Tina Yates and Cicomein VDL Rise to Top of $25k Hearthstone Grand Prix at Tryon May Series

Tina Yates and Cicomein VDL. Photos ©Sportfot.

Mill Spring, NC – May 23, 2017 – Tina Yates of Wellington, FL and Cicomein VDL, owned by HKC Collection LLC, were victorious in the $25,000 Hearthstone Grand Prix at Tryon International Equestrian Center (TIEC) after they completed the jump-off track in 42.921 seconds to secure their first ever win at the venue. Fernando Cardenas, Jr. of Raleigh, NC and Valentine Car captured second place with a jump-off time of 43.489 seconds, while Harold Chopping of Southern Pines, NC piloted Basje to third place, after stopping the jump-off timers in 43.55 seconds.

Yates made quick work around the grand prix track with Cicomein VDL, a 2007 Dutch Warmblood mare (Chacco Blue x Pomein), finishing a second faster than Cardenas, Jr., who took top honors in last week’s highlight class under the lights. Yates and Cicomein VDL tackled the tough track set by Pierre Jolicoeur with ease. They were the second of five pairs to advance to the jump-off round in front of an enthusiastic crowd. The evening’s class served as the mare’s first major competition under the lights and Yates was very proud of how Cicomein VDL handled and excelled in the atmosphere.

“My plan with her was to just be efficient and also give her a smooth and accurate ride. I didn’t know if the lights would play a factor or not. She naturally has very fast foot speed, so I typically don’t have to worry about the time allowed. I had a really lucky rub at the beginning, but think that may have helped me during the rest of the course because she was paying attention,” detailed Yates.

Yates described the top qualities of Cicomein VDL, saying, “She is so fast and she loves to slice the jumps. Sometimes she gets too quick across them, so I have to think about using her foot speed. I have to keep her staying very straight and then I can let her do the rest.”

The jump-off asked a series of technical questions, testing each combination’s ability to execute tight turns then move into a forward and long gallop. The duo stopped the timers with an efficient time and their efforts remained unmatched as they ultimately took top honors in the class.

“Tonight she was really fresh and aware. I think that also helped a lot. I would have liked to find one less to number three, the white vertical, but I knew if I found one less, we may have had it down behind. I didn’t want her to get to flat. To the last fence I found exactly what I wanted. I think everything fell into place.”

Fernando Cardenas, Jr. and Valentine Car

Yates and Cicomein VDL were partnered together several years ago before the mare changed hands to another rider. However, Yates has returned to the irons and has high hopes for the pair’s future together.

“When I made the decision to sell her, she was a more quality horse then where I was as a rider at that point. I sold her to one of our owners and a few other professionals showed her before things came full circle and I ended up back with her,” she explained.

In her first trip to TIEC, Yates was able to capture a win in the coveted Saturday night grand prix class and hopes that the pair’s success will continue forward as she looks onto next week where they will once again plan to compete in the highlight classes at TIEC during Tryon May IV.

“This is our first time to Tryon and I have to say it is a world-class facility. Everything was thought through like the fans for the horses in the barns, permanent bathrooms with air conditioning, and the restaurants. It’s all just fantastic,” she commented. “Just the whole atmosphere tonight was incredible and I was so surprised with the crowd they get here. There were kids and all of these spectators who came to watch; it was just a really nice atmosphere for a win.”

Glenn Hartigan and Z Coco Cabana Win $25,000 Suncast® Commercial Welcome Stake

Glenn Hartigan of Alpharetta, GA and Z Coco Cabana captured the victory in the $25,000 Suncast® Commercial Welcome Stake to begin a competitive week of competition during Tryon May III. The pair finished the jump-off in 39.618 seconds ahead of Fernando Cardenas, Jr. and Quincy Too, who completed their jump-off round in 42.071 seconds. Angel Karolyi of Aiken, SC and April Moon finished in third with a time of 40.204 seconds.

The class featured 25 entries with eight combinations moving forward to the jump-off round, while only Hartigan and Cardenas, Jr. finished the afternoon as the only double clear efforts in the class. Pierre Jolicoeur set the track, which served as a competitive class ahead of the week’s featured $25,000 Hearthstone Grand Prix.

Jumper Highlights

The $8,000 High Junior/Amateur Owner Classic was championed by Jacqueline Ward of Seabrook, TX and her own Cayman, who finished in first place with a jump-off time of 42.327 seconds. Caitlyn Epperson of Houston, TX and Camero finished in second place with a time of 40.325 seconds, adding four faults to their score. Quinn Larimer of Mableton, GA and Bronson CR, owned by Nestledown Equine Service, LLC, finished in third after finishing their jump-off round with nine faults and stopping the timers in 43.68 seconds.

Beth Von Brecht of Dallas, TX and her own Melody were victorious in the $5,000 Ariat® Medium Junior/Amateur Owner Classic finishing in 38.354 seconds, to best the competitive class. Carly Dvorkin of Parkland, FL and Carlotta 168, owned by Pine Hollow Farm, took second place with a jump-off time of 39.554 seconds. Jesse Smith of Wellington, FL and her own Chambery 25 took third place with a time of 40.12 seconds.

The $3,000 Low Junior/Amateur Owner Classic saw Madeleline Gastinaeu of Holicong, PA and Limited Edition, owned by Mary Gastinaeu, take top honors ahead of Sarah Boston of Owings Mills, MD and her own Herminas, took second place with a time of 36.138 seconds. Meghann Harmon of Middleburg, VA guided her own Quastor van de Helle Z to third place with a time of 37.083 seconds.

Santiago Arenas of New Hill, NC guided Barbara Car, owned by Fernando Cardenas, to top honors in the $2,000 NAL/WIHS High Adult Amateur Classic after stopping the timers in 34.592 seconds ahead of Sienna Partipilo of Chicago, IL and her own Alanda, who captured second place with a time of 36.392 seconds. Anna Claire Smith of Atlanta, GA and her own Bilbo Baggins finished in third place with a time of 38.066 seconds.

Cayman Szegda of Marietta, GA and her own Valotti VDL finished atop the $2,000 NAL/WIHS High Children’s Classic ahead of Rose Dillon of Milton, GA and her own Baba Booey WB secured second place after accumulating two time faults in the first round to cross the timers in 85.614 seconds. Carly Hoft of Rolesville, NC and Available Ohio, owned by AvailableJumpers.com, finished in third place with four faults in the first round in 81.84 seconds.

Hunter Highlights

The Adult Amateur Hunter 36-49 Division was championed by Tricia Barr of Wellington, FL and Big Girls Don’t Cry, owned by Rodney Bross, ahead of Kimberly Penfold of Lake Bluff, IL and Cucinelli, owned by Glory Days Farm, LLC, who followed in reserve.

Kaitlin Porath of Charlotte, NC and her own Breaux earned the tricolor in the Amateur-Owner Hunter 3’3″ 18-35 Division ahead of Alliah Kassem of Fayetteville, GA and C Beyond, owned by Bijoux Show Stables, who earned reserve champion.

The Amateur-Owner Hunter 3’6″ Division saw Missy Yoder of Palm Beach Gardens, FL and Too Much Fun take top honors throughout the week. Rosie Powers of Dover, MA piloted her own Carabello to reserve champion.

Frankie Nicklaus of Duluth, GA rode to victory in the Children’s Pony Hunter Division aboard Nicely Dun, owned by Patchwork Farm LLC, ahead of Stephanie Grace Fernandez of Winston Salem, NC and her own Master Plan were presented with reserve champion honors.

The Adult-Amateur Hunter 50 & Over Division saw Martin Schlaeppi of High Point, NC and his own I C London take top honors in the division ahead of Jennifer Smith of Wellington, FL and her own Ocean Mist, who captured reserve champion.

The Green Hunter Conformation 3’6″ Division saw Jennifer Hannan of Wakefield, RI and Best Regards, owned by Patricia Fulchino, earn top honors after a week of consistent performances ahead of Liza Boyd of Camden, SC and Unexpected, owned by Lindsay Maxwell, who captured reserve champion.

The High Performance Hunter 4′ Division was championed by Jennifer Hannan of Wakefield, RI and Flamingo-K, owned by Equinimity LLC, who edged Gabrielle Strigel of Durham, NC and Cosmeo, owned by DK-USA Sporthorse, LLC, who took reserve.

Morgan Ashby of Licncolnton, NC and her own Beatrix Potter finished atop the Medium Pony Hunter Division while Helena Tourville of Milton, GA and Olympian’s Dainty Rose, owned by Emma Madison, earned reserve champion in the division.

The Platinum Performance 3’6″ Performance Hunter Division saw Jennifer Hannan of Wakefield, RI and Olympic Fire, owned by Roger Smith, take top honors for their performances throughout the week while Liza Boyd of Camden, SC and Clemens, owned by Finally Farm, Inc., took reserve champion in the division.

To learn more about TIEC, please visit www.tryon.com.

Tryon May II Showcases Top Talent and Thrilling Competition

Fernando Cardenas Jr. and Valentine Car. Photos ©Sportfot.

Mill Spring, NC – May 15, 2017 – The Tryon May Series ushered in the second week of competition to Tryon International Equestrian Center (TIEC), featuring hunter, jumper, and equitation competition beginning on Wednesday, May 10, and continuing through Sunday, May 14. The Tryon May Series will continue through Sunday, May 28, before the start of the highly anticipated Tryon Summer Series.

Fernando Cardenas Jr. and Valentine Car Take $25,000 Marshall & Sterling Grand Prix

Fernando Cardenas Jr. of Raleigh, NC piloted Valentine Car to victory in the $25,000 Marshall & Sterling Grand Prix, finishing nearly three seconds faster than second place finishers Harold Chopping of Southern Pines, NC and Basje. Cardenas, Jr. and Valentine Car made easy work of the short course, stopping the timers in 41.53 seconds, while Chopping and Basje cleared the track in 44.351 seconds. Jorge Andres Barrera, who competes for the nation of Colombia, piloted Cartouche to third place with a time of 45.119 seconds after dropping a rail for four faults in the jump-off.

Cardenas Jr. and his own Valentine Car excelled around the difficult track set by Manuel Esparza (MEX), which saw rails drop throughout the course from numerous trying combinations. In only Valentine Car’s second grand prix event, Cardenas Jr. was ecstatic with the performance of the 2009 Warmblood gelding, who was bred by Cardenas Jr.’s father. The duo also finished second in the $5,000 Suncast Commercial® Welcome Stake earlier in the week.

“All of the lines we’re really long tonight and I was a little bit concerned about Valentine at the beginning. My first horse in the class struggled a bit in two of the lines and I thought that there may be a problem, but he was outstanding,” said Cardenas Jr. “He was just incredible today. It’s a great win for us both.”

The duo sped through the jump-off, tackling the technical turns with ease and giving the crowd an enthusiastic lap around the George H. Morris Arena after crossing through the timers to secure the win.

“I’ve always looked up to Harold and think that he’s a class rider. I thought he was pretty fast and wasn’t sure if I could catch him, but my dad always says that this horse is very fast and he is,” he explained. “He’s quick across the ground and where I took a gamble was to the Ariat jump. It was somewhat of a blind turn the way that I came into it and he jumped it easily.”

Harold Chopping and Basje

“He’s a very clean horse. It’s his number one quality. He has the will to not touch the rails,” he added.

Valentine Car is one of the younger horses in Cardenas, Jr.’s string and he has high hopes for the gelding as he hopes the pair will be considered as a potential combination for the 2018 FEI World Equestrian Games, which will be hosted at Tryon International Equestrian Center in September of next year.

“He’s a smart and quirky horse. He has an incredible class to him. He’s related to my stallion Quincy Car and I’m hopeful that he will follow in his shoes. We’re only planning on showing here in Tryon this season. This is home for us. Even though we’re in Raleigh, this feels like it’s in our backyard and we love it here,” he elaborated. “We want to set lofty goals with him and we would love to represent Colombia here at the FEI World Equestrian Games next year.”

Trapp O’Neal and Capitano Win $5,000 Suncast® Commercial Welcome Stake

Trapp O’Neal of Magnolia, TX and Capitano, owned by TKO Partnership, rode to victory in the $5,000 Suncast® Commercial Welcome Stake at TIEC on Thursday, May 11, after finishing the jump-off in 34.926 seconds. Fernando Cardenas Jr. of Raleigh, NC and his own Valentine Car captured second place with a jump-off time of 35.623 seconds, ahead of his second mount Quincy Too, who rounded out the top three with a time of 36.17 seconds.

The class saw 25 entries contest the track, while ten combinations advanced the jump-off round and five pairs earned a double clear effort. Jorge Ludwig of Newbury Park, CA and Lamarique stopped the jump-off timers in 33.842 seconds to collect the fastest time of the day, but dropped a rail during their round to keep them out of the top placing.

Jumper Highlights

Beth Von Brecht of Dallas, TX and her own Melody took top honors in the $5,000 Ariat Medium Junior/Amateur Owner Classic after dashing through the jump-off timers in 38.861 seconds. Fernando Cardenas Jr. of Raleigh, NC and A Calvados Car finished in second place with a time of 40.113 seconds ahead of Judy Sutton of Waynesville, NC and her own Win A Date, who collected four faults on the jump-off track and stopped the timers in 37.118 seconds for third place.

The $3,000 Low Junior/Amateur Owner Classic saw Brandon Howard of Flower Mound, TX and HF Cerano, owned by Homeward Farms, take top honors in the class after completing the jump-off in 37.671 seconds. Paige Bellissimo of Wellington, FL piloted Zindora van de Kapel, owned by Bellissimo LLC, to second place with a time of 40.431 seconds ahead of her second mount, De Beers, also owned by Bellissimo LLC, who earned third place with a competitive time of 41.835 seconds.

Tracey Gorin-Byrne of Wellington, FL and Daphnie, owned by Fiach Byrne Inc., topped the $2,000 NAL/WIHS High Adult Amateur Classic, as the pair finished the day as the only pair to go clear in both the first round and in the jump-off. Suzanne Suttles of Flower Mound, TX and Galmiro vh Schaarbroek, owned by DGS Farms LLC, were presented with second place after finishing the jump-off in 46.963 seconds and adding four faults to their score. April Derienzis of Gramik Falls, NC guided her own Bella de la Rose to third place, completing the course in 44.587 seconds with twelve faults.

The $2,000 NAL/WIHS High Children’s Classic saw Jaclyn McGhee of Chapel Hill, NC and her own High Hickstead take first place as the fastest four fault round in the jump-off. C. Blair Spencer of Pinehurst, NC and Argentum finished in second place with a time of 57.726 seconds, while Rose Dillon of Milton, GA and her own Baba Booey WB took third place with a first round time of 72.514 seconds.

Roger Smith of Wellington, FL and his own Darco Two rode to victory in the $300 CWD Child/Adult Jumper Stake after finishing their jump-off round in 38.017 seconds ahead of Amy Hebert of Aiken, SC and her own Major Dee, who completed the track in 38.207 seconds. Allison Scott of Wellington, FL and Dahlia finished in third place with a time of 42.451 seconds.

Hunter Highlights

Lindsay Maxwell of Beverly Hills, CA and her own Catalyst took first place in the $2,500 USHJA National Hunter Derby after amassing an impressive two round score of 188. Heather Steinman of Canton, GA and Hannahlea, owned by Kelly Sims, secured second place after receiving a score of 186. Courtney Boyd of Wellington, FL and Castino 6, owned by Allison Scott, finished in third place with a final score of 179.

Maxwell and Catalyst earned a score of 93 in the first round before returning for the handy to earn a 95 from the panel. The duo’s performance in both rounds earned them the highest scores of the class. The derby saw fourteen entries, while four combinations scored above a 177, making for a competitive showing.

The Adult Amateur Hunter 36 & Over saw Jennifer Smith of Wellington, FL and her own Ocean Mist earn the divisional championship for their performances throughout the week. Karen Bruce of Lewisville, NC and her own Out of Vogue took the division’s reserve champion honors.

The Amateur Owner Hunter 3’3″ 18-25 saw Lindsay Maxwell of Beverly Hills, CA and her own Kingston ride to the top of the division ahead of Tess Fortune of Greendale, WI and her own MVP who finished with reserve champion accolades.

Jennifer Hannan of Wakefield, RI and Stoli, owned by Jane Olson Fisher, rode to victory in the USHJA Hunter 2’6″/2’9″ Division ahead of Sara Taylor of Sherborn, MA and Enqirue, owned by Craig Phillips, who finished the week as the division’s reserve champion.

The Platinum Performance 3’6″ Performance Hunter Division saw Amy Momrow of Wellington, FL and Aeroplane, owned by Melissa Wight, take the divisional championship ahead of Colin Syquia of Wellington, FL and Jennifer Hannan of Wakefiled, RI, who split rides aboard At Last, owned by Ally Marrinan, for reserve champion.

The Children’s Hunter Pony Division saw Elizabeth Smith of Spartanburg, SC and her own Double Gold earn the division’s championship honors for their performances during the week. Jessica Bader of Bluffton, SC and her own Kygo took reserve champion in the division.

To learn more about Tryon International Equestrian Center and to view a full list of weekly results, please visit www.tryon.com.

Catherine Tyree and Bokai Win $35k Suncast Commercial 1.45m Welcome Stake CSI 2* at Tryon

Catherine Tyree and Bokai.

Mill Spring, NC – May 2, 2017 – Catherine Tyree (USA) and Bokai rode to victory on the first day of FEI competition at Tryon International Equestrian Center (TIEC), kicking off a competitive week of competition during Tryon May I. The duo bested the $35,000 Suncast® Commercial 1.45m Welcome Stake CSI 2* with a jump-off time of 39.52 seconds, ahead of Santiago Lambre (MEX) and Hip Living who finished their short course in 41.98 seconds. Nick Dello Joio (USA) and Contiki rounded out the top three, crossing through the timers in 42.15 seconds. The Tryon May Series will continue through Sunday, May 28, featuring four weeks of international and national hunter, jumper, and equitation competition.

Tyree and Bokai, a 2006 Dutch Warmblood gelding (Up To Date x Olympic Ferro) owned by Mary Tyree, made their mark on the 2017 Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF) circuit in Wellington, FL, representing the United States in FEI Nations’ Cup competition and amassing an impressive list of top results in some of the most competitive classes throughout the winter season. The pair, who has taken time off from competing since the eleventh week of WEF, returned to the George H. Morris Arena in fine form to earn their first victory at TIEC.

“He had a nice long break after WEF. He felt really fresh and was jumping well today. He was a bit aggressive in the first round, but I couldn’t have been happier with him and the way he went,” said Tyree. “I really wanted to try and win today. I usually just want to set him up with a class before trying to go for the win in a qualifier, but I just wanted to go with it today and see how he would handle the pressure.”

The pair managed to best a class of 25 entries as they prepare for the $35,000 1.45m Tryon Challenge CSI 2*, the qualifying event for the $86,000 Tryon Resort Grand Prix CSI 2* on Saturday, May 6. Thirteen pairs advanced to the jump-off track, while six pairs earned a double clear effort on the afternoon. Richard Jeffery (GBR) will serve as the FEI course designer for the week and presented a solid track on the first day of international competition at the venue.

“He really is such a smart horse. It only took three shows for us to really figure each other out. He adapted to my style of riding quickly and I met him halfway,” explained Tyree. “Every time we go into the ring, I have such confidence with him. Jumping those Saturday night classes at WEF made me feel like our partnership was established and I always just feel comfortable when I’m in the ring with him.

“This facility is phenomenal. It’s the first time that we’ve been here and I would love to come back and show here again. Everything is done right and the ring has a good feel to it. The seats sitting above the ring make it feel like you’re the center of attention. I think that feeling like you’re below everything else will make Saturday’s class have a really nice and intense atmosphere,” she commented. “He’s always been such a great horse with his previous riders and for me. He’s a phenomenal athlete and I’m really excited to see where our summer goes from here.”

For more information on TIEC, please visit www.tryon.com.