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Theo Genn and Boucanier Blaze to Win $25,000 American Standard Grand Prix

Theo Genn and Boucanier ©Sportfot.

Mill Spring, NC – October 7, 2019 – Theo Genn (Lebanon, OH) and Taylor Reid’s Boucanier came out on top in Sunday’s $25,000 American Standard Grand Prix to conclude Tryon Fall 3 competition at Tryon International Equestrian Center (TIEC) at Tryon Resort, stopping the jump-off timers at 41.562 seconds. In second, Manuel Torres (Leesburg, VA) and Evermine, a 2006 Holsteiner gelding (Corofino I x Cantus) owned by Santa Catalina Farm, cleared the short course in a time of 42.062 seconds to earn reserve, while Sharn Wordley (Citra, FL) and Barnetta, his own 2004 Westphalian gelding (Baloubet Du Rouet x Polydor), received third on a score of 44.448 seconds.

The Peter Grant (CAN) course welcomed 36 pairs on the first-round track, with nine pairs presenting for the jump-off challenge. Genn was second-to-last, and had a rough idea of what his strategy would be, but had to see what the 2006 Dutch Warmblood gelding (Ovidius x Joost) was up for, he detailed:

“For the jump-off, I only got to see the first couple go. I kind of had an idea of how fast I needed to go based on what I saw Sharn [Wordley] do when he was sitting in second. Boucanier is a naturally very fast horse – he skims a little bit across the ground – but he can get a little nervous when I go fast,” Genn said. “I knew within the first two jumps whether or not I was going to be able to go for it. He popped over one and two really nicely, and listened to me when I asked him to go faster without getting nervous, so then I knew I could let it rip a little bit. Then, I just kind of went after it at every jump. I got a little lucky around a couple, but they all stayed up!”

For Genn, the win was a bit of “badly-needed” redemption following a week of stiff competition, he revealed. “Honestly, overall, it wasn’t a great week for us [compared to last week]. I was having a really rough week, and was a little down! Last week, my horses were unbelievable here: it didn’t matter what happened, we still ended up jumping clean. This week, even though they went around nicely, we had four faults almost every time. So, this was a nice way to end it and go home. I’m just happy. I needed that badly!”

Genn is currently riding Boucanier for his owner-rider, Taylor Reid, and it was particularly special that Boucanier ended up on top at TIEC, he shared. “Good friends of ours, Taylor Reid and Alex Blackman, own him along with some other horses we ride. They were here today to watch, and it’s been a while since they were able to come visit, so that was really nice. Right now, Taylor is pregnant and due in four months, so I’m riding him and keeping him going, and then when she’s ready she’ll take him over and do him in the Junior Amateurs again.”

For now, Genn and crew are headed home. “We’ve been on the road for three weeks now, and I don’t like to show for more than three weeks in a row, so we’ll go home, give the horses a little break, and then head to Florida already,” concluded Genn.

Hunter Kay and Alright Are $5,000 USHJA National Derby Winners

Hunter Kay (Columbia, SC) and Alright scored a two-round total of 176 to top the $5,000 USHJA National Hunter Derby at TIEC on Friday. Ashley Conkle (Wellford, SC) and Agnetta Currey’s Tomcat, a 2004 Warmblood gelding (Mezcalero x Kitten), earned second with a total score of 173.5, while the yellow rosette went to Haiku, the Jo Ann Forman-owned 2011 Dutch Warmblood gelding (Advance x Utrillo van de Heffink) ridden by Aida Sanchez Long (Signal Mountain, TN), with scores totaling 169.

“He’s an eight-year-old gelding that we got a little bit over a year ago,” Kay said of Ann Rice Ervin’s 2011 Warmblood gelding with unknown breeding. “I’ve been doing him some in the national derbies as well as the second-year greens 3’9” divisions. He’s a really sweet, easy-going guy. He’s super quiet; you kind of just chuck the reins and kick! He’s super fun. After this year, we’re looking to move up to the international derbies in the next year, which is why I did this derby today as practice.”

Alright was sitting on the edge of the podium after the first round, and Kay went into the handy round with a strategy to show off his mount’s pace and efficiency, he explained. “In the first round, I was a little slow to the first jump, and when I came back for the handy, I really wanted to just go for it a little bit to make up some ground, and just be efficient in my turns. I also wanted to step up the pace and show a real transition for the hand-gallop jump.”

To learn more, visit www.Tryon.com.

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