Kristen VanderVeen Double Clear with Bull Run’s Kingdom in $30,000 LeMieux Grand Prix
Kristen VanderVeen and Bull Run’s Kingdom ©Trinity Keterer for Natalie Suto Photography
Mill Spring, NC – September 27, 2025 – Saturday’s $30,000 LeMieux Grand Prix concluded with an all-women podium after twelve trips toured the Tryon Stadium course. Adding to the competitive excitement, just four riders qualified for the jump off, and Kristen VanderVeen (Wellington, FL) produced the only Coke Zero double clear of the night with Bull Run’s Kingdom (Dutch Design x TipTop). On top of the podium, Kristen VanderVeen was presented with the Governor’s Cup for her success.
Tryon Fall 2 $15,000 LeMieux Welcome Stake winner Andrea Torres (Wellington, FL) rode her own Picara Polka Amouretta (Kannan x Wolinda) to the reserve champion title. The 2015 Belgian Warmblood mare had the fastest jump-off time but crossed the timers with a heartbreak rail at the final fence.
The 2015 Belgian Warmblood mare Proud Mary (Eldorado Van De Zeshoek x Babet VH Z), owned and ridden by Aida Sanchez (Signal Mountain, TN) earned the last spot on the podium with a 43.221 second run in the second round.
Originally planning not to jump this week, the winning ride of the night went to the Bull Run Jumpers, Inc. 2015 Dutch Warmblood gelding ridden by Kristen VanderVeen. “This was actually Bull Run’s Kingdom’s first night class – the lights didn’t seem to bother him at all. If anything, I think he liked the atmosphere!” VanderVeen explained.
“I thought that Jason Shelley [course designer] did a great job, and he got a fun jump off. It made for a good experience!” Placing fifth on her second mount, a horse she has only owned for two weeks, VanderVeen shared that “this was very much an experiment… new bridle, new horse, a night class, all of the things at once, so I was really pleased with him!”
Returning to Tryon International for the Fall Series after previously competing during the Summer Series, VanderVeen and her team look forward to seeing more podium finishes. “We’re so excited to be back! We couldn’t get back here soon enough, so we came a whole week early,” the Wellington-based rider shared. Preparing her winning mount, Bull Run’s Kingdom, for the upcoming FEI classes, she concluded, “I feel really good going into the next few weeks!”
Evangeline Pirolli Pilots Crown Ridge Royal Jovilee to Success in the $1,000 Open Derby
Receiving the highest score out of the ten entries with 164 points, rider Evangeline Pirolli (Davidson, NC) piloted her own 2016 British Riding Pony mare, Crown Ridge Royal Jovilee (Cusop Jovial x Northwind Margarita) to a win in Tryon Fall 2’s $1,000 Open Derby. Earning second place and the second highest handy round score of 78 was Emily McClellan (Greer, SC) who rode Callie Dodson’s 2005 Hanoverian gelding Ellington (Eseudo I x Haupstutbuch). Making it into the top three by just one point in the competitive derby was Jasmine Klacynski’s 2013 Westphalian gelding Smooth Operator (Alpine x Jewel), ridden by Audrey Klacynski (Canton, GA).
Learn more at www.Tryon.com.
