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David O’Brien and KIR Royal SCF Win $15,000 1.35m-1.40m Jumper Classic

David O’Brien and KIR Royal SCF. Photo credit: Bailey Beck.

Mill Spring, NC – March 25, 2019 – Tryon Welcome 1 saw David O’Brien grab top honors throughout the venue’s first contest for 2019, which featured USEF “A” and Level 3 Jumper competition, topping off the week with a win aboard KIR Royal SCF in Sunday’s $15,000 1.35m-1.40m Jumper Classic. The Lexington, KY resident and his Spy Coast Farm, LLC mount posted two clear rounds on the day to take the win, stopping the jump-off timers in 36.112 seconds. Claiming reserve honors, Jorge Ludwig and his own The Graduate, hailing from Newbury Park, CA, sped through the short-course in 36.171 seconds, while Nicky Galligan (Keswick, VA) and his own Javas Miss Jordan produced a 37.804-second jump-off round to receive third place honors.

The course, set by Dean Rheinheimer of Venice, FL, saw ten entries with six pairs demonstrating a jump-off round. O’Brien noted that he was glad to be back at Tryon, especially following his success at the venue last fall. “The course was really nice, and it’s nice to get my horses back in this ring again after the break this winter,” he said. “This was my first show outdoors since October [2018], where KIR Royal SCF won a Speed class in CSI 5* competition. He’s home-produced, bred by Lisa Lourie at Spy Coast Farm.”

KIR Royal SCF, a 2010 Belgian Warmblood gelding (Amaretto D’Arco x Nabab De Reve), improved on his second-place finish in Friday’s $5,000 1.35m Welcome Stake, where O’Brien also collected top honors riding Dayla 6, a 2009 Belgian Sport Horse mare (Ogano Sitte x Zeoliet). “We had one down in the second round Friday, but today there were no mistakes,” O’Brien continued. “I was very close to a double clear on Dayla today, and she was very good this week. She belongs to Cleveland Equestrian, and I don’t have her for that long, but she seems really nice.”

TIEC competitors have begun utilizing the newly-built jumps added to the inventory this winter, as well as enjoying recently-renovated barns and numerous facility updates ahead of the Tryon Welcome Series. As a rider known for his ability to bring along younger mounts, O’Brien mentioned that he appreciates the venue as a horse-friendly place to start the season and prepare them for the year ahead:

“I brought all my young horses here because we get to jump in the main ring with very nice jumps,” he explained. “I use TIEC as a preparation for Kentucky in May. I get them in the main ring with all these great jumps, so I’ve kind of caught up to everyone who’s been in Florida without having to go down there.”

O’Brien will spend another week at TIEC, competing in Tryon Welcome 2 (USEF “A”/Level 3) before returning to Kentucky for a bit to be with his younger horses ahead of their summer season. “We have a Young Horse Show at our farm in April – part of the same series that will come to TIEC in November this year – and then I’ll come back here for the summer and bring all my babies back,” he concluded.

Click here to view full results from the $15,000 1.35m-1.40m Jumper Classic.

For more information, please visit www.Tryon.com.

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