Darragh Kerins and Skara Glen’s Para Bellum ©Sportfot.
Mill Spring, NC – November 1, 2020 – Darragh Kerins (Wellington, FL) took the top call and the yellow rosette in Saturday’s $25,000 Tryon Resort Grand Prix at Tryon International Equestrian Center and Resort (TIEC), clearing the short course timers with Skara Glen’s Para Bellum in 38.607 seconds and also piloting Carlos JD Z, the 2009 Zangersheide gelding (Canturo x Baloubet) owned by NRG Farm LLC, to third on a time of 42.011 seconds. Brian Murphy (Berryville, VA) and Denison Park Combat, the 2008 Warmblood gelding (Clinton H x Weinzuber) owned by Allyson & Andrew Lamb, scored second place with their 39.409 second jump-off performance.
Concluding the Tryon Fall Series with a strong showing in the week’s highlight class, Kerins qualified both his rides in the jump-off after successfully navigating the Skip Bailey (Loxahatchee, FL) course design, which tested 15 pairs. Five pairs returned for the jump-off round, where Kerins utilized his position as last in the order of go to pull the lead from Murphy and Denison Park Combat, who had conquered the $5,000 Horseware Ireland Welcome Stake earlier in the week.
Kerins and the 2011 Dutch Warmblood gelding (Singulord Joter x Labor’s VDL Indorado) owned by Hampton Farms LLC, Patricia Hurter and Skara Glen Stables, have been paired together for just over a year, he relayed, and “he’s really come into his own this summer. This is actually the second Grand Prix that he’s won here this season. He’s been off for the last couple of weeks, so this was a great class to do before he shows next week.”
Brian Murphy Makes Easy Work of $5,000 Horseware Ireland Welcome Stake with Denison Park Combat
October 29, 2020 – Brain Murphy (Berryville, VA) and Denison Park Combat clicked in just their second show together to top the $5,000 Horseware Ireland Welcome Stake at Tryon International Equestrian Center and Resort (TIEC), stopping the jump-off timers in 38.216 seconds with one rail. Also pulling a rail and claiming second, Taylor Granat (Bolingbrook, IL) and Escada 289, the 2012 Holsteiner mare (Clearway x Coriano) owned by Windridge Farm LLC, halted the clock at 43.064 seconds. Rounding out the podium on their first-round, four-fault score, Grace Long (The Plains, VA) rode Happiness VD Hazel Hof, the 2012 Belgian Warmblood mare (Falaise de Muze x Ursina) owned by G&T Equestrian to a time of 73.75 seconds and the final podium spot.
One of 12 trips to tour the Skip Bailey (Loxahatchee, FL) course design, Murphy and Granat were the only two horse-and-rider combos to go clear in the first round, both pulling rails in the speed test. While his main goal was to go double-clear, Murphy admitted that the win was a nice alternative result:
“Honestly, I was just trying to go double clear. I didn’t get to see anyone go before me, but I had a plan. I didn’t want to do anything too silly. I’m very proud of him, and hopefully we’ll jump clear later in the week. I’ve had him for two months and this is my second horse show with him; Scott Keach found him for me in Australia, and so far, he’s been a pleasure.”
To learn more, visit www.Tryon.com.