Sharn Wordley and Rye Val de Mai ©Sportfot.

Mill Spring, NC – July 16, 2019 – Sharn Wordley (NZL) and Rye Val de Mai sped to win the $36,000 Sunday Classic CSI 2* at Tryon International Equestrian Center (TIEC), stopping the jump-off timers at 36.358 seconds fault-free to claim the win. Diego Perez Bilbao (ESP) and the Starlight Farms 1 LLC entry, Helios, a 2007 Belgian Warmblood gelding (Couleur Rubin x Grandeur), took second place on a clear jump-off performance of 37.168 seconds, while Samantha Rice (CAN) and Ringwood Zebo, a 2009 Irish Sport Horse gelding (Califax x Ringwood Audacity) owned by NRG Farm LLC, claimed third-place honors with a clear round and time of 40.211 seconds.

Course designer Bernardo Costa Cabral (POR) had 22 entries test the first course, with five returning for the jump-off. “The first round rode great. Bernardo is such a good course builder,” Wordley explained. “All of his courses ride well; I’ve never ridden one of his courses that didn’t ride well, and he always nails it. Everything is smooth and is always challenging enough, but with nothing that doesn’t make sense, so I really love riding his courses.”

Wordley shared that he has owned the 2005 Selle Francais stallion (Helios de La Cour II x Type D’Elle) for about three years now. “He’s a big trier, and he’s just a really good horse to have on your team. You can pull him out for any class and he gives his all.”

Wordley continued, “He does the ranking classes at different shows and I’m deciding whether I’ll keep him for next week’s class here or take him home and jump him in Kentucky. I haven’t decided yet. He’s always busy, because he’s a good part of the team. He has a light winter, so summer is when he does most of his jumping.”

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

Sharn Wordley and Gatsby ©Sportfot.

Mill Spring, NC – July 13, 2019 – Sharn Wordley (NZL) and his own Gatsby raced to a 36.033-second win in the $72,000 Nutrena® Grand Prix CSI 2* at Tryon International Equestrian Center (TIEC). Adam Prudent (USA) and Romeo de Villaret, the 2005 Selle Francais stallion (Mr. Blue (NL) x If de Merze) owned by Plain Bay Sales, claimed second-place honors, halting the jump-off timers with a time of 36.242 seconds. Abigail McArdle (USA) and Victorio 5, a 2006 Hanoverian stallion (Uccello x Graf Top) owned by Victorio Equine Group LLC, rounded out the podium with their 36.609-second performance in the short course.

Bernardo Costa Cabral (POR) had 42 pairs challenge his first-round course, with seven returning to compete in the jump-off. “He [Cabral] did a really good job,” emphasized Wordley. “He made the course tricky enough that it was hard to jump. I think the height was perfect, and the time was just right that you had to go quick enough, which caused some problems, but without making it too difficult for people. So, I think he nailed it. He did such a good course.”

Wordley piloted two horses through the first-round track, and explained that tonight was Gatsby’s time to shine. “My second horse, [Any], didn’t have a very good warm-up, so it just wasn’t her night, but Gatsby was awesome.”

Though it was Gatsby’s night, it wasn’t a jump-off designed for the 2004 Irish Sport Horse stallion (Simba x Cruise On), Wordley admitted: “In the jump-off, my strategy actually didn’t go to plan. Gatsby doesn’t turn so well to the right, and there were two tight turns to the right in the jump-off,” he explained. “I actually wanted to do two less strides from [fences] two to three, and two less strides [in the other turn], but I just wanted to go fast enough to put pressure on the others.

“That way,” Wordley continued, “if they wanted to beat me, they needed to do something that could cause a rail, which is what happened. I think the only one who was faster had two [rails] down trying to beat my time, so it worked out.”

Though both Wordley and Gatsby have found great success at TIEC, Wordley is hoping that this win carries him forward to his next venture. “Gatsby will have next week and the week after off, then he’ll probably do the two star in Angelstone, which he won last year.

“I like winning… it’s good!” Wordley concluded. “Gatsby likes winning; he loves it. And it’s always good to beat Santiago Lambre,” he added of his competitor who piloted two rides in the jump-off. “Even if it’s in the 1.30m, I like to beat him, because that guy is fast!”

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

Sharn Wordley and Gatsby ©TIEC.

Mill Spring, NC – May 4, 2019 – Sharn Wordley (NZL) and Gatsby kicked off the Tryon International Equestrian Center (TIEC) “Saturday Night Lights” 2019 series with a win in the $72,000 St. Luke’s Hospital Grand Prix CSI 2*, stopping the jump-off timers in 39.018 seconds to take a second win on the week. Annabella Sanchez (USA) and Incitatus, her own 2009 Oldenburg gelding (Stakkatol x Con Air), was just behind on a time of 39.154 seconds to earn second, while Fernando Cardenas Jr. (COL) and Quincy Car, a 2004 Oldenburg stallion (Galiani Car x Amour Parfait) owned by Fernando and Meredith Cardenas, dashed around the short course in a time of 39.941 seconds to secure the final podium spot.

Course designer Manuel Esparza (MEX) tested 20 entries over his first-round course, with eight pairs accepted back for the jump-off round. The entire podium all finished just under 40 seconds, and Wordley explained that he and Gatsby would have been more comfortably in front had they not had a little hiccup on course:

“My strategy [in the jump-off] was to go not crazy fast, but to keep all the jumps up. The second-to-last jump, on the rollback – it didn’t quite work out the way I wanted to and I had to add an extra stride,” he said. “That’s why I was on the same second as the second and third [place riders] – I was planning on being a bit faster than what I was, so I got lucky there.”

His advantage, then, came from his naturally fast horse, Wordley detailed. “I just have a very fast, smart horse. That’s where I had the advantage – I have a great horse. The other riders have great horses, too, and it was very close. But I could’ve been beaten at that one line – I got lucky.”

Wordley and his 2004 Irish Sport Horse stallion (Simba x Cruise On) also took the win in Thursday’s $36,000 Horseware Ireland Welcome Stake, and he was quick to compliment the course build for a competitive field under the lights in Tryon Stadium: “Fantastic week. I love Tryon. It was a very good course,” Wordley continued. “I thought he had the time just right – it was tight enough. Because the time was quite tight, it forced a few faults that riders wouldn’t have had otherwise. It was a very good course: very square and very wide.”

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

Sharn Wordley and Gatsby ©TIEC.

Tryon, NC – May 2, 2019 – Sharn Wordley (NZL) and Gatsby took home the win in Thursday’s $36,000 Horseware Ireland Welcome Stake CSI 2* to kick off Tryon Spring 1 competition, clearing the short-course in 38.28 seconds with his own Gatsby. Fernando Cardenas Jr. (COL) and his own Quincy Car, a 2004 Oldenburg stallion (Galiani Car x Amour Parfait), put in a 40.653-second jump-off round to land in second place, while Alberto Michan (ISR) and El Pacho, a 2009 Dutch Warmblood gelding (Cardento 933 x Goodtimes) owned by Pablo Mejia Villa, claimed third place on a time of 40.736 seconds.

Course designer Manuel Esparza (MEX) had 32 pairs test the first-round track, with 12 entries returning to challenge the jump-off course. Wordley and the 2004 Irish Sport Horse stallion (Simba x Cruise On) took a very technical approach to shaving off time in the second round, he explained.

“The jump-off was quick. I chose a different tactic than most: I went inside a jump they didn’t go inside, and went around a jump they did go inside. I think it was more a technical thing, and that’s where I made up the time,” he said.

“It was a nicely-built course,” Wordley elaborated, “and good for the first day. It rode well. I got caught out [of the first round] on my first horse, Rye Val De Mai, because I was just a second over the time. I didn’t realize the time was as tight as it was.”

His winning mount, Wordley revealed, took the win on his first show back after a break. “Gatsby hasn’t shown in two months, but he jumped well. He’s fifteen years old. He’ll jump the $72,000 St. Luke’s Hospital Grand Prix Saturday night, and I usually use him for 2* Grands Prix and 1.50m classes. He’s a great horse and he wins a lot,” Wordley concluded. “He’ll be showing here a lot.”

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