Horse Trainer, 4th Generation Rider, 3x Pan American Games Competitor, 2018 World Equestrian Games Competitor and Local Legend Julio Mendoza is headed to Paris 2024! Join us in the Ridge, on the Third Floor of the International Pavilion at Tryon International for a black-tie dinner, silent auction, and fundraiser to help send our Tryon neighbor to the Olympics!

The Gala will include dinner, beer and wine, silent auction, and entertainment. 

75% of the proceeds from this event will be going to Julio to make his dream come true to go to the Olympics in Paris 2024.

About Julio Mendoza:
Julio Mendoza of Ecuador has been training horses for over 35 years and is the 4th Generation Rider in his family.  He has competed at two Pan American Games and the 2018 World Equestrian Games held here in Tryon.  In 2022 and 2017 he made history for Ecuador earning all 5 Gold Medals at the Bolivarian Games in Bogota Colombia. Julio's mentor is David Hunt of England and he has been riding with him for the last 6 years.   

Julio currently has been campaigning Jewel's Goldstrike, or Goldie, as he is known around the barn.  He is now 12 years old and has been brought up the levels to GP by Julio.  Goldie recently just earned 2 gold medals at the 2022 Bolivarian Games and 8 straight wins in Wellington and Ocala CDI’s at the Grand Prix Level, scoring over 80% in the GP Freestyles. 

Julio Mendoza of Ecuador is the 19th-ranked rider in the world in the FEI Rankings. 

Goldie is known for his sweet and snuggly personality, and though one of our top competition horses, he lives outside because that’s what he enjoys best.

Julio had his best score of 83.47 at the PanAm Games which gave him the Gold medal - the first rider to ever win a gold Medal for Ecuador.