Winning the final $15,000 Buckley Fence Sunday Grand Prix of the Tryon Fall Series presented by Coca-Cola, Brittni Raflowitz (Palm City, FL) rode Semilly F (Copyright C x Brisa De Ibio), the 2011 Spanish Sport Horse mare owned Ashlee Bond Show Jumping to a double clear effort and a jump off time of 34.51 seconds. Close behind the winning team, John Brown (Mill Spring, NC) and his own Belgian Warmblood gelding Ballon Bleu (Amaretto D Arco x Papilon) took second place, marking 35.59 seconds in the jump off. Aboard Queen Bee Z (Quincy Car x Can Get You), Ragan Roberts (Roanoke, VA) rode her own 2016 warmblood mare to a 39.04 second jump off, incurring four faults, to complete the top three. 

Closing out Tryon Fall Finale 1 with a win in Tryon Stadium, Grace Debney (Hampden, MA) and Jesprit H.S (Eldorado Van De Zeshoek x Esprit-R) claimed the $15,000 Buckley Fence Sunday Grand Prix with a double clear performance. Debney and Jesprit H.S jumped to the top of the leaderboard with a 36.36 second jump off time. Clayton Russel (Columbus, NC) also converted two clear rounds aboard Starboy (Cellestial x Fame), the 2016 Hanoverian gelding owned by Christina Kelly to take second in the class, with a time of 38.25 seconds. Incurring four faults in her 36.87 second jump off round, Gracie Allen (Moorestown, NJ) rode Hadj Des Fontaines (Captain Semilly x Tea De La Bruyere), the 2017 Selle Français gelding owned by Koryo Equine LLC, to third place. 

When Hurricane Helene struck, changed our entire landscape, and devastated the lives of the people and animals who live here and love these mountains, Mary Adams, owner of the Sanctuary at Red Bell Run in Columbus, NC, received a call from Elaine Nash, the Director of Fleet of Angels, a nationwide organization that assists equines and their owners suffering from disasters. Fleet of Angels and their network of volunteers and donors wanted to help. Mary and her staff at Red Bell Run were asked to manage the logistics of incoming donations and get them out to people and animals in need. A large space would be needed to store the supplies, feed and hay that would be required for such a huge undertaking. Mary reached out to Sharon Decker at Tryon International Equestrian Center for help. Tryon International immediately offered the use of their indoor arena, a perfect space for the purpose, and the outpouring of help began.

Under the lights of Tryon Stadium in front of a Halloween-costumed crowd, Nicholas Dello Joio (USA) found the top of the podium for the second time during Tryon Fall 6 with a victory in the $70,000 Coca-Cola Grand Prix CSI 2*. Partnered with Dylano Van De Heide Z (Denzel Van't Meulenhof x Feinschnitt I van de Richter), the Wellington-based rider smoked the six other jump off teams on the Ben Townley (GBR) track in 34.44 seconds. Andres Julio Soto Peña (DOM) and his own 2008 Danish Warmblood gelding, Optimus Blue (Chacco Blue x Baloubet De Rouet), toured the jump off track in 35.65 seconds for reserve honors. Aboard her own Heartbeat W (Baloubet De Rouet x Heartbreaker), the 2012 Dutch Warmblood gelding, Elizabeth Bates (CAN) completed the Grand Prix podium with 36.03 seconds on the clock. 

In the final feature class of Major League Show Jumping at Tryon International, six horse-and-rider pairs battled for dominance in the $340,000 KASK Grand Prix CSI 5*. Ultimately, it was Conor Swail (IRL) and Casturano (Castelan 3 x Canturo) who took the win, blazing through the jump off in 41.54 seconds. Fractions behind Swail, Kent Farrington (USA) and his own Greya (Colestus x Contender), the 2014 Oldenburg mare claimed reserve honors in 41.89 seconds. Daniel Bluman (ISR) completed the podium, marking a 42.21 second jump off aboard Abigail Wexner’s Corbie V.V. (Cornet Obolensky x Chacco Blue), the 2015 Zangersheide mare. 

Liza Towell Boyd (Camden, SC) and Crooner Brimbelles Z (Windows VH Costersveld x Rare des Brimbelles Z) claimed top honors in Friday’s $15,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby presented by Equiline, scoring 366 points over two rounds. Boyd also piloted Ondine D’Orleans (Vigo D'arsouilles x Coco Chanel Z), the Finally Farm, Inc.’s 2014 Belgian Warmblood mare, to a score of 358 for reserve honors. Victoria Free (Fayetteville, GA) and Step Up (Cabana x Speak Up), the 2016 Hanoverian gelding owned by Andrea Block, rounded out the podium on a score of 347 points. 

Aboard St. Bride’s Farm’s Baloutinue, Laura Kraut (USA) jumped to first place in Thursday’s Premier Equestrian Grand Prix Qualifier CSI5*, besting 41 total teams. Kraut put 36.33 seconds on the clock for the win, ahead of Tryon Fall 5’s feature Major League Show Jumping classes this week. Ashlee Bond (ISR) rode Donatello 141 (Diarado x Lamoureux I), her own 2011 Westphalian gelding to second place in the class, with a time of 36.54 seconds. Taking third with Vital Chance De La Roque (Diamant De Semilly x Rivage Du Poncel), Conor Swail (IRL) piloted the Mannon Farm-owned 2009 Selle Français gelding to a jump off time of 37.02 seconds. 

Notching another victory under the lights of Tryon Stadium with a win in the $120,000 Stuller Power Solutions Grand Prix CSI 3*, Jacqueline Ruyle (USA) layed out a double clear effort, partnered with San Chano (Sandro Boy x Chacco-Blue). Ruyle and San Chano toured the Nicholas Granat (USA) jump off course in 37.24 seconds to claim the top podium spot. Conor O’Regan (IRL) rode the 2012 Belgian Warmblood gelding, Manchester (Quidam De Revel x Codex), owned by Delshore Horses LLC, to reserve honors on a time of 38.71 seconds. Joining his fellow Irishman on the podium, Richie Moloney and  Equinimity LLC’s Coco Beach (Casall x San Patrignano Corrado), the 2012 Holstiener mare, marked 39.46 seconds in the jump off to place third. 

MILL SPRING, N.C.- Due to the unprecedented impacts of Hurricane Helene across Western North Carolina and the greater Atlantic region, WCRA (World Champions Rodeo Alliance), PBR (Professional Bull Riders), and Tryon International have canceled the 2024 Rodeo Carolina. Following the storm, the event had been rescheduled for October 30-November 2 in Mill Spring, North Carolina at the Tryon International Equestrian Center and Resort.

Jacqueline Ruyle (Navasota, TX) kicked off the Tryon Fall Series presented by Coca-Cola with style, collecting a win in the $20,000 Cleghorn Golf & Sports Club Grand Prix with equine teammate Cyramo Z (Clarimo x Cyprus). Clocking in a double clear effort with her mare, Ruyle clinched the Grand Prix win on a jump off time of 37.87 seconds. Fernando Cardenas (New Hill, NC), who held the lead until Ruyle’s surge to the top, recorded a time of 39.75 seconds to claim reserve honors with Cool Ray NA, the 2014 North American Warmblood stallion owned by B&C LLC. Taking the third podium spot with 41.75 seconds on the timers, Brittni Raflowitz (Palm City, FL) rode Semilly F (Copyright C x Brisa De Ibio), the 2011 Spanish Sport Horse mare, for Ashlee Bond Show Jumping.

The Tryon International Equestrian Center hosted the 2024 USEF Combined Driving National Championship for Advanced Ponies last week, welcoming some of the country’s top driving athletes to compete among the full slate of driving classes at the Tryon Fall CDE.

The 2024 Yanmar America Eventing Series at Tryon International welcomed 257 entries during September 12 through September 15, featuring competition at the international levels CCI 1* through CCI 4*-L. With Cross-Country course design by Clayton Fredericks on the White Oak Cross-Country Course and Show Jumping tracks by Brody Robertson, exhibitors competed across Tryon International’s expansive venue throughout three days of competition. Read more about division highlights here!

US Equestrian is pleased to announce the dates and locations for the 2025 USEF Combined Driving National Championships. For 2025, the national championships across all levels and all divisions will be held at two competitions.

The 2025 USEF Combined Driving National Championship for Ponies will take place April 22-17, 2025, at Tryon International Equestrian Center in Mill Spring, N.C. This will include classes for single, pair, and four-in-hand ponies and VSEs from training through advanced levels.

The 2025 USEF Combined Driving National Championships for horses and para driving will take place Sept. 18-22, 2025, at the Tryon International Equestrian Center in North Carolina. This championship features single, pair, and four-in-hand horses at training through advanced levels and all levels of para driving.

Tryon International Equestrian Center & Resort (Tryon International) hosted Tryon Summer Dressage 3 & 4 over the weekend amidst the busy show grounds. Judges Denah Babcock and Jennifer Benoit were in the boxes for almost two hundred rides. When not competing, riders could watch the hunter, jumper and equitation rounds of the Tryon Summer Finale as well as the USEF National Vaulting Championships. 

In the $15,000 Buckley Fence Sunday Jumper Classic at Tryon International, John Brown (Mill Spring, NC) demonstrated exceptional skill and precision with Ballon Bleu (Amaretto D Arco x Papilon) to clinch top honors. The pair’s flawless performance and impressive time of 33.11 seconds set them apart in a competitive field over the Archer “Skip” Bailey (West Palm Beach, FL) course. Alicia Wilkinson (Charlotte, NC) and Salut Ca-Va (Stakkato x Ria Granda), the Hanoverian gelding owned by Horse Show Leases, LLC, earned reserve on a time of 34 seconds. Rounding out the podium, John Angus (Tryon NC), and Frenesie De Mars (Kannan x Tildia De Mars), the Selle Francais mare owned by Sigma Stables LLC, stopped the timers at 34.92 seconds for third place. 

As a part of the Tryon Cares initiative of Tryon International Equestrian Center & Resort (Tryon International), presented by iHeartMedia, a portion of the proceeds from parking fees at each spring and summer 2024 edition of Saturday Night Lights presented by Stuller Power Solutions were donated to a nonprofit organization. As a result, $4,332 dollars have been donated to local and equestrian nonprofit organizations, including…

The final summer edition of Saturday Night Lights presented by Stuller Power Solutions showcased the $120,000 The Farm House Grand Prix CSI 3* under the lights in Tryon Stadium, with Samuel Parot (CHI) and Chrystal Blue (Chacco-Blue x Calvaro F.C.) clinching the win in a time of 38.03. Richie Moloney (IRL) and Coco Beach (Casall x San Patrignano Corrado), the 2012 Holsteiner mare, stopped the timers in 40.26 for reserve honors. Rounding out the podium, Richie Moloney (IRL) and Skelwith Diamond Lady (Kalaska De Semilly x Balou Du Rouet), the 2014 Anglo European mare, cleared the short course in 40.93 seconds to earn the yellow ribbon.

Luis Pedro Biraben (ARG) brought home double podium placings in Thursday morning’s $32,000 ProElite Welcome Stake CSI 3*, taking the win aboard Chacco Bumpy (Chacco-Blue x Toulon) on an impressive time of 31.18 seconds. Samuel Parot (CHI) and his own Tiffany De Olid (Huppydam Des Horts x Unknown), the 2012 Selle Français mare, took second on the Ken Krome (USA) short track with a time of 31.95 seconds. With 32.00 seconds on the clock, Biraben continued his winning ways to earn third with Vasco 109, (Vigo D Arsouilles Stx x Oboe Incipit), the 2015 Bavarian Warmblood gelding owned in partnership with Miguel Madero.

The USHJA International Hunter Derby Rider Bonus presented by Equiline offers riders participating in any of the five USHJA International Hunter Derby classes at Tryon International in 2024 the chance to accrue points throughout the season. The rider with the most points at the end of the circuit will be awarded an Equiline E5 Saddle. Points will be earned by rider, not by horse. Three of the five classes have taken place throughout the Spring and Summer Series.

Capping off an evening of Saturday Night Lights festivities presented by Stuller Power Solutions and a thrilling display of show jumping with course design by Guilherme Jorge (BRA), Ashlee Bond (ISR) stepped to the top of the podium of the $65,000 Buckley Fence Grand Prix CSI 2*. Bond, paired with Aurora Farms’ Elka De La Pomme (Cartoon Z x Kannan), dominated the ten-horse jump off with a final time of 36.09 seconds. Last year’s Summer 5 Grand Prix winner, Nicolas Gamboa (COL), returned with NKH LLC’s NKH Mr. Darcy (Darco x Chepetto), the 2013 Holsteiner gelding, to claim reserve honors in a time of 36.13 seconds. Representing the home nation, Doug Payne (USA) piloted Quintessence (Unknown x Unknown), the 2011 Holsteiner gelding of Payne Equestrian, to mark 38.95 seconds on the clock for third.