Tryon Fall 4 Midweek Update:

Amanda Derbyshire and Otto BH Score 112’500 CHF ProElite Welcome Stake CSI 4* Win

Keely McIntosh and Hilton II Win $15,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby Presented By The Farm House

9’000 CHF Speed Stake CSI 4* Champions: McKayla Langmeier and Pepita VD Rollebeek

Nayel Nassar Rides El Conde to Victory in 30’000 CHF ProElite Welcome Speed Stakes CSI 2* 

Darragh Kenny and Diva Karef BH Take 1’000 CHF Speed Stake CSI 2* Win

For Immediate Release

Rette Solomon for Tryon International

Mill Spring, NC – October 14, 2023 – In a thrilling evening class under the lights of Tryon Stadium, Amanda Derbyshire (GBR) and Otto BH (Norton D’eole x Toulon) were crowned the winners of the 112’500 CHF ProElite Welcome Stake CSI 4* in a jump off time of 41.17 seconds. Just a breath behind to take reserve was Conor Swail (IRL) and Vital Chance (Diamant De Semilly x Rivage Du Poncel), the 2009 Selle Français gelding owned by Mannon Farm, recording a time of 41.18 seconds. Rounding out the Welcome Stake podium with a time of 41.46 seconds was Shane Sweetnam (IRL) and James Kann Cruz (Kannan x Cruising), the 2013 Irish Sport Horse gelding owned by Gizmo Partners, LLC.

Amanda Derbyshire and Otto BH
©Avery Fletcher for Natalie Suto Photography

Peter Grant (CAN) designed a course to test eighty-five entries in the first round, catching out all but eight pairs who qualified for the jump off test. Derbyshire and her own 2012 Zangersheide stallion proved to be the fastest, winning the class by only .01 seconds. 

Conor Swail and Vital Chance
©Avery Fletcher for Natalie Suto Photography

“It was a long class,” Derbyshire admitted. “The time was extremely tight. That's why there were not many clears, and it was a technical course. He's a very careful horse, and I stuck to the plan going in. I was just within the time, but he jumped to a beautiful first round.” 

“With Conor and Shane in the jump off, they’re always hard to beat,” Derbyshire said of her competitors. “The boys beat me earlier in the day in the two-star, so I was trying to not let that happen again!”

Shane Sweetnam and James Kann Cruze
©Avery Fletcher for Natalie Suto Photography

Derbyshire shared that her strategy in the jump off was to “just go as fast as I could! There was obviously one less stride to the last fence, and even though we kind of took it in the wrong direction, he’s got a really big stride and he’s pretty strong. I knew at the end of the course I would just go with him and leave out that last stride to the last oxer.”

Amanda Derbyshire and Otto BH in their presentation ceremony alongside Major League Show Jumping’s Keean White and Sharon Decker, Tryon Equestrian Partners Carolina Operations President.
©Natalie Suto Photography

“I’m grateful for a good day. Any day like this, you're always happy for in this sport. It was a great win and I’m grateful for the team,” she recapped.

For full results from the 112’500 CHF ProElite Welcome Stake CSI 4*, click here. 

Keely McIntosh and Hilton II Win $15,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby Presented By The Farm House

October 13th, 2023 – Besting ten teams in the field, Keely McIntosh (Georgetown, KY) and Hilton II (Clinton x Onieke), owned by Booth Show Jumpers, claimed the win in the $15,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby presented by The Farm House. The pair marked a first round score of 166, followed by a 157.5 in the handy round. Collecting reserve honors was Fabian Herrera (Charlotte, NC) and Accelerator (Accelerator x Bazylia), his own 2012 Warmblood gelding, scoring 148 points in the first round and a 165.5 points in the handy. Rounding out the top three was Jake Evans (Ocala, FL) and Empire Lane LLC’s River Of Happiness (Landino x Infinity), the 2016 Warmblood mare, marking 161 points and 150 points over two rounds. McIntosh also claimed fourth place aboard Booth Showjumpers’ Inne van de Plataan, scoring 306 points over two rounds.

Keely McIntosh and Hilton II
©Karli Dannewitz for Natalie Suto Photography

McIntosh explained her strategy to prepare to take on the Archer “Skip” Bailey (USA) designed course. “I’ve been planning on jumping these two derbies for the past month, so I’ve been jumping on the grass field at home. I loved the distances between each fence that made them almost all singles, because Hilton has an amazing jump, and getting a single jump almost allows him to be able to jump up so much better than just cantering down a line. When I was warming up, I was trying to get him moving and off my leg, so I could catch each jump more open than normal.”

Fabian Herrera and Accelerator
©Karli Dannewitz for Natalie Suto Photography

According to McIntosh, her derby trips with Hilton were picture perfect. “When I walked in there, everything just kept coming right up, and we had the perfect canter,” she explained. “Hilton was listening to me so well, and it was a surreal feeling. I’m so grateful we were so in tune today. You can’t not stare at that horse - he’s so cute!” 

“He always goes in and gives me 100%, and he slipped a little bit in one of the tight turns in the handy but kept his game face on and kept trucking along,” McIntosh said of the 2007 Belgian Warmblood gelding’s performance. “I would love to thank everyone who was there to help me today with both horses,” she added. 

Jake Evans and River of Happiness
©Karli Dannewitz for Natalie Suto Photography

Hilton and McIntosh have enjoyed an enduring partnership, as well as success in the hunter and jumper rings. “We’ve been together for a very long time. I got him in 2015, and he used to be my Grand Prix horse,” McIntosh detailed. “He suffered an injury and needed two years off, and when he came back into work I put him in the Hunter ring, and it turns out that’s where he wanted to be the whole time!”

This year marks the team’s return to the international derby ring after a hiatus. “I hadn’t jumped an international derby on him since 2020, but earlier this summer I decided to do an international derby as a warm-up for the AO Hunter Division, and he won it. So, we’re two for two this year!” McIntosh shared. “He’s 16, so I don’t push him too hard, but if a class looks like a fun time, you can count me in, and he’s always game.”

Keely McIntosh and Hilton II in their presentation ceremony.
©Karli Dannewitz for Natalie Suto Photography

McIntosh reflected on her first time back in Tryon International competition. “It’s been wonderful here. I’ve always loved Tryon, and started coming here in 2014. I actually hadn’t been back since 2017, for no reason in particular - I just hadn’t been back - and I came back this spring and still love it just as much as I did back then. Having the MLSJ here and being able to watch all the top riders jump around is always so much fun. Tryon is always beautiful and well-maintained, and there’s so much to do at the horse show that you can never be bored. The footing is huge, too. I do love good footing.”

For full results from the $15,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby presented by The Farm House, click here. 

9’000 CHF Speed Stake CSI 4* Champions: McKayla Langmeier and Pepita VD Rollebeek

October 12, 2023 – With an impressive ninety-three pairs competing in Thursday’s 9’000 CHF Speed Stake CSI 4*, it was McKayla Langmeier and Pepita VD Rollebeek (Tangelo VD Zuuthoeve x Unknown) who emerged victorious. The team sped through the Peter Grant (CAN)-designed course to mark a winning time of 56.92 seconds. Vital Chance (Diamant De Semilly x Rivage Du Poncel), Mannon Farm’s 2009 Selle Français gelding, with Conor Swail (IRL) in the irons took second in the class, recording a time of 57.10 seconds. Collecting the third place ribbon with a time of 58.93 seconds was David O’Brien (IRL), aboard Estoril Delle Roane (Cristallo 1 x Hattrick), the 2014 Italian Sport Horse stallion owned by Postage Stamp Farm LLC. 

McKayla Langmeier and Pepita VD Rollebeek
©Karli Dannewitz for Natalie Suto Photography 

Langmeier and Pepita VD Rollebeek, owned by Linda Langmeier, are a relatively new team. “I've had her for a little bit over a year now. She’s moving up into this height, and I just couldn't be more excited to have her in the barn. She's really stepping up to the plate!” The twenty-three-year-old shared.

Conor Swail and Vital Chance
©Karli Dannewitz for Natalie Suto Photography 

The mare’s ability and athleticism was key to the team’s winning round. “I have a very stridey and scopey horse, so I knew jumps one to two, I could be very tight,” Langmeier said of the 2015 Belgian Warmblood. “I really played that to my advantage with her stride and scope.”

David O’Brien and Estoril Delle Roane
©Karli Dannewitz for Natalie Suto Photography 

Langmeier and her team are enjoying the Tryon fall experience in the fourth week of competition. “This is such a great venue! There's so many places to ride. It's such a nice facility, so it's always really awesome to come here,” she said. 

For full results from the 9’000 CHF Speed Stake CSI 4*, click here. 

Nayel Nassar rides El Conde to Victory in 30’000 CHF ProElite Welcome Speed Stakes CSI 2* 

October 13th, 2023 – Aboard the 2011 Belgian Sport Horse gelding El Conde (Loro Piana Filou De Muze x Final Shot), Nayel Nassar (EGY) took the top spot in Friday’s 30’000 CHF ProElite Welcome Speed Stakes CSI 2*. The team stopped jump off timers at 66.05 seconds for owner Evergate Stables LLC. Connor Swail (IRL) rode Count Me In (Count Grannus x Sherlock Holmes), the 2011 Hanoverian gelding owned by Mannon Farm, to second place in the class with a time of 66.40 seconds. Claiming third in the speed stakes with a time of 67.15 seconds was Amanda Derbyshire (GBR) and Wonder If (Cevin Z x Ruby Ravel), her own 2012 Anglo European mare. 

Nayel Nassar and El Conde
©Bailey Beck for Natalie Suto Photography

For full results from the 30’000 CHF ProElite Welcome Speed Stakes CSI 2*, click here.

Darragh Kenny and Diva Karef BH Take 1’000 CHF Speed Stake CSI 2* Win

October 12, 2023 – Kicking off competition for the Major League Show Jumping collaboration event held at Tryon International, Darragh Kenny (IRL) aboard Diva Karef BH, the 2013 Selle Français mare owned by Mimi Snow Sport Horse LLC, claimed the win in the 1’000 CHF Speed Stake CSI 2*. Recording a time of 58.46 seconds, the pair bested eighty-two entries competing in Tryon Stadium. Kenny also took reserve honors aboard California Pie, the 2012 Westphalian gelding owned by Oakland Ventures LLC, marking a time of 58.48 seconds. Cathleen Driscoll (USA) and Idalgo (Catoki x Quidam’s Olga M), Sher Al Farm’s 2013 Dutch Warmblood gelding, stopped the timers at 59.99 seconds for a third place finish.  

Darragh Kenny and Diva Karef BH
©Bailey Beck for Natalie Suto Photography

For full results from the 1’000 CHF Speed Stake CSI 2*, click here. 

Tryon Fall 4 continues through Sunday, October 15 and features the 328'000 CHF Land Rover Asheville Grand Prix CSI 4* at 7pm in Tryon Stadium, with Saturday Night Lights presented by Tryon Horse & Home kicking off at 5pm. Parking is $10/car and a portion of proceeds will benefit St. Luke Hospital’s breast cancer initiatives as part of Breast Cancer Awareness Night at Tryon International. Learn more here.

Photos ©Natalie Suto Photography (Avery Fletcher, Bailey Beck, Karli Dannewitz, and Natalie Suto as noted). These photos may only be used once, in relation to this press release. Competitors may view and purchase competition photos at www.nataliesutophotography.shootproof.com. With questions regarding photography at TIEC, contact media@tryon.com.