The first fall edition of Saturday Night Lights presented by Tryon Horse & Home welcomed an enthusiastic crowd to the Tryon Stadium for the $25,000 ProElite Grand Prix, with Brittni Raflowitz (Palm City, FL) and Spitfire (Numero Uno x Volympia Van’t Heike) taking top honors in a time of 34.56 seconds in the jump off.

The Fork at Tryon International presented by Yanmar America celebrated its debut on the September calendar at Tryon International Equestrian Center & Resort (Tryon International), welcoming more than 200 horses and riders to compete at the national and international levels.

Gladys, Va. ­– Sept. 8, 2023 – The Intercollegiate Horse Shows Association (IHSA) leadership has signed a three-year agreement with Tryon International in Mill Spring, North Carolina, to host the IHSA National Championship starting this season. The 2024 event will be held May 2-5, 2024. IHSA Nationals at Tryon International will host nearly 500 riders from across the U.S. and Canada competing in all levels of hunter seat equitation and Western divisions, including horsemanship, ranch riding and reining.

Tuesday, September 5, 2023 (Columbus, OH) – The Interscholastic Equestrian Association (IEA) is proud to announce that they will host the 2024 Intercollegiate Dressage Association (IDA) National Championships alongside their own IEA Hunt Seat and Dressage National Finals on April 25-28, 2024 at Tryon International Equestrian Center in Mill Spring, North Carolina. 

Wrapping up the Tryon Summer Finale 1, Penny Brennan (Ocala, FL) aboard Vertigo Delorme (Chacco Blue x Faretana) claimed a win in the $15,000 1.30m Mini Prix at Tryon International Equestrian Center & Resort (Tryon International). Earning reserve honors with a jump off time of 35.337 seconds was Doug Payne (Rougemont, NC) and The Windwood Group’s 2008 Dutch Warmblood stallion Damokles (Ukato x Orindy). Rounding out the podium with third place was the 2011 Holsteiner gelding Vintage (Verdi TN x Wanda VI) owned by Blue Trim LLC and rider Juan Ortiz (Loxahatchee, FL), completing the jump off in 37.262 seconds. 

While the world-class arenas and barns of Tryon International Equestrian Center & Resort (Tryon International) typically host Hunter-Jumper, Eventing and Dressage competitions, western sports arrive at the venue October 6-8, 2023, for World Champions Rodeo Alliance (WRCA) Rodeo Carolina. The east coast’s best rodeo athletes will vie for a guaranteed payout of over $400,000 over three days of competition, including bareback riding, women’s breakaway roping, saddle bronc riding, steer wrestling, team roping, tie-down roping, barrel racing, and bull riding. 

Earning gold in the USHJA 1.40/1.45m Platinum Jumper Champ Team Final was Team Constantine which consisted of Leah Curtiss (Mobile, AL) riding Fortuna from Zone 7, Natalee Haggan (Copper Hill Cir, TX) aboard MTM Hyperion Z from Zone 7, and Kacy Smith (Ashburn, VA) with Chicago M from Zone 3. Receiving silver was Team Augustus from Zone 3 who consisted of John Angus (Mooresboro, NC) riding Dominator, Kama Godek (Fairfax Station, VA) aboard Conny 409, and Addison Reed (Mechanicsville, VA) with Goliath.

Under the lights of Tryon Stadium, Sean Jobin (CAN) and Coquelicot VH Heuvelland Z claimed their fourth Grand Prix podium finish in a row, winning the $146,000 St. Luke’s Hospital Grand Prix CSI 3*. Jobin stopped jump off timers at 34.22 seconds, besting a field of twenty-four competitors. Taking second with a time of 36.44 seconds was Roberto Teran Tafur (COL) aboard his own 2012 German Sporthorse mare, DSP Callas (Casskeni II x Levistano). Caitlyn Connors (USA) marked a time of 37.19 seconds to earn third place honors with Falcon de Hus Z (Florian de la Vie*Bazooka x Adlantus AS), the 2009 Zangersheide gelding owned by Caitlyn Connors LLC. Jobin was the last of nine clear rounds presented by Stuller Power Solutions to qualify for the jump off.

Samuel Parot (CHI) claimed his first victory of Tryon Summer 6 with his 2012 Spanish Sport Horse mare, Tiffany De Olid (Huppydam Des Horts x Unknown). Twenty-two competitors tested the combined preliminary and speed round. Parot and his mare had a speedy time of 30.10 seconds in the speed phase which kept them at the top of the class. There was a tie for the reserve honors title since both pairs had a time of 31.9 seconds in the speed phase: Roberto Teran Tafur (COL) aboard Santana and Richie Moloney (IRL) riding Huzaar…

Under the lights of Tryon Stadium, Nicolas Gamboa (COL) and NKH Mr. Darcy sped to victory in the $78,000 Stuller Power Solutions Grand Prix CSI 2*. The pair recorded two clear rounds and marked a jump off time of 38.02 seconds to secure the win. Stopping the jump off timers at 38.42 seconds to earn reserve honors was Grant Seger (USA) and Frieda (Balou Du Rouet x Canturo), his own 2012 Oldenburg mare. Sean Jobin and Coquelicot VH Heuvelland Z (Catoki x Cassini II), Foxridge Farms Stables’ 2012 Zangersheide stallion, earned third with a time of 39.99 seconds.

With forty-nine entries in the $39,000 ProElite Welcome Stake CSI 28, Samuel Parot (CHI) recorded yet another Tryon International win as he rode Cumorka Z to top honors with a jump off time of 34.22 seconds. Claiming reserve was Rebecca Conway (USA) and Unestar D'Ysenbeeck Z, the 2014 Zangersheide mare owned by Blue Hill Farm, LLC, marking a time of 36.53 seconds. Rounding out the podium in third and marking a time of 36.95 seconds was Caelinn Leahy (USA) and Steve Schaeffer’s The Gray Man (Tjungske x Calando I), the 2008 Dutch Warmblood gelding.

In a repeat victory, Chrystal Blue (Chacco Blue x Calvaro F.C.) and Samuel Parot (CHI) raced to win the $146,000 Cleghorn Golf & Sports Club Grand Prix CSI 3* with a speedy 34.06 second jump off time. The 2011 Oldenburg gelding owned and ridden by Samuel Parot went clear in both rounds against 19 competitors on the difficult course designed by Alan Wade (IRL). Just a couple seconds behind in the jump off with a time of 36.46 and earning reserve honors was Darragh Kerins (IRL) riding Lissino (Limbus x Lagumera B), the 2011 Holsteiner stallion owned by Eve Jobs. Rounding off the podium was Alexandra “Aly” Worthington (USA) aboard De L’oiseliere (Kapitol D’Argonne x Miss Flight) with a time of 37.2 seconds in the jump off.

Colin Syquia (PHI) and Front Page claimed the highlight class of Friday Hunter/Jumper competition, winning the $25,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby presented by The Farm House on a two-round score of 386. Josh Dolan (USA) piloted Con L’Anima, his own 2010 Westphalian mare (Cassini I x Cassina), to a score of 369 and the reserve title, while third place went to Jennifer Bliss (USA) aboard the 2005 Dutch Warmblood gelding (Tangelo van de Zuutheve x Nicolette V) owned by Harris Hill Farm LLC, Poker Face, and their 364-point performance.

An all-American, all-female podium was crowned at Tryon International Equestrian Center & Resort (Tryon International) Saturday, July 1. Jacqueline Ruyle (USA) and her partner Cyramo Z dominated $78,000 Earl Scruggs Music Festival Grand Prix CSI 2*. Owned and shown by Ruyle, Cyramo Z (Clarimo X Vigo D Arsouilles Stx) stopped jump off timers at 35.95 seconds to win the Grand Prix. Alexandra Worthington (USA), and Turn A Blind Eye LLC’s De L'oiseliere (Kapitol D’argonne x Unknown), the 2013 Selle Français gelding, took reserve honors with a time of 35.95 seconds. Rounding out the podium was Lauren Tyree (USA), aboard her own 2013 Oldenburg gelding Voltanos (Voltaire Pref x Lordanos), marking a time of 42.08 seconds.

With two clear rounds, Todd Minikus (USA) and Bit By Bit Group’s Amex Z earned first place in Thursday’s $39,000 ProElite Welcome Stake CSI 2* with a time of 34.51 seconds. With a time of 36.41 seconds, Samuel Parot (CHI) rode Trinidad Soffia’s 2013 Zangersheide mare, Cumorka Z (Copin Van De Broy x Calato) to reserve honors. Earning third was Kady Abrahamson (USA), aboard Abrahamson Equestrian LLC’s Any (Aliano x Alcatraz), the 2008 Holsteiner mare.

This October, the WCRA (World Champions Rodeo Alliance) will make history in the Carolinas, bringing the richest rodeo east of the Mississippi to the Tryon International Equestrian Center & Resort. Part of the groundbreaking $1 million Triple Crown of Rodeo series, Rodeo Carolina, Oct. 6-8, caps the 2023 trilogy of events when dozens of accomplished Western sports athletes will compete for their share of the $400,000 purse and shot at the life-changing $1 million bonus.

Aboard her own Fifty Shades, Andrea Torres (COL) claimed the win in the $25,000 Sunday Grand Prix to close out Tryon Summer 2. The pair stopped jump off timers at 32.248 seconds, besting a field of twenty-nine entries. Click here to read more results from Tryon Summer 2.

Team Tryon member from the venue’s earliest days, and beloved horse show secretary Sally R. Dunn, age 73, of Mill Spring, NC, formerly of Wellington, FL, passed away Saturday, June 10, 2023, at Hospice House of the Carolina Foothills. Horse shows and the equestrian community were the center of her life, and Sally was a critical part of Tryon International’s success.

Luiz Francisco de Azevedo (BRA) and Nashville closed out their Tryon Spring Series by winning Saturday’s $146,000 Main Street Insurance Group Grand Prix CSI 3*. Of the 20 horse and rider pairs competing under the Tryon Stadium lights, Francisco de Azevedo and Nashville (Diamant De Semilly x Darco), posted the fastest jump off time of 33.62 seconds. Click to read more results from Tryon Spring 6!

At Tryon International Equestrian Center & Resort (Tryon International), Samuel Parot (CHI) and Chrystal Blue were the best of the best in the $146,000 Bobcat Grand Prix CSI 3* at Saturday Night Lights presented by Tryon Horse & Home. Parot and his own 2011 Oldenburg gelding (Chacco Blue x Calvaro F.C.) cleared the jump off course in 44.63 seconds to secure the win.