Print
Pablo Barrios and Le Vio Claim $5,000 Power & Speed Stake CSI 3*
Evan Coluccio and L.A. Confidential Named Absorbine® Green Hunter 3’ Division Champion
For Immediate Release
Mill Spring, NC – July 4, 2019 – Aaron Vale (USA) and Major raced to win the $36,000 Horseware Ireland Welcome Stake CSI 3* at Tryon International Equestrian Center (TIEC), stopping the jump-off timers at 37.01 seconds. Sharn Wordley (NZL) and Casper, a 2006 Oldenburg gelding (Contender x Baloubet Du Rouet) owned by Sky Group, followed closely in second place with a clear jump-off performance of 37.168 seconds. Vale and his other mount, Finou 4, a 2006 Hanoverian gelding (Flashlight 16 x Concetto Famos) owned by Thinks Like A Horse and Donald E. Stewart, were awarded third-place honors with a time of 38.355 seconds to open Tryon Summer 4 competition.
Aaron Vale and Major
©Sportfot
Forty-three pairs attempted the course designed by Alan Wade (IRL), who was also the designer for the FEI World Equestrian Games™ Tryon 2018 hosted at TIEC. Vale commented that Wade challenged the riders in both the long and short courses: “The first round was quite a difficult course. The jumps were pretty big and the oxers were wide. This ring can feel a little small, just depending on how the course designers set the oxers coming out of the turns,” Vale explained. “Alan really made us work at the oxers off the turns today and the time was a hair short, so it was a difficult first round.” Only ten riders successfully tackled the long course to continue into the jump-off.
“The first few who had been leading in the jump-off before I went in with my first horse [Finou 4] were not super quick,” said Vale. “I was warming up when Abigail [Mcardle] went, so I didn’t really get a good judge of her time, but I knew it wasn’t unbeatable. I was pretty happy to get that time with my first horse. He’s a good horse, but he’s never the fastest one in the jump-off, so I was happy to get into the lead with him. Then, Sharn [Wordley] went in there and snatched it right away,” Vale playfully shared.
Sharn Wordley and Casper
©Sportfot
Vale and Major were the last pair to attempt the jump-off, with USA riders encouraging the pair to go for blue: “It being the 4th of July, all my American colleagues were urging me on, saying that an American had to win the class, so I was really trying! I took all the chances and went for it! He [Major] is a faster horse than Finou 4, so I didn’t hold back and let it rip; it was awesome and good fun!”
Major, a 2007 Danish Warmblood gelding (Carmargue x A’khan Z) owned by Sleepy P Ranch LLC and Donald Stewart, is returning to the Grand Prix competition level after a three-month break due to an infected tooth, Vale revealed. “It was a mystery for a while; we didn’t know what was going on. It’s just nice to have him back. He jumped 1.40m classes last week, just for fitness purposes. He’s a really competitive horse, fast and careful.
Aaron Vale and Finou 4
©Sportfot
“It’s better to not go that fast going into the Grand Prix,” Vale commented after his success with two of his mounts in the Welcome Stake. “It’s better to get your horse mentally quick going into the next class, but sometimes you have to take the win when it’s there, and you know you can’t win both big classes if you don’t win the first one! I have a couple days to put his brain back together for Saturday night, and hopefully I can get him where he’s focused again.
“We love Tryon – it’s a beautiful facility. It’s convenient for us. My daughter loves coming here: she’s five and showed in the cross-rails last week,” Vale shared. “All the trainers with kids really love coming here, they [Tryon] do a lot of extra stuff for the kids. The restaurants on grounds are quality eating, fun and convenient after a long day of showing – you know you can go to Landrum for a nice meal – but you can also stay here. So, there’s just so many positives, and we love having the option of coming here.”
Aaron Vale and Major in their presentation ceremony alongside Drew Page, Ingate Manager. ©Sportfot
Vale is wrapping up his last week at TIEC, but hinted at a return later in the summer: “We go to Kentucky next, then maybe the Hamptons and the 5* at Saugerties at the end of the summer. I haven’t thrown the idea at my wife yet, but maybe these two horses will come back for the last 3* here. But, it’s not set at the moment,” Vale concluded.
Pablo Barrios and Le Vio Claim $5,000 Power & Speed Stake CSI 3*
Pablo Barrios and Le Vio
©Sportfot
Pablo Barrios (VEN) piloted Le Vio, Gut Einhaus LLC’s 2009 Hanoverian gelding (Van Gogh x Drosselklang II), to a win in Wednesday morning’s $5,000 Power & Speed Stake CSI 3* during the Tryon Summer 4 at TIEC with a double clear and a speed phase time of 26.863 seconds. Second place was awarded to Mark Bluman (USA) aboard Jenni’s Chance, a 2009 Belgium Warmblood mare (Clinton I x Heartbreaker) owned by Melissa Wight, with a double-clear effort and speed phase time of 27.682 seconds. Steve Schaefer (USA) and his own Zarkava, a 2008 Irish Sporthorse mare (Guidam x Sir Libero), were also clear to earn third-place honors with a speed phase time of 28.415 seconds.
Evan Coluccio and L.A. Confidential Named Absorbine® Green Hunter 3’ Division Champion
Evan Coluccio (Middleburg, VA) and the Aizlynn Radwanski and David Glefke-owned L.A. Confidential swept the Absorbine® Green Hunter 3’ Division, winning all over-fences trips to be crowned division champions on Thursday of Tryon Summer 4 competition at TIEC. Donald Sheehan (Maryville, TN) and the Kashmere Farms LLC entry, Indian Ocean, earned reserve champion honors of the division.
Evan Coluccio and L.A. Confidential in their presentation ceremony.
©Sportfot
L.A. Confidential is not only new to the Hunter ring, but has only been on American soil for two months. “He [L.A. Confidential] is only five years old and this is his first show in America,” Coluccio shared. “Larry [Glefke] and I imported him after Florida, about two months ago. I’ve just been playing around with him and brought him here to Tryon, and he’s been amazing.”
Coluccio continued, adding that L.A Confidential’s presence and newfound success in the Hunter ring could be due to his personality: “He knows he’s so handsome. I have learned enough about him to know he steps into the ring and just cruises around and is awesome. I’m really excited about him,” said Coluccio. “I think he has a huge future as a derby horse, for sure. He is so nice, but is for sale, so I probably won’t have much time to enjoy him and really know that for myself, but I will enjoy him while it lasts!”
For the rest of the summer, Coluccio has confidence that L.A. Confidential’s success will continue. “We’re here at Tryon this weekend, then we’ll show him in Kentucky throughout the summer to get him ready for the Green Incentive. I’m so excited for him to do that, because if he does it right, he’s going to be really hard to beat.”
Coluccio concluded that L.A. Confidential was not the only one to be experiencing Tryon International Equestrian Center for the first time. “This is my first time here at Tryon!” Coluccio shared. “The facility is really nice, everyone has been so helpful, and the footing is great. I will definitely enjoy coming back because it’s such a nice place to be and show. I didn’t bring any jumpers with me this week, but I will have to next time, because those rings over there [in Tryon Stadium and the International Stadium] look like a ton of fun!”
For full results from the $36,000 Horseware Ireland Welcome Stake CSI 3*, click here.
For full results from the $5,000 Power & Speed Stake CSI 3*, click here.
For full results from Tryon Summer 4 Hunter/Jumper Divisions, click here.
Tryon Summer 4 competition continues through Sunday, July 7, and features a $5,000 USHJA National Hunter Derby in Ring 4 at 8:00am Friday, July 5, as well as the highlight $25,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby at 4:00pm in the International Stadium. Saturday will be marked by the $134,000 Adequan® GrandPrix CSI 3* at 8:00pm in Tryon Stadium. To learn more, visit www.Tryon.com.
Photo credit ©Sportfot. These photos may only be used once in relation to this press release with proper credit.
Categories: News, Press Releases
Copyright © 2022 · All rights reserved · ShowGrounds, LLC. · Shelburne Falls MA · 1-888-429-9495