For Immediate Release

Mill Spring, NC – March 26, 2019 – Tryon Welcome 1 saw David O’Brien grab top honors throughout the venue’s first contest for 2019, which featured USEF “A” and Level 3 Jumper competition, topping off the week with a win aboard KIR Royal SCF in Sunday’s $15,000 1.35m-1.40m Jumper Classic. The Lexington, KY, resident and his Spy Coast Farm, LLC mount posted two clear rounds on the day to take the win, stopping the jump-off timers in 36.112 seconds. Claiming reserve honors, Jorge Ludwig and his own The Graduate, hailing from Newbury Park, CA, sped through the short-course in 36.171 seconds, while Nicky Galligan (Keswick, VA) and his own Javas Miss Jordan produced a 37.804-second jump-off round to receive third place honors.

David O’Brien and KIR Royal SCF
Photo credit: Bailey Beck

The course, set by Dean Rheinheimer of Sheridan, IN, saw ten entries with six pairs demonstrating a jump-off round. O’Brien noted that he was glad to be back at Tryon, especially following his success at the venue last fall. “The course was really nice, and it’s nice to get my horses back in this ring again after the break this winter,” he said. “This was my first show outdoors since October [2018], where KIR Royal SCF won a Speed class in CSI 5* competition. He’s home-produced, bred by Lisa Lourie at Spy Coast Farm.”

KIR Royal SCF, a 2010 Belgian Warmblood gelding (Amaretto D’Arco x Nabab De Reve), improved on his second-place finish in Friday’s $5,000 1.35m Welcome Stake, where O’Brien also collected top honors riding Dayla 6, a 2009 Belgian Sport Horse mare (Ogano Sitte x Zeoliet). “We had one down in the second round Friday, but today there were no mistakes,” O’Brien continued. “I was very close to a double clear on Dayla today, and she was very good this week. She belongs to Cleveland Equestrian, and I don’t have her for that long, but she seems really nice.”

TIEC competitors have begun utilizing the newly-built jumps added to the inventory this winter, as well as enjoying recently-renovated barns and numerous facility updates ahead of the Tryon Welcome Series. As a rider known for his ability to bring along younger mounts, O’Brien mentioned that he appreciates the venue as a horse-friendly place to start the season and prepare them for the year ahead:

“I brought all my young horses here because we get to jump in the main ring with very nice jumps,” he explained. “I use TIEC as a preparation for Kentucky in May. I get them in the main ring with all these great jumps, so I’ve kind of caught up to everyone who’s been in Florida without having to go down there.”

O’Brien will spend another week at TIEC, competing in Tryon Welcome 2 (USEF “A”/Level 3) before returning to Kentucky for a bit to be with his younger horses ahead of their summer season. “We have a Young Horse Show at our farm in April – part of the same series that will come to TIEC in November this year – and then I’ll come back here for the summer and bring all my babies back,” he concluded.

Click here to view full results from the $15,000 1.35m-1.40m Jumper Classic.

Jumper Highlights

The $5,000 1.35m Welcome Stake congratulated David O’Brien of Lexington, KY, with a win aboard Cleveland Equestrian’s Dayla 6, stopping the short-course timers in 41.597 seconds. Second-place honors also went to O’Brien, this time aboard KIR Royal SCF for Spy Coast Farm, LLC, after their four-fault, 38.271 second jump-off round, and third place was awarded to Jennifer Waxman (Lexington, KY) stopping the timers in 41.001 seconds and finishing on four faults aboard Lazuli II SCF for Spy Coast Farm, LLC.

David O’Brien claims both first and second place in his prize-giving ceremony.
Photo credit: Charly Miller

The 1.20m Open Jumper Division congratulated David O’Brien (Lexington, KY) with champion honors aboard Merly Chin SCF owned by Spy Coast Farm LLC. Jennifer Waxman (Lexington, KY) claimed reserve honors with Maui SCF owned by Spy Coast Farm LLC.

The 1.10m Jumper Division awarded Meredith McDonnell (Atlanta, GA) with the champion title aboard Croft Original owned by Ella Duffy. Reserve honors were awarded to Lee Hughes (Athens, GA) with mount, Profiteer.

In the 1.30m Open Jumper class, Jorge Ludwig of Newbury Park, CA, rode away with blue aboard his own, The Graduate with a jump-off time of 39.229 seconds. Nicky Galligan of Keswick, VA, claimed second place alongside his own Javas Miss Jordan with a time of 39.248 seconds. David O’Brien of Lexington, KY, earned third with Cleveland Equestrian’s Dayla 6 with a time of 39.823 seconds.

The 1.20m Open Jumper class awarded Jennifer Waxman of Lexington, KY, with first place riding Lazuli II SCF owned by Spy Coast Farm LLC. The pair completed the course in 36.409 seconds to secure the win. David O’Brien (Lexington, KY) jumped into second with Cleveland Equestrian’s Dayla 6 with a time of 40.29 seconds. Ashley Pace of Atlanta, GA, claimed third place with her own ZZ-Top VH Schaarbroekz with a time of 39.828 seconds.

Jennifer Waxman (Lexington, KY) jumped to the top securing first place in the 1.15m Jumper class aboard Spy Coast Farm LLC’s Maui SCF with a time of 31.885 seconds. Second place was awarded to Jorge Ludwig (Newbury Pk, CA) with Luciana owned by Stone Ridge Farm, LLC.

In the 1.0m Jumper class, Jennifer Waxman (Lexington, KY) earned another blue ribbon with One In A Million SCF owned by Spy Coast Farm, LLC with a time of 65.221 seconds. Nicky Galligan of Keswick, VA, claimed second and third place. For the second place win, Galligan earned a time of 64.963 seconds riding Noelle owned by November Hill. Galligan jumped in tandem with High Jinx owned by November Hill to take third place with a time of 67.651 seconds.

Meredith McDonnell of Atlanta, GA, rode to victory taking first place in the 1.10m Jumper class with Croft Original owned by Ella Duffy. The pair jumped the course in 26.831 seconds. Lee Hughes of Athens, GA, claimed second place with mount Profiteer, earning a time of 30.52 seconds. Jennifer Waxman (Lexington, KY) took third with a time of 32.991 seconds riding Maui SCF owned by Spy Coast Farm LLC.

In the .90m Jumper class, David O’Brien (Lexington, KY) claimed first with Poseidon owned by Melissa Wight with a time of 65.509 seconds. Brad Federico of Huntersville, NC, rode into second and third place. Federico completed the course in 63.142 seconds aboard Rosemary Car owned by McKenna Newton to take the second-place victory, and stopped the timers in 63.358 seconds riding his own mount, Hope, to secure the third-place win.

The .80m Jumper class awarded David O’Brien (Lexington, KY) with first place riding Poseidon owned by Melissa Wight. The duo completed the course in 66.236 seconds.  Pilar Ojeda (Waxhaw, NC) jumped into second with mount, Go Johnny Go, and secured a time of 61.576 seconds. Amelia Nowicki of Inman, SC, earned third place with Daredevil owned by Christian Oliver. Nowicki earned a time of 62.022 seconds.

Hunter Highlights

The $1,000 Junior/AO Hunter Classic 3’3″/3’6″ congratulated Elizabeth Chappell (Charlotte, NC) with first place aboard her own, Ambassador CWF with a score of 164. Second place was awarded to Madison Busey of Ashburn, VA, with mount Fergus. The pair earned a score of 156. Rylee Rosenthal of Charlotte, NC, earned third place with Novel T owned by Fairy Tale Farms with a score of 154.

In the $500 NAL/WIHS Adult Amateur Hunter Classic 3′, Courtney Canizares (Elon, NC) earned first place with mount, In Unison with a score of 152. Emily Austad of Knoxville, TN, claimed second place with her own, As Promised, earning a score of 141. Shannon Huth (Greensboro, NC) took third with mount, Stella Luna, with a score of 104.

Bailey Jones (Lenoir City, TN) rode home the blue in the $500 NAL/WIHS Children’s Hunter Classic 3′ with mount, Galileo. Madeline Rubin of Mooresville, NC, claimed second place riding Nuff Said owned by Briar Field Farm, LLC. Macy Williams of Knoxville, TN, took third with Hurry Up O. A. owned by Surya Equine LLC.

The $500 Green Pony Hunter Classic congratulated Sadie Parker (Waxhaw, NC) with first place jumping with her own Jump Forest Jump. The pair earned a score of 156 to secure the win. Second place was awarded to Linen Owens (Marions, NC) with mount, Bel Air. The duo earned a score of 152. Lexi Asbury of Knoxville, TN, took third with mount, Encore, securing a score of 150.

In the $500 Pony Hunter Classic, Madeline Rubin (Mooresville, NC) earned blue with Eddie Bauer owned by Jessie Marie Spade. Parker Peacock (Winston Salem, NC) took second place with mount, C.E. Remarkable earning a score of 141. Savannah Welch (Elon, NC) earned third place with her mount, Mapleside Magic, on a score of 137.

The USHJA Hunter 2’6″/2’3″/2′ Division congratulated Katie Ramsey of Mt. Juliet, TN, with champion honors aboard Wat Tyler owned by Patty Ramsey. Reserve honors were awarded to Devney Hoft of Roseville, NC, riding Zetterberg owned by Townsend Farm, PKP Holdings LLC.

In the Foothills Hunter 2’6″ Division, Catherine Tucker claimed champion and reserve champion honors. Tucker earned the champion title with Lost My Sock owned by Shelton Houser and the reserve champion title with Per Se owned by Nicole Davis.

Champion honors were awarded to Sadie Parker of Waxhaw, NC, in the Large Green Pony Hunter Division aboard mount, Jump Forest Jump. Reserve honors were granted to Parker Peacock of Winston Salem, NC, riding Sahara owned by Jordan Ayres.

Madeline Rubin of Mooresville, NC, earned top honors in the Large Pony Hunter Division riding Eddie Bauer owned by Jessie Marie Spade. Grace Rabb of Fort Mill, SC, claimed reserve honors with her own Carnival.

The Small/Medium Green Pony Hunter Division awarded Gabriella Sousa (Matthew, SC) with the champion title with mount, Silver Point. Linen Owens of Marion, NC, earned the reserve champion title with mount, Bel Air.