Conor Swail and Koss Van Heiste Capture Win in $25,000 Sunday Classic

Luis Larrazabal and Caristina Conquer $6,000 FEI Speed Stake

Tryon Riding & Hunt Club Charity II Horse Show Perpetual Trophies Awarded

For Immediate Release

Allie Hay and Sarah Madden for TIEC

Mill Spring, NC – July 10, 2021 – Ponies stepped into the spotlight in Tryon Stadium during Tryon Summer 4/Tryon Riding & Hunt Club Charity II at Tryon International Equestrian Center & Resort (TIEC) during Saturday’s $10,000 USHJA Pony Hunter Derby presented by Star Stable. Evana Somareddy (Clearwater, FL) aboard her own Goldrush took first place honors with a combined score of 170. Elle Boyd (Camden, SC) received second and third place honors on Finally Farm’s Sugarbrook Pink-N-Blue, the 2007 medium Welsh Pony (Blue Who x Tropical Breeze) producing a score of 168, along with Baby Blue, the 2003 small Welsh Pony (Blue Rain x Unknown), who earned a two-round total of 167.

Evana Somareddy and Goldrush
©Sportfot

Thirty-six pony riders cantered around the Andres Christiansen course resulting in a handy cutoff score of 76. Somareddy and the 2008 medium Welsh Pony Cross with unknown breeding tackled the classic round with a score of 85, and earned another 85 in the handy round to come out on top. Somareddy said she owes all success to “Monty,” who was “perfect” and “so much fun.” Somareddy enjoyed riding the course, saying, “I kind of was just going around saying, ‘Okay! We’re doing this! First line is done. I love this!’ And before I knew it, it was at the end and we were jumping through the two-stride! And I was just like, ‘Good boy!’”

Elle Boyd and Sugarbrook Pink-N-Blue
©Sportfot

Somareddy walked in the ring with a mix of jitters and confidence, saying, “I was kind of nervous because I’ve never shown in a big stadium before. But Monty just came in for me and he was amazing. Also, I just want to give my thanks to Schuler Dayner for helping me prep Monty and making him perfect. It was really so much fun! I couldn’t have done it better.”

Despite it being Somareddy’s first competition in a large stadium and her first time competing at TIEC, the string of firsts proved no issue for the pair. They ended as champions in the Medium Pony Division during Tryon Summer 3 and continued their winning streak during Tryon Summer 4 to earn reserve champion honors. Somareddy was elated with her mount’s performance and left the ring saying, “My time at Tryon has been amazing! I’m so proud of him for having such an amazing two weeks at Tryon!”

Elle Boyd and Baby Blue
©Sportfot

From TIEC, Somareddy and Goldrush will next begin their preparation for USEF Pony Finals in Kentucky. “Hopefully, we will be as good as we were here!” she said with a grin. “After that, I’m super happy to award Monty to his new leasers. Monty is going to have a new kid next year! I’m super happy and I hope Monty’s new owners are as happy as I am!”

Evana Somareddy and Goldrush with teammates in their presentation ceremony alongside Ringmaster Steve Rector, TIEC Special Guest Reese, and TIEC Director of Equestrian Operations Molly Oakman.
©Sportfot

Conor Swail and Koss Van Heiste Capture Win in $25,000 Sunday Classic

July 11, 2021 – Conor Swail (Wellington, FL) and Koss Van Heiste flew to a win in the $25,000 Sunday Classic at Tryon International Equestrian Center with a jump-off time of 37.304 seconds. Sean Jobin (Dunnellon, FL) and Foxridge Farms Stables’ Coquelicot VH Heuvelland Z, the 2012 Zangersheide gelding (Catoki x Cybelle V’t Heuvelland Z), earned second place honors with a time of 38.088. Rounding out the top three with a time of 39.358 seconds was Kevin Mealiff (Wellington, FL) aboard Oakland Ventures LLC’s Uccello De Will, the 2008 gelding of unknown breeding.

Conor Swail and Koss Van Heiste
©Sportfot

Course designer Alan Wade’s course saw 35 riders in the first round of competition, nine of which qualified for the second round jump-off. Swail and Eadaoin Aine Ni Choileain’s 2010 Belgian Warmblood gelding (Breemeersen Adorado x Contact Van de Heffinck) sat in third place going into the shortened second round, but were able to leave out a stride in each of the lines to help secure a win. “As always, Alan Wade put up a nice, difficult course. My guy has got a big step so those lines from jump one to two and from jump three to four, I’m leaving out a step. Even from the double to the oxer, it was a steady section where I did five strides,” Swail explained. “Leaving out those three steps was something maybe everyone didn’t do. That was, basically, the main strategy and then just trying to give him a good ride and give him the opportunity to do a good job!”

Koss Van Heiste is usually Swail’s CSI 5* mount, so the pair used the Sunday Classic to school for future Grand Prix competition. Swail is using his time at TIEC to prepare his horse for the fall, and noted, “We’re basically trying to build him up with Spruce Meadows in September in mind. So, we’re trying to get him in a good frame of mind for that. I was really pleased! He jumped great.”

Conor Swail and Koss Van Heiste in their presentation ceremony alongside Ringmaster Steve Rector and TIEC Director of Equestrian Operations Molly Oakman.
©Sportfot

Swail and his team will compete at TIEC throughout the Tryon Summer Series before taking a few weeks off and migrating north. “Tryon has been great so far!” he concluded. “We were here for the last series and now we are back again! My horses are in good form and I’m looking forward to the next couple of weeks.”

Luis Larrazabal and Caristina Conquer $6,000 Speed Stake CSI 3*

July 9, 2021 – Caristina and Luis Larrazabal (COL) finished the single-round $6,000 Speed Stake CSI 3* with a time of 56.41 seconds to capture the win in the Tryon Stadium at TIEC. Larrazabal and the 2010 mare of unknown breeding sped through the timers nearly three seconds faster than the second-place finishers. Owner/rider Emma Sargent (USA) piloted Giolita, the 2011 Dutch Warmblood mare (C-Ingmar x Padinus) to a second place finish with a time of 59.23. Doug Payne (USA) and Quintessence, the 2011 Holsteiner gelding of unknown breeding owned by Jane Dudinksky, rounded out the top three with a time of 60 seconds.

Luis Larrazabal and Caristina
©Sportfot

Tryon Riding & Hunt Club Charity II Horse Show Perpetual Trophies Awarded

The Grand Prix Trophy, awarded to the Grand Prix winner at Tryon Summer 4/Tryon Riding & Hunt Club Charity II Horse Show, was earned by Hilton van de Breepoel and Brittni Raflowitz.

The Eleanor Moffit Trophy, awarded to the Grand Junior Hunter Champion, went to Attaboy and Elle Gibbs.

Elle Gibbs and Attaboy in their presentation ceremony.
©TIEC

The Holmberg Trophy, given to the Grand Green Hunter Champion, was named to Private Conversation and Erica Quinn.

Erica Quinn and Private Conversation in their presentation ceremony.
©TIEC

The Stoney Knoll Trophy goes to the Grand Child/Adult Jumper Champion, this time awarded to Sekhmet de Keralys and Kaitlen Kiely.

The Grand Amateur/Owner Hunter Champion, Willie and Sheila Motley, received the Laughin Place Trophy.

Sheila Motley and Willie in their presentation ceremony.
©TIEC

The Brownlands Graduation Day Trophy was awarded to Baby Blue and Elle Boyd for their performance as Grand Pony Hunter Champions.

Elle Boyd and Baby Blue in their presentation ceremony.
©TIEC

The Penny Ante Trophy is given annually to the Grand Children’s Hunter Champion, going to Carentino B and Kendall Blabey this week.

The Will Do Trophy, given to the Grand Adult Amateur Hunter Champion, was presented to Contara and Hannah Toohey.

The High Point Adult Hunter Rider from both weeks of Tryon Riding & Hunt Club Charity I & II Horse Show competition, Tantara and Susan Reynolds, received the Barbara Jimenez Trophy.

Hunter Highlights:
Pecan Lane Farm had a clean sweep in the Junior Hunter 3’3” 16-17 Division, with Minka, owned and ridden by Avery Jesel (Madison, GA), earning champion honors. Owner/rider Madison Gould (Suwanee, GA) took home reserve champion honors aboard Dream A Little.

Just My Style, ridden by Schuyler Dayner (Odessa, FL) and owned by Jordan Ayres, received champion honors in the Large Pony Hunter Division. Owner/rider Sophia Baranowski (Charleston, SC) and Alleghany earned reserve champion honors.

Jumper Highlights:
Champion honors of the .90 Non-Pro Jumper Division went to Hannah Banks (Birmingham, AL) and Ava Le’s Cypre’s RC. Reserve Champion was awarded to Juliana Hotchkiss (Sunrise, FL) aboard her own Hawaii ODF. 

The ESI Footing High Junior/Amateur 1.40 Division was championed by Alex Parrish (Midway, KY) aboard the Lexander Farm LLC entry, Castleroche Rebel. Finishing with reserve champion honors was Andrea Correra (Wellington, FL) along with the San Francisco Stables LLC entry Luminaria LS La Silla. 

Equitation Highlights:
Olivia Johnson (Boynton Beach, FL) earned first place honors in the ASPCA Maclay 3’6” riding Helene March’s Carit DMZ. Daniel Kerins (Wellington, FL) took second place aboard Esta Loca Van Schuttershof, owned by North Run and Missy Clark.

First place honors of the Dover Saddlery/USEF Hunter Seat Medal class were awarded to Campbell Hudkins (Farmington, CT) riding Diara Rouge, owned by Wolfstone Stables and Sales Inc. Eve Westfall (Boulder, CO), riding Barn Rat LLC’s Van Gogh, earned second place honors.

For full division results from Tryon Summer 4/Tryon Riding & Hunt Club Charity II Horse Show, click here. 

For full results from the $10,000 USHJA Pony Hunter Derby, click here. 

For full results from the $25,000 Tryon Resort Sunday Classic, click here. 

For full results from the $6,000 Speed Stake CSI 3*, click here. 

The Tryon Summer Series continues through Sunday, July 25 and features Hunter AA and Jumper Level 6 competition alongside international jumping competition for the next two weeks. Tryon Summer 6 also features the Markel/USHJA Zone 3&4 Platinum and Team Jumper Championships. View the full 2021 competition calendar at www.Tryon.com/compete.