Trip of the Day Winners Honored Daily During Tryon Spring 6 TR&HC Charity Horse Show

For Immediate Release

Mill Spring, NC – June 6, 2019 – Holly Shepherd of Grand Bay, AL, and High Society, owned by Mary Antonini, were crowned champion of the High Performance Hunter 4′ Division on Thursday during the Tryon Spring 6 Tryon Riding & Hunt Club Charity Horse Show. Reserve champion honors were awarded to Dana Vollbracht’s entry, Five Star, with Amberlee Wentz (Colorado Springs, CO) in the irons.

Holly Shepherd and High Society
©Sportfot 

Shepherd explained that High Society has been a member of her program for about a year and has been doing very well. “High Society is one of my Derby horses, and he has been amazing,” Shepherd shared. “This year alone, he’s won two International Derbies. He’s super fun to ride. He’s awesome, scopey, and an amazing jumper. He’s a very cool horse.”

Shepherd attributes High Society’s success to his presence and attitude: “His grace, speed and his rhythm are so fluid and he jumps so high, but never freaky. He’s just a good trier, and he’s ultra-brave. He feels like a real performance horse and he knows when it’s time. He comes to the party really well.”

On Wednesday, Shepherd and Ashley Runnels’ As You Wish were honored with the Trip of The Day Award for receiving the highest score of the day across all Hunter rings, and she shared that “the facility here is amazing, and I’m really happy that we have so much area to ride in. There’s more than enough room for the horses to prepare themselves, and the people have been really nice here. This week in particular, I love the new sponsored ‘Trip of the Day’ for the high score of the day with the $500 check. I think that’s super awesome and it makes people really shoot for something.”

Shepherd and High Society hope to continue their successful week with Friday’s $50,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby, but Shepherd shared that their sights are set on Derby Finals later this season, she concluded. “We’re rocking and rolling and going to try to take that [Derby Finals] over this year. He’s been once before, so it won’t be his first time, but he’s also for sale. So, you never know what will happen.”

Each day throughout Tryon Spring 6 TR&HC Charity Horse Show competition, the rider with the highest-scoring Hunter round at TIEC will receive a $500 prize and special commemorative ribbon thanks to generous daily sponsors. Learn more about the Wednesday and Thursday Trip of the Day winners below.

Holly Shepherd and As You Wish alongside Steve Rector, Ringmaster, and Jennifer Smith.
©TIEC

Thursday, June 6

Hunter Kay (Charlotte, NC) and Hobcaw Creek, owned by Ann Rice Ervin, scored a 90 in their USHJA Hunter 3′ Class to receive Thursday’s Trip of the Day prize, provided by Randi Goulding and Kelly Bandelow.

Hunter Kay and Hobcaw Creek alongside Randi Goulding and Kelly Bandelow.
©TIEC