Darragh Kerins and Delight M-G C de Leuze Claim $5,000 Horseware Ireland Welcome Stake Victory

Michael Pineo and Geneva Claim Grand Prix O, AA, J/Y Victory in Tryon Summer Dressage 1 presented by Adequan®

For Immediate Release

Mill Spring, NC – June 18, 2019 –  Sarah Bagworth (Toronto, ON) and her own Malou were victorious in Sunday’s $25,000 Cleghorn Golf & Sports Club Grand Prix to conclude week one of the Tryon Summer Series at Tryon International Equestrian Center (TIEC), finishing with a jump-off time of 38.135 seconds. Ricardo Villa (Campobello, SC) and Walnut, a 2010 mare (Costello x Potomac) owned by Juan Pablo Betancourt, claimed second place with a short course time of 38.373 seconds. Darragh Kerins (Wellington, FL) piloted Trefoil Farm LLC’s Delight M-G C de Leuze, a 2009 Belgian Warmblood mare (Armitage x Unknown), to a swift 39.068-second round for third.

Sarah Bagworth and Malou
©Sportfot 

The course, designed by Bobby Murphy (Lexington, KY) tested 24 pairs in the first round, with seven returning for the jump-off. “The course was great. I think it was really fair for the group… it was a tough group today,” Bagworth remarked. “I was actually a little nervous when I walked in. I have been a little rusty in my riding so far this summer, so I am happily surprised!”

Ricardo Villa and Walnut
©Sportfot 

Malou, a 2004 Swedish Warmblood mare (Maloubet de Pleville X Carthago), is not new to the jumper ring. “She [Malou] is amazing; ‘professional’ would be my best one-word to describe her,” Bagworth explained. “She has only ever been ridden well before me. She was ridden by McLain Ward, his wife Lauren, and before that Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum. She has had the best education possible.”

 Darragh Kerins and Delight M-G C de Leuze
©Sportfot 

Bagworth has owned Malou since November of 2017. “She [Malou] has just been amazing for me, she always goes in the ring and tries extremely hard. She is extremely fair when I make a mistake, and she is very fast,” Bagworth shared.

Sarah Bagworth and Malou in their presentation ceremony alongside Dave Long, General Manager of Cleghorn Golf & Sports Club, and JP Godard, Competition Manager.
©Sportfot

The pair hopes to continue to have successful rounds at TIEC. “We made Tryon a bit of a summer base. We really enjoy the show and it is good to us. We love the area, too. It is really fun to hang out on your days off, and the horses are happy jumping here,” Bagworth concluded.

Darragh Kerins and Delight M-G C de Leuze Claim $5,000 Horseware Ireland Welcome Stake Victory

Darragh Kerins and Delight M-G C de Leuze
©Sportfot

It was Darragh Kerins (Wellington, FL) aboard Trefoil Farm LLC’s entry, Delight M-G C de Leuze, who claimed top honors in the $5,000 Horseware Ireland Welcome Stake on Friday to jump-start the first week of the Tryon Summer Series at TIEC. Kerins and the 2009 Belgian Sport Horse mare (Armitage x Vox Dei MG C de Leuze) sped around the jump-off fault-free in a time of 40.534 seconds to claim the top spot among 26 entries. Second place was awarded to Stefano Barruzo (Wellington, FL) and Donald Stewart’s Vantastico with a time of 37.378 seconds and four faults in the jump-off. Juan Ortiz (Loxahatchee, FL) and Verlano, owned by Stransky’s Mission Farms Inc., claimed third-place honors with a time of 37.867 seconds and four faults in the jump-off round.

Michael Pineo and Geneva Claim Grand Prix O, AA, J/Y Victory in Tryon Summer Dressage 1 presented by Adequan®

June 14 through 16 brought Tryon Summer Dressage 1 presented by Adequan® to Tryon International Equestrian Center (TIEC) for national Dressage competition. The week kicked off Friday morning when Michael Pineo (USA) and his own Geneva travelled down center-line to win the FEI Grand Prix O, AA, J/Y with a score of 63.967%. Jessica Jo Tate (USA) and Joseph Tate’s 2007 Hanoverian mare, Summersby (Sir Donnerhall x Rosentau), were awarded second place in the class with a score of 62.880%. Third place honors were then awarded to Hokan Thorn (USA) and his own 2008 Dutch Warmblood stallion, Django (Jazz x Fleming), with a score of 62.826%.

Michael Pineo and Geneva
©Susan J. Stickle Photography 

Pineo and the 2011 Dutch Warmblood mare (Sir Donnerhall x Olivi / Jazz x Aktion) have had plenty of time to get acquainted, Pineo explained: “I saddle broke her and bought her as a two year old, then started her myself, so more or less, I’ve been preparing her for [the Grand Prix level] the last six years.”

Jessica Jo Tate and Summersby
©Susan J. Stickle Photography 

Following the close of Tryon Summer Dressage 1 presented by Adequan®, the pair plans to compete around the Carolinas for the rest of summer before going on to Devon and Saugerties. Pineo hopes to continue to have the ride on the mare: “Her strong points are her incredible willingness, her piaffe and passage, and her extraordinary lightness. She’s just an amazing horse.” Pineo continued, “She is for sale, so it just depends a little bit on how long I have her, but I’m really looking forward to competing her and continuing to develop her because she is only eight years old.”

Hokan Thorn and Django
©Susan J. Stickle Photography 

Pineo and Geneva call the Tryon community home and hope to continue their Tryon-based success going forward. Pineo, who moved to Tryon a year and a half ago, shared how thankful he was to live so close to TIEC: “I love Dressage at Tryon. I have competed all over California, lots of different places, the Northeast, and [TIEC] is just a fantastic place, really fantastic. I hope you guys are mobbed by competitors because anybody could show here and love it.”

For full results from Tryon Summer Dressage 1 presented by Adequan®, click here.

Hunter Highlights:
Champion honors were awarded to Leah Wilson (Dallas, TX) aboard her own Heart Breaker in the USHJA Hunter 3′ Division. Loretta-Jean Devening (Dallas, TX) and Trident, owned by Jamie Stryker, took home reserve champion honors.

Desperado ridden by owner Lisa Otto (Landrum, SC) were awarded champion of the USHJA Hunter 2’3″ Division. Reserve champion was awarded to John Michael Durr (Shelby, NC) with Jennifer Harrell’s Casander.

In the Small Pony Hunter Division, Lily Epstein (Coral Gables, FL) aboard ISaid, owned by Megan D’amico, were crowned champions. Chasing Chance, owned by Kayla Jacobs, and Pavlina Escobedo (Coral Gables, FL) earned reserve champion honors.

Lily Epstein was also awarded champion honors in the Medium/Large Pony Hunter Division aboard her own mount, Deja Blue. Hampton Baker aboard Simply Max were announced reserve champions.

First place in the $500 Marshall & Sterling NAL/WIHS Adult Amateur Hunter Combined Classic was awarded to Bergen Sanderford (Santa Rosa Beach, FL) and her own, Confidential. The pair earned a total score of 143 to top the class. Lisa Baugh (Wellington, FL) claimed second with a total score of 141 aboard Stephen Borders’ Extraordinaire. Third place was awarded to Jenna George (Pompano Beach, FL) with a combined score of 121 aboard her own, Vincent.

Lily Epstein (Coral Gables, FL) with Megan D’amico’s ISaid were victorious in the $500 Pony Hunter Classic, earning a combined score of 168 to take home the blue ribbon. A combined score of 165 granted Pavlina Escobedo (Coral Gables, FL) and Kayla Jacobs’ Chasing Chance the second-place title. Third place was awarded to Katherine Mercer (Wellington, FL) and Benlea Mizzou, owned by Juliette Propp, with a final score of 158.

Jumper Highlights:
The Adequan® 1.30m Open Jumper Division congratulated David O’Brien (Lexington, KY) and Maldonado SCF, owned by Spy Coast Farm LLC, on earning champion honors on the week. Reserve champion of the division was The Bailiwick Group & KS Sporthorses LLC’s entry, Dirty Harry, ridden by Stephen Pack (Columbus, NC).

The CaptiveOne Advisors 1.20m Open Jumper Division saw Riley Delbecq (Austin, TX) pilot her own entry, Cold Black Heart SF, to earn division champion. Francesca Damasceno (Palm Beach Gardens, FL) earned reserve champion of the division aboard her own entry, Watermill Time.

Laura Persons (Austin, TX) and Falena OPL, the Oakhaven Partners Ltd. entry, earned champion honors of the Developing Jumper Series 6 Yr Old Jumper 1.20-1.25m Division. Kimberly Steinbuch (Shelby, NC) and Mary Quarles’ Kosmo K earned the reserve champion honors in the division.

The 1.10m Jumper Division recognized Claire Lee (Ponte Verde, FL) and Elizabeth Howell’s Rokstarr as division champions for the week. A tie for Reserve champion honors were awarded to Juan Ortiz (Loxahatchee, FL) and Bonnie Smith’s Carpe Diem as well as to Claire Lee aboard her own entry, Jazz Music.

In the Low Junior/Amateur Jumper 1.20m Division, champion was awarded to Rachel Schreier (Quakertown, PA) and her own entry, Nemo. Ava Hoffman (North Palm Beach, FL) and the Charles Waters entry, Donut W, earned reserve champion honors.

Riley Keelty (Austin, TX) rode her own entry, Adalida OPL, to earn champion in the Low Children’s/Adult-Amateur Jumper 1.0m Division for their performance throughout the week. Alexis Halbert (Melbourne, FL), the rider and owner of Charisma, earned reserve champion honors in the division.

For full results from the $25,000 Cleghorn Golf & Sports Club Grand Prix, click here.

The Tryon Summer Series continues through Sunday, July 21, and features six weeks of Hunter, Jumper, Equitation, Dressage and Multidiscipline competition. To learn more, visit www.Tryon.com.

Photo credit ©Sportfot unless otherwise noted. These photos may only be used once in relation to this press release with proper credit.