For Immediate Release

Mill Spring, NC – June 5, 2019 – Todd Minikus (USA) rode to the top of Sunday’s $36,000 1.45m Sunday Classic CSI 3* in tandem with Amex Z, finishing with a jump-off time of 33.065 seconds at Tryon International Equestrian Center (TIEC) to wrap up Tryon Spring 5 competition at the venue. David Blake (IRL) stopped the timers in 34.882 seconds to secure second place with Don’t Touch Du Bois, a 2009 Belgian Sport Horse mare (Kashmir Van Schuttershof x Indoctro) owned by Pine Hollow Farm. David O’Brien (IRL) took third place aboard La Belle SCF, a 2011 Belgian Warmblood mare (Diktator Van De Boslandhoeve x Baldini) owned by Spy Coast Farm, LLC, with a time of 35.102 seconds.

Todd Minikus and Amex Z 
©Monica Stevenson Photography 

With 16 competitors in the first round and seven pairs in the jump-off on the course set by Michel Vaillancourt (CAN), Minikus and Amex Z, a 2009 Zangersheide mare (Andiamo Z x Landaris) owned by Bit By Bit Group, were the last duo in the jump-off and secured the win.

“The first round was a nice course,” Minikus remarked. “There were parts of it [the first round] that were difficult, but there ended up being seven clean, and they were all top riders and horses. I was fortunate to have two of the seven.”

Todd Minikus and Amex Z in their awards presentation ceremony
©Monica Stevenson Photography 

“With my first horse [Calvalou], I lost my power steering going to the vertical and kind of ran into the standard and had to circle and start over. And the other [Amex Z], I thought I could do one less stride from one to two. I thought it was faster to go around the vertical instead of inside and that made for a tighter turn back. I noticed in the dirt, my footsteps were way inside of everybody else’s. At that point, I knew I was ahead if I could just leave the jumps up.

“I got lucky at the last jump. It got a little desperate but she gave a good effort, so I am very happy with Amex Z today,” Minikus concluded.

Jumper Highlights:

In the Nutrena® 1.40m Open Jumper Division, Savannah Jenkins (Somis, CA) claimed champion honors aboard Bella Dona, owned by Georgy Maskrey-Segesman. Martien Van Der Hoeven (Pinehurst, TX) earned reserve champion with Lincoln ‘T’, owned by Maarten Huygens.

The High Junior/Amateur 1.40m Jumper Division awarded champion to Elizabeth Lang (Lake Forest, IL) aboard Show Show, owned by Alex Jayne. Fellow Lake Forest, IL, resident Lacey Gilbertson took reserve honors with the Seabrook LLC entry, Bijzonder.

In the 1.35m Open Jumper Division, Paige Johnson (The Plains, VA) and Salamander Farm’s Innovation were awarded champion honors, while Hunter Holloway (Topeka, KS) and Silver Creek’s Charmed, owned by Silver Creek Farms, took reserve honors.

Martien Van Der Hoeven (Pinehurst, TX) aboard Valerie Kalderon’s Comme Ci Comme Ca took champion honors in the Adequan® 1.30m Open Jumper Division. Mikayla Foster’s Couscous Van Orti and Greer Campbell (Charlotte, NC) tied for reserve honors with Kristen Vanderveen (Wellington, FL) on Bull Run’s Divine Fortune owned by Bull Run Jumpers Six LLC.

Lauren Balcomb (Citra, FL) and Julia Strawbridge’s Castino took champion honors in the CaptiveOne Advisors 1.20m Open Jumper Division while reserve honors were awarded to Baral Preciosa, owned by Sarah Bagworth and ridden by Stefano Baruzzo (Wellington, FL).

In the 1.10m Children’s Jumper Division, Eleanor Thompson (Birmingham, AL) and Caselli, owned by Kyle Timm, earned the championship ribbon while Lanie Nash (Taylorsville, GA) and her own entry, Vindicator, were awarded reserve honors.

Stephanie King (St. Augustine, FL) and Lexus, owned by Paige Kouimanis, took home champion honors in the Adult Amateur 1.10m Jumper Division. Rebecca Smith (Zion Crossroads, VA) and her own Craigs-Etariat earned the reserve champion honors.

In the 1.15m Jumper Division, David O’Brien (Lexington, KY) claimed both champion and reserve champion honors aboard Nanette SCF and Madagascar SCF, respectively, both owned by Spy Coast Farm LLC.

Hunter Highlights:

In the $1,000 3’/3’3″ Green Hunter Incentive, Mindy Coleman (College Grove, TN) was awarded first place aboard All Liez, owned by Stony Point Farm. Coleman scored a 77 in the class, earning her the blue ribbon. Second place went to Sara Ketcham (Columbus, NC) with Splendid Moon, owned by Claire de Lune Farm, with a score of 75. Jason Berry (Verona, VA) rounded off the top three with a score of 68 aboard Alovaro, owned by Lee Cesery.

Luke Jensen (Denton, TX) topped the $1,000 Junior Hunter 3’3″ Classic aboard Coraggio PF, owned by Jill Barnett. The pair received a combined score of 166. In second place, Brenny Clare (Atlanta, GA) and Northface, owned by Ashland Farms, received a combined score of 156. Jessie Marie Spade and her own Nightfall finished third with a combined score of 155.

First place in the $500 Marshall & Sterling NAL/WIHS Adult Amateur Hunter Combined Classic was awarded to Courtney Canizares (Elon, NC) aboard her own, In Unison. Canizares earned a total score of 165 to top the class. Lee Cesery (St. Augustine, FL) claimed second with her own, Alovaro, with a combined score of 159. Finishing third for her efforts, Helen Ulrich (Moorsville, NC) walked away with a combined score of 158 aboard Nuff Said, owned by Briar Field Farms LLC.

Olivia Sweetnam (Wellington, FL) claimed the blue ribbon in the $500 Medium/Large Pony Hunter Classic aboard On Your Mark, owned by Sweet Oak Farm. The pair scored a total of 167. Followed closely with a combined score of 166, Leigh Ashby (Lincolnton, NC) took second aboard her own Onyxfords Blue Magic. Third place was awarded to Mary Gaughan (Mooresville, NC) who earned a combined score of 157 aboard Fox Creek’s Cavalier, owned by Clara Grace Saad.

Amberlee Wentz (Colorado Springs, CO) received the title of champion in the Green Hunter 3’6/3’9/High Performance 4′ Division aboard Five Star, owned by Dana Vollbracht. Thomas Serio received the honor of reserved champion riding Moody Blues, owned by GC Ponies.

In the Small Pony Hunter Division, Olivia Sweetnam (Wellington, FL) earned champion honors aboard Jimmy Neutron, owned by Sweet Oak Farm. Katherine Mercer (Wellington, FL) claimed reserve honors riding Benlea Mizzou, owned by Juliette Propp.

The Small Green Pony Hunter Division congratulated champion honors to Madeline Rubin (Mooresville, NC) aboard Just Enuff, owned by Briar Field Farm LLC. Reserve honors went to Reagan Williams (Brookhaven, GA) with the self-owned mount, Justamere Canary Diamond.

Leigh Ashby (Lincolnton, NC) claimed champion honors in the Large Pony Hunter Division with her own Onyxfords Blue Magic. Mary Gaughan (Mooresville, NC) earned reserve honors with Fox Creek’s Cavalier, owned by Clara Grace Saad.

For full results from the $36,000 1.45m Sunday Classic, click here.