Ashley Conkle and Return to Me Conquer $2,500 USHJA National Hunter Derby

Allen Nabors Jr. and Casanova DVE Collect $5,000 Horseware Ireland Welcome Stake Win

For Immediate Release

Sarah Madden for TIEC

Mill Spring, NC – November 7, 2021 – Harold Chopping (Southern Pines, NC) claimed first and third place honors in Sunday’s $25,000 Cleghorn Golf & Sports Club Grand Prix at Tryon International Equestrian Center & Resort (TIEC). Chopping earned the win aboard Gerderieka II VI, the 2011 Dutch Warmblood mare (Campbell VDL x Ulderika) owned by Rein Family LLC, after stopping the jump-off timers in 34.96 seconds, and piloted Quadrant 3, the 2012 Holsteiner gelding (Quadros x O-Carlotta) also owned by Rein Family LLC, to third place on a time of 35.753 seconds. Glenn Hartigan (Hume, VA) edged into second place on a time of 35.727 seconds with Picadero 16, the 2012 Rhineland gelding (Prinz Wilhelm x Sabina) owned by Nicola Dickinson.

Harold Chopping and Gerderieka II VI
©TIEC/Natalie Suto Photography

Chopping came back to TIEC for a last competition outing in 2021, pleased with how it turned out for him and for his owners alike. “Our owners, Mark and Tera Rein, are a major sponsor and have been for years. They’re friends of mine from a long time ago, so it’s really fun to win with their horses. We were here earlier in the fall,” Chopping recapped, “and we came back to get the horses out to jump again because there’s not much left in the year for us. I’m thrilled!”

“The course was very fair,” Chopping assessed of the Dean Rheinheimer (Sheridan, IN) course design. “For the number of entries, it was appropriate. The jump-off track was good, too. They really let you have a run at it if you wanted to. In the first round, I think the angle to the double in the corner made it difficult.

Glenn Hartigan and Picadero 16
©TIEC/Natalie Suto Photography

“I wanted to be smooth and clean with the mare who ended up winning,” Chopping shared of his winning strategy. “She’s naturally fast, so you don’t really have to make that happen. You just have to keep her balanced and stay in the gallop. When you look at the clock, you’re always going quicker than you thought with her. I was very pleased with that.”

Chopping revealed that he felt his gelding had at least caught second place, but just barely missed out on the one-two podium punch. “With Quadrant 3, if you really want to chase and go after it, he’s got a big step [to do it]. I thought I was quick enough to be second with him, but I guess I was just a fraction off of that. He went around very well, though!”

Harold Chopping and Quadrant 3
©TIEC/Natalie Suto Photography

After competing throughout the season at TIEC in both the Hunters and Jumpers, Chopping is pleased with his successes and will be one to watch in 2022 when he returns. “We get to come here a few times a year,” he concluded. “It’s only a couple hundred miles from my farm, so it’s always a go-to spot for us. [We appreciate] the FEI events, jumping under the lights, and things like that where you can advance the horses. It’s got a little bit of everything!”

Harold Chopping and Gerderieka II VI in their presentation ceremony alongside Lance Bennett, TIEC Stabling Manager.
©TIEC/Natalie Suto Photography

Ashley Conkle and Return to Me Conquer $2,500 USHJA National Hunter Derby

November 6, 2021 – Ashley Conkle (Wellford, SC) and Return to Me earned a pair of 89s from the judges to take the title in Saturday’s $2,500 USHJA National Hunter Derby. Just three points behind with an overall score of 175, Katlynn Butler (Mechanicsville, VA) and Excelsior, her own 2013 gelding (Carrico x M-Concerto), claimed reserve. Third place went to Alexis Gallati (Rockford, TN) aboard her own mount Iconic, the 2013 German Sporthorse gelding (Chacco Me Biolley x Unknown), for their 171-point performance after two rounds over the Dean Rheinheimer (Sheridan, IN) course design.

Ashley Conkle and Return To Me
©TIEC/Natalie Suto Photography

Conkle and the 2011 Warmblood gelding (Twister x Opal) owned by Issabella Malherbe combined for the win by pushing for the inside turns, Conkle relayed.

“I thought the course was great! It rode really well. It was very straightforward and inviting for the horses. In the Handy round, there weren’t a lot of areas for handy turns, although Meghan [Kaergel] and Conto [van de Helle] did some phenomenal inside turns,” she emphasized. “I was debating on whether to try to catch her, and thinking about what I needed to do. I just rode what I had, we landed on each lead, and then I thought, ‘Let’s go ahead and do the inside turn.’”

Katlynn Butler and Excelsior
©TIEC/Natalie Suto Photography

Based at AMC Show Stables, Conkle is enjoying the ride on Return to Me now that he’s found his true calling as a Hunter, from the Derby ring to the Cross Rails division, she noted. “He is the coolest thing ever. He will do this [Hunter Derby] and then this afternoon he’ll do cross-rails with his owner. He is such a rockstar! About a year ago, he was doing the Jumpers and a friend sent him to me.

“He has just excelled in the Hunters,” Conkle continued. “He’s done a couple Derbies and is still getting his feet wet, figuring out the turning, staying slow and careful, and all of that. I’m very lucky to have the ride.”

Alexis Gallati and Iconic
©TIEC/Natalie Suto Photography

A frequent competitor at TIEC, she concluded, “We love Tryon. It’s phenomenal. I think they’ve done a great job working the footing, too. You can definitely tell that they’ve put time and effort into it. It just gets better and better! We can’t wait to come back again.”

Ashley Conkle and Return To Me in their presentation ceremony.
©TIEC/Natalie Suto Photography

Allen Nabors Jr. and Casanova DVE Collect $5,000 Horseware Ireland Welcome Stake Win

November 5, 2021 – Allen Nabors, Jr. (Ocala, FL) and Casanova DVE collected the win in Friday’s $5,000 Horseware Ireland Welcome Stake, stopping the jump-off timers in 40.425 seconds for the win. Glenn Hartigan (Hume, VA) and Picadero 16, the 2012 Rhineland gelding (Prinz Wilhelm x Sabina) owned by Nicola Dickinson, claimed reserve on a time of 40.983 seconds through the Dean Rheinheimer (Sheridan, IN) course. Anna Dryden (Towson, MD) and Miss Milly Manou, the 2012 Oldenburg mare (Mylord Carthago x Alhambra) owned by Double Meadows Farm LLC, claimed the final podium spot with their 44.551-second tour of the jump-off track.

Allen Nabors and Casanova DVE
©TIEC/Natalie Suto Photography

Nabors and the 2012 Belgian Warmblood gelding (Clinton x Diona V/D/ Wezelse Heihoeve VM) owned by Dutch Valley Sporthorses are getting back into the ring at the national level after his mount just contested his first CSI 2* competition, he reported.

“We came up here to Tryon to get this guy back in the ring. He just jumped a two-star, and it was pretty big for him. He’s just turning ten. So, we came back up here. The footing is absolutely perfect, and the course was nice.”

Allen Nabors Jr. and Casanova DVE in their presentation ceremony alongside Christie Heuman, TIEC Awards Manager.
©TIEC/Natalie Suto Photography

Hunter Highlights:
Abby McCoy (Cogan Station, PA) and Be Bravo, owned by Emory & Henry College, earned champion honors in the Adult/Amateur Hunter Division, with reserve going to Meghan Kaergel (Inman, SC) and Vick Russell’s Conto van de Helle.

In the Children’s Pony Hunter Division, Savannah Welch (Elon, SC) rode her own Opie to the championship, while Annah Shuping (Columbia, SC) rode her own Up Up and a Grey to reserve.

Jumper Highlights:
John Brown (Mill Spring, NC) and Dale Wood’s Ace of Hearts aced the RevitaVet 1.15m Jumper Division, while Morgan Ashby (Lincolnton, NC) and Lamondale Bisou earned reserve for Bridget Earl. 

In the St. Luke’s Hospital Low Junior/Amateur 1.20m Jumper Division, Daphne Rowse (Miton, GA) and her own Karrera 21 claimed the champion rosette. Just for Fun and owner-rider Leah Bergman (Chapel Hill, NC) claimed reserve on the week. 

For full division results from Tryon Fall 7, click here. 

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

For full results from the $2,500 USHJA National Hunter Derby, click here. 

For full results from the $5,000 Horseware Ireland Welcome Stake, click here. 

The 2021 Tryon Fall Series concludes next week with Tryon Fall Finale competition, hosted November 12-14. The week will also play host to the Dutta Corp. Tryon International Three-Day Event, November 11-14, and the Young Horse Show Finals presented by Spy Coast Farm, hosted November 9-13. Learn more at www.Tryon.com/allevents. 

Tryon Resort’s Cleghorn Golf & Sports Club will be hosting the first annual Rutherford County “Honor and Remember” Veterans Charity Classic on Friday, November 12, starting at 1:30pm with lunch at noon. Join the event as a player, sponsor or donor by clicking here.

Photos ©TIEC. These photos may only be used once, in relation to this press release. Competitors may review and purchase photos from the entire Tryon Fall Series or request Tryon Fall Finale photos in advance at www.Tryon.com/photos. With questions, contact media@tryon.com.