Allison Stroud and Istvan E Z Take the Win in the 2022 USEF Intermediate Single Horse Championship

Megan Fullgraf Leads the Way to Win the USEF Intermediate Pair Pony Championship

Jennifer Johnson Takes the USEF Intermediate Pair Horse Championship 

For Immediate Release

Lily Yampolsky for TIEC

Mill Spring, NC – September 27, 2022 – Anna Koopman (Middleburg, VA) and her own Chandler Creek Eclipse emerged victorious in the USEF Intermediate Single Pony Championship with a final score of 139.83. Reserve Champion honors went to Karen Cherry (Anthony, FL)  and her own 2013 Welsh Cross Pony gelding Sir Noble (Unknown x Unknown) with a score of 159.19.

Anna Koopman and Chandler Creek Eclipse in the Cones Phase.
©Sharon Packer Photography

Koopman and her 2010 Morgan gelding (Thunder Michelangelo x FP Sunday Morning Coffee) led after the first day with a Dressage score of 54.30. The pair have been hard at work on improving their Dressage, and the results showed.

“For the intermediate test, there’s a canter portion. And we’ve been working all summer on our canter transitions, and making sure that we pick up the correct leads and everything to that extent. We can sometimes get a little bit exuberant, but he was able to keep his head on Dressage day, which was great.” 

Anna Koopman and Chandler Creek Eclipse in the Marathon Phase.
©Sharon Packer Photography

They continued their winning ways in their strongest phase, Marathon: 

“He was on fire; he was really on it. He loves to run fast, and he listened really well. We won the Marathon by 10 points, which was kind of huge – we’ve never ever gone into Cones having a 22-point lead. That was amazing for us.”

“Having it on the [White Oak Course] was absolutely amazing. I did stud up for marathon, but my pony never slipped as the footing was absolutely amazing. The crew really did an amazing job on the entire weekend of keeping the footing really awesome.”

Anna Koopman and Chandler Creek Eclipse in their Championship Presentation.
©Sharon Packer Photography

Despite a ball down in the Cones phase, the two made it inside the time to clinch the Championship. Chandler Creek Eclipse is a special pony as he lives at and helps with the program at Sprout Therapeutic Riding in Aldie, VA. The pair have been together for 3 years and Koopman shares the reins on him with her dad. 

Allison Stroud and Istvan E Z Take the Win in the 2022 USEF Intermediate Single Horse Championship

Mill Spring, NC – September 25, 2022 – Allison Stroud (Kennett Square, PA) and her own Istvan E Z were crowned the USEF Intermediate Single Horse Champions, finishing on a total score of 138.67. Bettina Scherer (Wellington, FL) and her own 2014 American Dutch Harness Horse mare Viola V (Barno x Violine) finished with Reserve Champion honors with a score of 150.95. In a close third place was Margaret Shenker (Mercer, PA) and her own 2010 Hackney gelding Heartland Flash Back (Brookeborough Flash Jack x Makari Mirabelle) with a score of 151.01. 

 Stroud and her 2013 Dutch Warmblood gelding Istvan E Z (Unknown x Unknown) finished second in Dressage, but moved into the lead after winning Marathon with a score of 82.57. 

Allison Stroud and Istvan E Z in the Marathon Phase.
©Sharon Packer Photography

 “The Marathon went spectacular. He came out of the stall ready for Marathon, because he’s usually a fairly steady fellow. He was definitely up for the day. And right at the first hazard, he just put his ears forward and said, ‘let’s go!’”

Allison Stroud and Istvan E Z in the Cones Phase.
©Sharon Packer Photography

 Stroud found Istvan E Z through a friend sharing his ad with her on Facebook. He was owned by a family that bred Dutch Warmbloods and, despite being broken to drive, he had not done it since as he had been the daughter of the family’s jumping horse. Istvan E SZ has only been driving for the two and a half years Stroud has had him, but despite being new to the sport, the pair clinched the overall title.

Allison Stroud and Istvan E Z in their Championship Presentation.
©Sharon Packer Photography 

Stroud had competed at Tryon prior, and raved about the facility:

“I love the facility. It has unbelievable everything. There’s a lot of different food sources, and you don’t have to leave the grounds. The footing is really good, and the horses really like it. They did a tremendous job. And the course designer was unbelievable. It was really fun and everybody I talked to had a really great time. They love the facility. [The staff is] polite and nice, and they just go out of their way to help you.”

Megan Fullgraf Leads the Way to Win the USEF Intermediate Pair Pony Championship

 Mill Spring, NC – September 25, 2022 – Megan Fullgraf (Reidsville, NC) and her ponies Bayshore Be Pacific and Bayshore Pastime took the USEF Intermediate Pair Pony Championship during the Tryon Fall CDE. Fullgraf and her two ponies, Bayshore Be Pacific, a 2015 Dartmoor Pony mare (Dunmere Clouded Buff x Shenandoah Atlantis) and Bayshore Pastime, a 2011 Dartmoor Pony mare (Farnley Swing Time x Shenandoah Atlantis) finished on a total score of 167.44. 

Jennifer Johnson Takes the USEF Intermediate Pair Horse Championship

Mill Spring, NC – September 25, 2022 – The USEF Intermediate Pair Horse Championship went to Jennifer Johnson (Barboursville, VA)  and her horses JC Espiritual and JC Plumona. Johnson’s total score with her two horses, JC Espirital, a 2013 Andalusian mare (El Espiritu x Plumon M8) and JC Plumona, a 2012 Andulsian mare (El Espiritu x Plumon M8) was 262.90.

For full driving results from the Tryon Fall CDE, click here. 

Photos ©Sharon Packer Photography. These photos may only be used once, in relation to this press release. Official show photos can be viewed and purchased at www.Tryon.com/photos. With questions, please contact media@tryon.com.