Matt Martin and Cadouch Z Capture $15,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby Win

Brady Mitchell and Cornet Blue PS Ace First $10,000 USHJA National Hunter Derby

Todd Minikus and Amex Z Start Saturday Night Lights Season Strong in $30,000 Cleghorn Gun Club Grand Prix

Amanda Flint and Hudson Win $25,000 Horseware Ireland Welcome Stake

For Immediate Release

Sarah Madden for TIEC

Mill Spring, NC – May 23, 2022 – Tryon Spring 3 featured World Champion Hunter Rider Week (WCHR) at Tryon International Equestrian Center & Resort (TIEC), with two derbies in the International Stadium on Friday and heightened celebrations for Hunter divisions all week long, in addition to marking the first edition of 2022 Saturday Night Lights presented by Tryon Horse & Home. Read below for results and more from Tryon Spring 3 competition.

Matt Martin and Cadouch Z Capture $15,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby Win

May 20, 2022 – Matt Martin (USA) and Cadouch Z scored a total of 190 points in the first round to lead after the classic, producing a handy score of 203 to clinch the $15,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby win in what was only “Teddy’s” second competition ever as a Hunter, on a final score of 393 points. In reserve, Michael Britt-Leon (USA) scored a class-record 205 points in the handy round with Midas, the 2013 Holsteiner gelding (Casall x Belunye HH) owned by Paul McCracken, to claim second place and a total of 389 points. Caroline Willard Briles piloted Necofino, the 2012 Holsteiner gelding (Nerrado x Sienna), to third place on a total score of 376 for Rein Family LLC, completing the podium.

Matt Martin and Cadouch Z
©Bailey Beck Photography for TIEC

Twenty-one horses took on the Andy Christiansen, Jr. (ECU) track, with a minimum score of 130 qualifying the top twelve combinations to return for the handy test. Martin and the 2009 Zangersheide stallion (Calvaro Z x Nadouch Z) owned by Amy Hassinger were in the neighborhood for the first time in a few years, and decided to test Cadouch Z in only his second Hunter Derby ever, at his third Hunter show in America.

“We imported him a few months ago, Hassinger said. He was a winning Grand Prix horse in Europe, and now he stands at Hassinger Farm as a breeding stallion. We did not plan to show him this early,” she revealed. “But, Matt did a warm-up class a couple of weeks ago and he just loves when Matt rides him. So, we put him in the Derby and he won that classic round and then he came here! This is the only class he does. He’s just good at it. He doesn’t need to practice!”

Michael Britt-Leon and Midas
©Bailey Beck Photography for TIEC

When asked about his strategy for the class, Martin points at his horse. “We tried a new bridle today, and I wanted him to be a hair slower off the ground. And then, he really does the rest! For the handy I was trying to be handy while still a little conservative,” trying to remind Teddy he’s not in a Jumper jump-off these days. “He loves turning in the air, and he loves leaving a little soft off the ground. So, there’s not a whole lot of strategy; it’s just keeping him in the corner and finding the middle of the jumps.

Caroline Willard Briles and Necofino
©Bailey Beck Photography for TIEC

“We hadn’t been here in five or six years,” Martin revealed. “Travels just went the other way, so we came here. Our farm’s in Ocala, and their farm’s in Aberdeen. So, it was a nice middle point, and it has something for everybody, from the jumpers to the hunters. Plus, very good rings and nice jumps. That’s very important!”

Matt Martin, Cadouch Z and team in their presentation ceremony alongside JP Godard, TIEC Competition Manager, and Molly Oakman, TIEC Director of Equestrian Operations.
©Bailey Beck Photography for TIEC

Hassinger and Martin concluded that they were thrilled with their “one-to-watch,” who will take some time off following his Tryon outing. He has prodigy to look forward to, too: “He’s got a number of babies coming next year, and he’ll do the Derby Finals in August. That’ll be his fourth show!”

For full results from the $15,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby, click here.

Brady Mitchell and Cornet Blue PS Ace First $10,000 USHJA National Hunter Derby

May 20, 2022 – Brady Mitchell (Wellington, FL) and Cornet Blue PS attempted their first USHJA National Hunter Derby at Tryon Spring 3, producing two scores of 91 from the judges for a winning total of 182 points in the $10,000 USHJA National Hunter Derby in the International Stadium. Timothy Maddrix (Mountain Brook, AL) scored a class-record 94 in the handy round to earn reserve and a total score of 181 aboard Cypress, Missy Nolen’s 2011 Warmblood gelding of unknown breeding. Wengen, the 2013 Warmblood gelding (Casdorff x Fanfarone) owned by Kate Preston and piloted by Riley Hogan (Warrenton, VA), was named to third on a two-round score of 175.

Brady Mitchell and Cornet Blue PS
©Natalie Suto Photography for TIEC

Mitchell and the 2015 Hanoverian stallion (Cornet Obolensky x Chaccina) owned by Everlong LLC were one of 33 horse-and-rider pairs to navigate the Andy Christiansen, Jr. course, with the top twelve scoring 81 or higher to contest the handy round. In just the horse’s first week showing as a Hunter, whose first trot jumps ever took place in the show pen and the warm-up ring, Mitchell revealed, his potential as seen by owner Ann Thompson is already clear:

“This is just the horse’s first week ever showing as a hunter. We’re ecstatic. This horse is owned by Ann Thompson, who’s obviously a huge supporter of Grand Prix horses in this country, so it’s kind of cool. Ann sent [Brian Moggre and team] this horse to see what they thought of him this winter; she’s owned him since he was three. They thought he was a hunter, and they asked me to come over.”

Timothy Maddrix and Cypress
©Natalie Suto Photography for TIEC

Mitchell also saw potential in the Hunter division, and reports that while “they’ve been chipping away at it” at home, he’d never competed until Tryon Spring 3 at TIEC, where he brought home a win right before his derby debut Friday, stepping easily into his role, Mitchell emphasized. “He feels like he knows what he’s doing. He’s awesome. He’s a stallion and he’s really, really well bred. It’s interesting, like he has all the goods: he’s brave and careful with a beautiful canter, style and he’s beautiful looking. We’re just really excited about him.”

Riding a new ride and leading after the classic round, Mitchell considered a conservative handy strategy until he saw Maddrix lay down a top score, he admitted: “I had to have a really, really good round, and take all the risks [to win]. So, we turned inside everywhere possible. And that was his first trot jump ever, in the ring. His first one other than that was in the schooling area!”

Riley Hogan and Wengen
©Natalie Suto Photography for TIEC

Mitchell intends to let Cornet Blue PS take full advantage of his first year, competing in the greens and perhaps doing a few national derbies, but sees him as a “real international Derby contender” in the future. In the meantime, choosing to break normal habits to travel to TIEC seems to have worked out splendidly, he recapped:

Brady Mitchell and Cornet Blue PS in their presentation ceremony alongside Molly Oakman, TIEC Director of Equestrian Operations.
©Natalie Suto Photography for TIEC

“This is not a normal stop for me,” acknowledged the Wellington, FL resident. “We actually don’t leave Florida that often anymore. I’m helping some people right now that come and show here, and with it being a WCHR week here, it made sense for me to bring a group of horses, and I have to say it’s been a nice event for me to bring some young horses and get some experience under their belt. It’s so nice to ride out in that big ring, with the big grandstand and everything. It feels like something that’s good experience building for the horses. So, that’s what brought us here, and I was thrilled,” he concluded.

For full results from the $10,000 USHJA National Hunter Derby, click here.

Jumper Highlights:
Todd Minikus and Amex Z Start Saturday Night Lights Season Strong in $30,000 Cleghorn Gun Club Grand Prix

Mill Spring, NC – May 21, 2022 – The first edition of 2022 Saturday Night Lights presented by Tryon Horse & Home at Tryon International Equestrian Center & Resort (TIEC) featured the $30,000 Cleghorn Gun Club Grand Prix, with Todd Minikus (Lake Worth, FL) and Amex Z taking top honors after their 34.747-second jump-off performance. In second, Martien van der Hoeven (Pinehurst, TX) and Morris Horta, the 2012 Belgian Warmblood gelding (Eldorado van de Zeshoek x Irenice Horta) owned by Luccirelli International, LLC, cleared the short course in 37.233 seconds, while Daniel “Dany” Michan (Mexico City, MX) rode Champion League, his own 2012 Hanoverian stallion (Cador x Carisma), to a time of 37.496 to complete the podium.

Read more here.

Todd Minikus and Amex Z
©Natalie Suto Photography for TIEC

Amanda Flint and Hudson Win $25,000 Horseware Ireland Welcome Stake

May 18, 2022 – Amanda Flint (Bourbonnais, IL) and her own mount Hudson, the 2012 Cutch Warmblood gelding (Arezzo VDL x Orchidee), posted a double-clear round in Thursday’s $25,000 Horseware Ireland Welcome Stake for the win on a jump-off time of 41.931. Fernando Cardenas, Jr. (New Hill, NC) and his own Madeira SCF, the 2012 Belgian Warmblood mare (Diktator van de Boslandhoeve x Lilli Marlen), earned reserve honors in a time of 43.78 seconds, while third place belonged to Ashley Fleischhacker (Lexington, KY) aboard Davall VDL, the 2008 Dutch Warmblood gelding (Zavall VDL x Rhamanta) owned by Ashland Show Stables LLC, on a time of 46.197.

Amanda Flint and Hudson
©Natalie Suto Photography for TIEC

For full results from the $25,000 Horseware Ireland Welcome Stake, click here.

For full division results from Tryon Spring 3, click here. 

The Tryon Spring Series continues with CSI 2* Jumper and National Hunter, Jumper and Equitation competition during Tryon Spring 4, hosted May 24-29. Learn more about the 2022 competition schedule at www.Tryon.com/compete. Live streaming is available for highlight classes at www.Tryon.com/streaming. 

Photos ©TIEC/Natalie Suto and Bailey Beck Photography as specified. These photos may only be used once, in relation to this press release. Competitors may request photos in advance and view all official show photos at www.Tryon.com/photos. All photographers must be credentialed to sell or distribute photos taken at TIEC. For more information, contact media@tryon.com.