What To Do

Tryon International Equestrian Center (TIEC) has quickly become an international hub for many of the world’s top equestrian athletes. We welcomes guests 365 days a year to watch, dine, shop, and experience one of the premier riding facilities in the world built for the love of horses and our sport.

• Watch riders and horses from all over the United States compete at TIEC from the comfort of our elevated viewing areas around each ring with ample shade and seating. We designed them with spectators in mind! Admission to all of our horse shows is free and open to the public with complimentary parking. Competitions generally start at 8am and wind down in the late afternoon through 5pm. Click here for our event calendar to find out when the next show is! If you’ve never been to a horse show before, you might also find our FAQ section and Horse Show 101 page helpful.

• During non-competition weeks, Tryon hosts other events including festivals and concerts. Come out to the facility, enjoy the views, and grab a bite to eat any day of the year! We encourage you to follow us on Facebook to stay informed on upcoming performances and special events!

• “Saturday Night Lights” is a Grand Prix equestrian event featuring food, fun, live music, and the highest level of competitive show jumping on select Saturday evenings throughout the year. Bring the whole family: admission, parking and carousel rides are all free! For more information on our favorite event of the week, click here.

• Come hungry! Open seven days a week year-round, Tryon Resort boasts a diverse range of dining options, whether you’ve planned a family night out with the kids or an intimate evening of casually elegant dining with close friends.

• Open every week, 50s-inspired Roger’s Diner offers breakfast, lunch and dinner, with a menu of classic and southern favorites like burgers, patty melts, grits and milkshakes along with breakfast all day. Also offering lunch and dinner service and indoor or patio seating, Legends Grille serves dishes that are prepared using the freshest ingredients and presented with casual elegance. Get your sushi fix year-round at Blue Ginger Sushi & Noodles where the freshest seafood and locally sourced ingredients are handcrafted into edible works of art. During competition weeks, try Campagna Italian, Mane St. Coffee, Clear Rounds Pub, Siesta Cantina, and the Silo Bar. Our on-site General Store also offers hand-made ice cream cones, the Pony Express Deli, groceries, local and NC-based treats and delicacies, and a huge variety of basic toiletries and home supplies for your convenience. For a complete list of dining options, hours and menus, click here. We hope you’ll come back often to try them all!

• Event vendors selling fresh-roasted coffee, wood-fired pizza, lemonade, ice cream and a variety of candy and carnival snacks are on-site during horse show weeks.

•  With stores ranging from the top equestrian brands and classic jewelry to clothing boutiques, antique treasures and more, on-site shopping is a delightful way to enjoy an afternoon or Saturday night at Tryon with friends.

• All of our shops are in air-conditioned beautiful vendor cabins located conveniently on the paved pathway in between the Tryon Stadium and Rings 1-4. Window-shop without missing a minute of the equestrian action.

• In addition to the highest quality riding apparel and tack, our shops have something for everyone, including resort wear, fine art, jewelry, toys and more. Our official on-site tack shop, Dover Saddlery, features equestrian riding and lifestyle apparel, tack equipment, accessories and more. Dover Saddlery’s experienced, friendly staff is happy to help you with finding the perfect fit and style for helmets, boots, apparel, tack, or anything else you have your eye on!

• During our Saturday Night Lights Grand Prix show jumping competitions, come out to TIEC for family-friendly fun, including face painting, performers, free rides on the Venetian carousel and a live band! Each week we have a new theme with different activities – some of those in the past have included sand castle building contests, magicians, acrobats, fire twirlers and more! Once the competition begins, we’ll get you pumped up with dance contests and t-shirt tosses in between horses and riders soaring over jumps nearly 5 feet high! For more information, click here.

• During competition weeks, we frequently host socials and other family events on weekend afternoons while the equestrian action across the show grounds is underway. Follow us on Facebook for the latest! We’re always planning impromptu celebrations for spectators and competitors alike!

• We are proud to feature local performers and bands on various weeknights throughout the year.  We recommend staying for dinner as our on-site restaurants are also open during performances!

• Kids and families will enjoy walking the grounds and getting to see hundreds of beautiful horses up close. TIEC is the perfect place to begin your love affair with the equestrian sport. We invite you to explore the grounds or simply sit back ring-side and watch equestrians of all ages put their hard work to the test during lively competitions.

• After spending the afternoon admiring the athleticism and beauty of horses during competition, stop by Dover Saddlery before you head home to pick up a Breyer model horse or souvenir for your little one! In addition to equestrian apparel and equipment, we have a variety of toys and gifts that are the perfect finishing touch for a memorable day (and are a lot easier to fit in the car than a pony!)

We look forward to seeing you at Tryon International Equestrian Center soon! Have questions? Click here for our Spectator FAQ page or our Horse Show 101 page.