Chris von Martels and Eclips Third in FEI Grand Prix CDI 4*

Adrienne Lyle (USA) and Salvino produced a score of 77.913% and claimed the FEI Grand Prix CDI 4* at Tryon International Equestrian Center and Resort (TIEC) to open Tryon Spring Dressage 1 CDI 4* competition and the 2021 Dressage season at the venue. The week also serves at the first CDI 4* competition hosted at TIEC, and is the first such competition hosted in the United States outside of Wellington, FL, in the past five years. In reserve, Olivia LaGoy-Weltz (USA) and Rassing’s Lonoir, a 2004 Danish Warmblood gelding (De Noir x Lorani x Loran) owned in partnership with Mary Anne McPhail, danced to a score of 73.261% to earn second place honors, while Chris von Martels (CAN) and Eclips, the 2009 Dutch Warmblood gelding (Apache x Kebora x Olympic Ferro) owned in partnership with Barbara Soederhuizen, claimed the remaining podium spot with a third-place score of 70.522%.

Lyle, who most recently combined with the 2007 Hanoverian stallion (Sandro Hit x Dynastie x Donnerhall) owned by Juliano LLC to win both the FEI Grand Prix CDI 4* and Grand Prix Special CDI 4* this month in Wellington, FL, continued her winning streak Friday in Tryon Stadium.

“I’m happy with him overall. He was a little bit distracted going in today. I think quite a few of them were, which is one of the reasons it’s good to change our show venue,” Lyle detailed, returning to TIEC as a competitor for the first time since the FEI World Equestrian Games™ Tryon 2018. “Everyone shows a lot at the same place, and the weather here is dramatically cooler than what we’ve used to by about 60 degrees, so I think the horses have been really fresh these last two days. Getting their brains back in the game took a little bit of work, but he still pulled off a clean test. He’s so reliable that way in that regardless of what is going on, he’ll be there and do what I ask of him.”

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Speaking to her current winning streak at the CDI 4* level, Lyle emphasized that she is still looking ahead to Sunday’s Grand Prix Special while taking a minute to enjoy a win. “To win this is super, and we’re really thankful to get to be here, and it’s wonderful that [the show was upgraded to] a 4*. That’s great for us to have more opportunities like this here. Our sights are really set on the Special,” Lyle continued. “That’s the big test for us, so of course we’re happy to have a good test today, but we’re not sitting on that, not resting on that, and we’re looking forward to Sunday because that’s the one that really counts for us.”

After coaching last fall at TIEC, Lyle is grateful to be back in the irons as a competitor, noting how fortunate it is that competition is able to safely continue. “It’s great to be back. This is absolutely one of my favorite venues in the world to show at, and I always love being up here in these beautiful mountains. Like always, we’re so thankful to be able to be doing this right now when so much of the world is locked down, so we thank everyone who makes that possible.”

Pablo Gómez Molina and Servus Ymas Win FEI Prix St. Georges CDI 4*

Pablo Gómez Molina (ESP) and Servus Ymas scored a 71.961% to win Friday’s FEI Prix St. Georges CDI 4* at Tryon International Equestrian Center and Resort (TIEC) with the 2013 Hanoverian gelding (San Amour x Romana x Depardieu) owned by Cristina Danguillecourt and Yeguada De Ymas S.L. Emilee Spinelli (USA) combined with Don Huerico, her own 2008 Hanoverian gelding (Don Henrico x Wolke x Wolkenstein II), for a score of 63.529% and second place.

Gómez Molina echoed Lyle’s sentiment that a change in scenery and weather had been refreshing and energizing for his horses, noting that Servus Ymas was “spicy” but well-behaved in their second international small tour competition: “The horses feel super, because they are super fresh. The last week we were in Florida was a little bit too humid. On Monday, it was like 90% humidity. For them, to breathe and recover here is a big thing.”

Also placing sixth in the FEI Grand Prix CDI 4* aboard Ulises De Ymas, the 2010 PRE gender (Seni Indio x Nirvana Ymas x Superior II) owned by Yeguada De Ymas S.L. and Cristina Danguillecourt, Gómez Molina reported that he “can’t complain” with his great day-one results.

“I’m really happy with today, because it’s only our second International competition, in the small tour. I thought he felt really good. With the change in the weather, he was super fresh, and really with me in the ring. The trot tour was really nice. It was probably the best I’ve ever felt on him. The walk was good, and then in the canter he was a little bit extra spicy! We didn’t have any mistakes, but you could feel he was fresh,” Gómez Molina explained. “But, I’m really happy with him, because even if he was a little fresh, he was with me all the time, and was trying to do what I wanted him to do. I’m really happy with him, and it was a nice score.”

Moving forward, the pair will contest the Intermediate I and hopefully refine their Friday performance, he shared. “For tomorrow, I would like to have a little bit more control in the canter and be able to ride him a bit more in the canter, because even though we didn’t have any big mistakes in the canter, we can get more points. Hopefully, the trot is like [it was] today, and then we can get a really nice score.”

View all CDI results from Tryon Spring Dressage 1 here.