VanderVeen and Divine Fortune Win $25,000 Tryon Resort Grand Prix

Kristen VanderVeen (Wellington, FL) and Bull Run’s Divine Fortune ended Tryon Fall 3 on a high note, stopping the jump-off timers in 38.099 seconds to take the win in Sunday’s $25,000 Tryon Resort Grand Prix at Tryon International Equestrian Center (TIEC). Riding Chuck Berry 8, the 2007 Hanoverian gelding (Chacco Blue x Winzerin B) owned by Atlas Equine Holdings, LLC, Abigail McArdle (Wellington, FL) grabbed second on a time of 40.764 seconds, while Wilhelm Genn (Lebanon, OH) and Bugatti, the 2006 Dutch Warmblood gelding (Heartbreaker x Nona Bella) owned by Eduardo Leon, earned third-place honors after their 41.546-second jump-off performance.

The Catsy Cruz (MEX) course saw 35 entries test the first round, with five returning to test the jump-off track. “The time was a little bit tighter than it’s been all week, which helped get the numbers a little bit smaller in the jump-off. She’s naturally my speed horse, with her natural fast canter, and the time allowed actually suited us quite nicely,” VanderVeen shared. “So, that was great, and then the jump-off was just fun. I just went as fast as I could, and she’s such a fighter in the jump-offs – it’s really her specialty.”

VanderVeen emphasized that she “kept it simple” with the Bull Run Jumpers Six LLC-owned 2009 Dutch Warmblood mare (Padinus x Amhilavsca Fortuna), who has accrued multiple speed stake wins with VanderVeen in the irons and specializes in speed. “My jump-off plan was to go as fast as I could from jump one to the last… I kept it really simple. She kind of has two speeds – slow and fast – and there’s not a lot in between. Once you get into the fast gear with her, you just stay there!”

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Known for her successes at the venue, VanderVeen will spend the next three weeks at TIEC before deciding where to go next, and mentioned that Tryon Fall 3 was a great opportunity for her to spread the attention to some of the lesser-known horses in her deep string, ahead of continuing FEI competition throughout the month.

“I’m really happy with how all the horses showed this week, and we’ll bring out the big guns next week, so it was fun to get to show these horses that don’t always get a chance to shine. The weather has been beautiful this week – it’s incredible,” she concluded. “Tryon in the fall is pretty spectacular.”

David Matisz and M. Holliday Cruise to $6,000 Speed Stake CSI 2* Win

David Matisz (HUN) and M. Holliday came out on top in Friday’s $6,000 Speed Stake CSI 2*, stopping the timers in 70.44 seconds to take the win. In second, Kama Godek (USA) and Stonehenge 5, her own 2011 Hanoverian stallion (Stolzenberg x Kolibri), cleared the course in 70.58 seconds, while third place went to Bliss Heers (USA) and Christos, the 2009 Holsteiner stallion (Christo 5 x Linaro) owned by Bridgeside Farms LLC, after their 74.92 second performance.

The Catsy Cruz (MEX) course design saw 13 pairs in the field, and Matisz chose to compete with the David Matisz LLC owned 2012 Belgian Warmblood gelding (Zilverstar T x Gelha’s VDL Emilion) Friday instead of taking on Saturday’s $73,000 Tryon Resort Grand Prix CSI 2*, he explained. “I thought it was a well-built, nice course. It flowed really nicely. I had a young horse, and just wanted him to have a good experience. I thought he jumped it well, and it was a good experience for both of us. This is his first international horse show, so we didn’t really know what to expect from him this week.”

Matisz shared of M. Holliday that last year they competed “in the young horse [Developing Jumper Series] classes, and he showed us a lot of potential. This year, we’ve been building him up … and we wanted to test him this week. He got a little green in the Welcome Stake, so I decided to jump him in the Speed Stake today instead of the Grand Prix. It turned out to be a good idea; he jumped really well and I think he got a very good experience this way.”

Putting in a slick round that didn’t appear rushed, Matisz explained that he believes he shaved time of his round right from the first fence:

“I think from fence one to two, there was a gap that was a little bit tight, and I don’t think everybody took that. That’s probably where we saved a little time, and I just tried to keep going forward after the jumps. Things came up really nicely today, and I think luck was also on my side!”

A longtime competitor at the venue, Matisz emphasized that TIEC is ideal for him as well as for his clients. “We come here at least once every year. It’s such a nice place and such a nice facility. I have a group of clients who jump from the Low Adults to the Grand Prix, and this place provides nice divisions, classes and prize money throughout the week, so it’s ideal for a barn like ours. We try to come here as much as we can.” Matisz concluded, “I want to say thank you to management for organizing such a great show, and for keeping everyone as safe as possible. I think they’re doing a great job.”

Jimmy Torano and Laskano Conquer $5,000 USHJA National Hunter Derby

Jimmy Torano (Wellington, FL) and Laskano galloped to a win in the $5,000 USHJA National Hunter Derby during Tryon Fall 3, scoring a two-round total of 184 points for the win. Liza Boyd (Camden, SC) and Walk-Off, a 2014 Holsteiner gelding owned by Gigi Manigault, scored 91 and 92 for a two-round total of 183 and second place, while third place honors went to Maria Rasmussen (Royal Palm Beach, FL) and Business Time, scoring 174 with Maya Grove’s 2012 Swedish Warmblood gelding (Heartbeat x Little Sunshine).

Torano and the Isalou, Inc. entry, the 2012 Westphalian gelding (Los Angeles x Laskaja), walked up the lines to show off a powerful stride throughout the Dean Rheinheimer (Sheridan, IN) course, he detailed. “There were unrelated distances which were nice for my horse because I was able to gallop along and show him off. There was one line that everybody was riding in eleven or twelve strides, and my horse has a big stride, so I galloped it in ten strides in both rounds,” he recapped. “I think that probably helped with my score.”

Laskano is “basically undefeated,” Torano shared, since his horse show debut at TIEC. “We just got him in May of this year. He did his first horse show right here in Tryon and he was champion with me in the Green Hunters and champion in the Amateur Hunters. He’s basically undefeated. He’s been a champion everywhere we’ve been. Unfortunately, his owner is recovering from an injury and is not here to ride him or see him, but at least we got some good news to tell her and send pictures of her horse with a blue ribbon!”

Heading into the handy round, Torano was one point behind Boyd, and knew he needed to “pull out all the stops” to gain the lead: “My plan was to gallop and be as tight and as neat as I could be. I really felt like I showed a lot of brilliance and worked with pace. I thought I would end with a strong finish, so on that line that was an eleven or twelve stride, I did ten. The horse was just phenomenal.”

Hunter Highlights:

Maria Rasmussen (Royal Palm Beach, FL) and Maya Grove’s Hallmark were champions in the EquiSafe Global Green Hunter 3’ Division, with reserve earned by Harold Chopping (Southern Pines, NC), aboard the Rick Gabel and Carole O’Brien entry, Halston.

In the Marshall & Sterling Insurance Adult-Amateur Hunter 18-35 Division, Emily Rickert (Dunnellon, FL) rode Story Teller to a champion ribbon for Foxridge Farms Stables, while reserve belonged to Jospehine Rose (Springboro, OH) and mount Cracker Jack.

Rachel Lindsey (Austin, TX) was champion in the Performance Hunter 3’6” Division, riding MTM Poker Face for Jillian Glubke. Maria Rasmussen (Royal Palm Beach, FL) and SVF ON My Own claimed reserve for Sunset View Farm LLC.

Jumper Highlights:

Cathleen Driscoll (Elk Mills, MD) and her own Enzo H claimed the champion title in the 1.35m Open Jumper Division, with Ricardo Villa (Campobello, SC) guiding Tender Bravissimo to reserve for Devan Klamon.

In the Developing Jumper Series 7-Year-Old 1.30-1.35m Young Jumper Division, Callie Schott (Franklin, TN) piloted Nippon to the top for Southern Arches, LLC, while reserve for the week went to Brooke Kemper (Reddick, FL) in the irons for Shadow Pond Group with Rocket J Squirrel.

Sharn Wordley (Citra, FL) and Helios Prime, owned by the Helios Group, were champions in the Nutrena® 1.40 Open Jumper Division, with reserve named to Kelli Cruciotti-VanderVeen (Wellington, FL), riding Zidante for Serenity Farm.

The Tryon Fall Series continues through Sunday, November 1, with Tryon Fall 4 to feature CSI 3* competition, the Dover Saddlery/USEF Hunter Seat Medal Finals, as well as the Neue Schule/USEF Junior Jumper National Championships. Though all remaining 2020 competitions at TIEC are closed to the public, live streaming is available at www.Tryon.com/streaming.

For full results from the $25,000 Tryon Resort Grand Prix, click here.