Kristen VanderVeen (Wellington, FL) and Bull Runโ€™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 Sundayโ€™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. โ€œThe time was a little bit tighter than itโ€™s been all week, which helped get the numbers a little bit smaller in the jump-off. Sheโ€™s naturally my speed horse, with her natural fast canter, and the time allowed actually suited us quite nicely,โ€ VanderVeen shared. โ€œSo, that was great, and then the jump-off was just fun. I just went as fast as I could, and sheโ€™s such a fighter in the jump-offs โ€“ itโ€™s really her specialty.โ€

VanderVeen emphasized that she โ€œkept it simpleโ€ 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. โ€œMy jump-off plan was to go as fast as I could from jump one to the lastโ€ฆ I kept it really simple. She kind of has two speeds โ€“ slow and fast โ€“ and thereโ€™s not a lot in between. Once you get into the fast gear with her, you just stay there!โ€

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