Following Thursday night’s spectacular performances in the $250,000 Sapphire Grand Prix of Devon CSI4*, show jumping fans returned to the Devon Horse Show and Country Fair on Friday afternoon to watch as the USA’s Catherine Tyree of Chicago, Illinois, captured her first professional win in the Dixon Oval with Mary Tyree’s BEC Lorenzo in the $36,000 Devon Speed Derby CSI4*, sponsored by GlycoGuard®.
Catherine Tyree and BEC Lorenzo. Photo by Phelps Sports
A total of 23 international athletes vied for top honors in the one-round, faults-converted speed competition, designed by Brazil’s Guilherme Jorge. Kelli Cruciotti (USA) and Serenity Farm’sZidante were the early leaders in the class as second in the order-of-go. They cleared the course in 68.41 seconds before Canada’s Erynn Ballard aboard the first of her two mounts, Zorran, took over next in 64.42 seconds three rounds later.
Immediately following, however, was Tyree who bested Ballard’s time by four seconds in 60.18 seconds. In the end, none of the remaining 16 combinations could match her pace, ultimately securing the 25-year-old athlete the win in Friday’s dash for the cash and the Salem Perpetual Trophy.
Lillie Keenan (USA) and Ikea, owned by Chansonette Farm LLC, earned the evening’s red ribbon for second place. The pair were last to go and navigated the course in 62.22 seconds for runner-up honors, while Great Britain’s Amanda Derbyshire and her own Oasis Spirit finished in third place close behind Keenan in 62.91 seconds.
After finishing in second in Tuesday’s $50,000 Jet Run Devon Welcome Stake CSI4*, sponsored 5R Farms LLC – Helen Rich, and fourth in Thursday’s prestigious $250,000 Sapphire Grand Prix of Devon CSI4* with her other top mount, Bokai, Tyree, who trains with Missy Clark and John Brennan of North Run, was thrilled to collect her first Devon blue as a professional athlete, since last visiting the winner’s circle at Devon as a junior eight years ago, with the 9-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding, who she has been competing in international competition with since May 2018.
Catherine Tyree and BEC Lorenzo. Photo by Phelps Sports
“The horse was absolutely amazing,” Tyree said. “I haven’t won a class at Devon since 2011 when I was a junior. I won the older large stake that year, I think, so it’s been a long time. I went in the ring and Missy [Clark] and John [Brennan] told me that I could do eight from three to four and I really didn’t believe them until I jumped jump three and I was like, ‘We’ve got to do it!’ He was amazing. He has the biggest stride and the biggest heart. He really just wants to please and do everything right. He was really great tonight. He’s definitely learned to go faster — he’s a little bit of a bigger horse. I really couldn’t be more proud of him.”
So far this year, the pair have experienced great success together, claiming the $50,000 Rushy Marsh Farm Grand Prix CSI2* at the Winter Equestrian Festival in February before concluding the winter competition season in Wellington, Florida, with a second place finish in the $36,000 1.45m Bainbridge CSI5* class in March. Most recently, the pair took home the $25,000 Tryon Resort Grand Prix at the Tryon International Equestrian Center earlier this month.
$36,000 Devon Speed Derby CSI4*, sponsored by GlycoGuard®:
Place / Horse / Rider / Country / Owner / Time
1. BEC Lorenzo / Catherine Tyree / USA / Mary Tyree / 60.18
2. Ikea / Lillie Keenan / USA / Chansonette Farm LLC / 62.22
3. Oasis Spirit / Amanda Derbyshire / GBR / Amanda Derbyshire / 62.91
4. Abelone O.T Lowlands Z / Andrew Kocher / USA / Andrew Kocher / 63.39
5. Judge Hof Ter Zeedycke / Erynn Ballard / CAN / Skymaster LLC / 64.01
6. Zorran / Erynn Ballard / CAN / Ilan Ferder / 64.42
7. Ishd Dual Star / Laura Chapot / USA / Mary Chapot / 65.46
8. Cheri De Papignies / Michael Morrissey / USA / QBS Equestrian LLC / 66.75
9. Zidante / Kelli Cruciotti / USA / Serenity Farm / 68.41
10. Grandy De Laubry / Kelli Cruciotti / USA / 3 Seas LLC / 68.50
11. Casino / Nicole Bellissimo / USA / Charlie and Nicole, LLC / 71.46
12. Squirt Gun / Andrew Kocher / USA / Eye Candy Jumpers / 71.64