Daniel Bedoya (Magnolia, TX) capped off a successful 12 weeks at Tryon International Equestrian Center (TIEC) with a win in the $30,000 Sunday Jumper Classic aboard Abracadabra WKT, stopping the short-course timers in 35.111 seconds after also finishing third in Friday’s $15,000 Horseware Ireland Welcome Stake. Taking second, Alberto Michan (Wellington, FL) guided Cosa Nostra to a time of 35.358 seconds with the 2010 Oldenburg mare (Conthargos x Quintender) owned in partnership with Daniel Michan Halbinger. Third place honors went to Doug Payne (Aiken, SC) and Quintessence, the 2011 Holsteiner gelding (Unknown x Unknown) owned by Jane Dudinsky, clearing the short course in 36.156 seconds.
Daniel Bedoya and Abracadabra WKT. Photo by Bailey Beck Photography/TIEC.
The class saw 38 entries test the first round, with seven pairs advancing to the Skip Bailey (Loxahatchee, FL) course design. Bedoya and the 2008 Holsteiner mare (Casall x Romino) owned by Monica Hanks were first to go in the jump-off, and “sometimes, going first is a good thing,” Bedoya said. “You don’t see anybody, so you just ride what comes up and do your plan. Then, everybody has the pressure to catch you. Sometimes it works!
Alberto Michan on Cosa Nostra. Photo by Bailey Beck Photography/TIEC.
“I thought it was a nice course; it was challenging, and bigger than Friday’s course,” Bedoya shared. “He [Bailey] built a little bit bigger today, and the time allowed was really tight. I think getting in the time allowed was the biggest challenge. Everybody was having to run, and it was easy for people to make mistakes.” While Bedoya and “Abby” have seen consistent top placings at TIEC in the past few months, he relayed that it was her first grand prix-level win in a few years, and her first of 2020:
“This is the first time we’ve won this year. She won a Welcome Stake here a couple years ago, and she’s won some Grand Prix classes in Texas, but it’s been a while. She was second in a $100,000 Grand Prix in Texas, but this is her first win [this year]. She’s been close a couple of times!” Bedoya said of the mare, who collected third in Friday’s $15,000 Horseware Ireland Welcome Stake.”
Doug Payne on Quintessence. Photo by Bailey Beck Photography/TIEC.
Bedoya and team have been based at TIEC for the past 12 weeks with time off built in, he explained, and will take a month off at home before returning to the venue again for the Tryon Fall Series. “This is my favorite place to show. We’ve been coming here for six years, and I think we stay a little longer every year,” Bedoya elaborated. “This year, I thought with COVID-19 and everything going on in the world, this was the safest place. We were supposed to be here for seven weeks and then go to other horse shows, but some of the shows got cancelled, so I made the decision to stay here. They’ve done such a good job patrolling and keeping up with social distancing, masks, and all of that. As always, we love being here and love what they do. We appreciate all of the effort and work that they put in.”
For full class results, click here. With the conclusion of the Tryon August Series, the Tryon Fall Series is next up on the docket for Hunter/Jumper competition, with national Dressage and Eventing competition taking place in September prior to the start of the Fall Series. Competition information can be found here.