John Angus and Ecanto J Elevate to $15K Horseware Ireland Welcome Stake Win at Tryon

Eighteen-year-old John Angus (Fort Lauderdale, FL) piloted the Barnhill and Cheska entry, Ecanto J, to a win in the $15,000 Horseware Ireland Welcome Stake in Tryon Stadium, stopping the jump-off timers in 33.274 seconds. In second, Willie Tynan (Lexington, KY) and Fancy Girl, the 2010 Dutch Warmblood mare (Unknown x Unknown) owned by Michelle Guardino-Dettelbach, toured the short course in 35.028 seconds, while third place went to Daniel Bedoya (Magnolia, TX) aboard Abracadabra WKT, a 2008 Holsteiner mare (Casall x Romino) owned by Monica Hanks, after charging around the jump-off in 35.145 seconds.

John Angus on Ecanto J. Photo by Bailey Beck Photography/TIEC.

Angus has recently been paired with the 2009 Dutch Warmblood gelding (Canturano x Verdi), and called the Skip Bailey (Loxahatchee, FL) course design “very interesting, and fun. It was an inviting course for the first big class of the week.” One of 34 to challenge the first round, and against 15 other pairs in the jump-off test, Angus admitted that his strategy going into the jump-off was “mainly survival, but it was pretty good! I was also [focusing on] riding to the seat of my pants.

Willie Tynan on Fancy Girl. Photo by Bailey Beck Photography/TIEC.

“Ecanto J is such a sweet and lovely horse,” Angus shared. “We just recently got him from Barnhill and the Cheskas. They are wonderful people to let us ride and campaign him, and try to sell him along the way. He’s an amazing horse.”

Angus and mom Stephanie are familiar faces at TIEC, and will continue to compete at the venue through the Tryon Fall Series, he concluded. “We’ll stick it out here and see what we can do with him. We love it here; it’s amazing!”

Daniel Bedoya on Abracadabra WKT. Photo by Bailey Beck Photography/TIEC.

Additional Jumper Highlights:

The 1.20m Open Jumper Division saw Doug Payne (Aiken, SC) pilot Laurie McRee’s Starr Witness to champion honors on the week, with Kyle DeWar (Ocala, FL) in reserve aboard Joan Burke’s Habanera RHF.

In the St. Luke’s Hospital Low Junior/Amateur 1.20m Jumper Division, Shannan Gossman (Reddick, FL) and L-Geneva HS, the Turning Pointe Ventures, LLC entry secured championship status. Two pairs captured reserve: Daniel Kerins (Wellington, FL) aboard Safi VH Gavershof Z, the Li’l Red Ponies LLC entry, and fellow Wellington resident Chapin Cheska, with her own mount Hello Guv’nor.

Sharon Gordon (Winchester, VA) and Cent PS for Charles M Waters championed the Ken Feagin Truck & Trailer Low Adult-Amateur 1.0m Jumper Division, with Lisa A Ottens (Charlotte, NC) riding Emperor to reserve for Fabian Herrera.

Additional Hunter Highlights:

The Foothills Hunter 2’9” Division saw Julie Curtin (Woodstock, GA) top the division with Kelsey Durrett’s Bonito, with Colin Syquia (Wellington, FL) in the irons with Wherewithal for Christina Mohr in reserve.

Savannah Welch (Elon, NC) cruised to the champion position in the Large Pony Hunter Division with her own Royal Flush, while Grace Rabb (Fort Mill, SC) took home reserve with her own Carnival.

Michael Britt-Leon (Canton, GA) earned champion aboard Madison Orr’s Dreamgirl’s Legacy  in the Green Hunter 3’3” Division, with Doug Payne (Aiken, SC) collecting reserve with his own Quiberon, owned in partnership with John Cheadle.

For full Welcome Stake results, click here.  For full division 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.