The $204,000 Coca-Cola® Grand Prix CSI 4* for the Governor’s Cup at Tryon International Equestrian Center (TIEC) ended in victory for Kristen Vanderveen (USA) aboard Bull Run’s Faustino De Tili, navigating the short course in 36.573 seconds to capture the highlight class of the 90th Tryon Riding & Hunt Club (TR&HC) Charity Horse Show Spring 6 competition. Aaron Vale (USA) took second aboard Finou 4, a 2006 Hanoverian gelding (Flashlight 16 x Concetto Famos) owned by Thinks Like a Horse and Donald Stewart, completing his jump-off round in 38.028 seconds, and Pablo Barrios (VEN) rounded out the podium steering his own Elana 22, a 2009 Dutch Warmblood mare (Harley VDL x Almox Prints), to third place honors in 38.807 seconds.
Kristen Vanderveen and Bull Run’s Faustino de Tili. Photo by Sportfot
Thirty-one entries tested the first-round track set by Ireland’s Alan Wade, and nine horse-and-rider pairs returned for a shot at the podium. Vanderveen and the 2005 Belgian Warmblood stallion (Berlin x Udarco), owned by Bull Run Jumpers Six LLC, were sixth to go and put down a fast, clear run that could not be contested.
Vanderveen described how her crowd-favorite mount has been competing for three weeks following a four-week break, and she “just had a feeling” about tonight’s win. “I can feel it with him,” she said. “He loves this sport so much and he has a lot of personality. He had about a four-week break, and this is our third week back showing. Typically the first week he is a little fresh; the second week we work out the kinks, and by the third week he is really focused. He gave me a really good feeling,” she said.
Explaining that she initially planned to try a new mount in tonight’s CSI 4* competition, Vanderveen said, “It was actually never my plan to jump him tonight, either. I have a new horse that I am really excited about, so I thought this class was where I really wanted to try and see where we were at together as a team. However, Frosty jumped so well on Thursday, I just couldn’t not use him! He’s my main man.”
Aaron Vale and Finou 4. Photo by Sportfot
Although she went late in the short-course order of go, Vanderveen elected not to watch the riders before her. She elaborated, “My horse has such a huge stride. It is deceiving, which allows us to do things that other horses can’t do. I had my plan pretty much set before any of them went. It is crazy how much ground he can cover,” she said of the stallion’s forward stride.
“I had to really focus on not rushing him and just letting his stride help him out tonight without me trying to force the issue,” she continued. “Sometimes I get a little too excited and it’s not necessary. Every time I start to mentally rush, I rush him and I might have a fault. I have to focus on the fact that I have a super fast horse. He’s got it covered and I just have to keep my cool.”
Pablo Barrios and Elana 22. Photo by Sportfot
A frequent blue-ribbon recipient at Tryon, Vanderveen relayed that she’s glad to be back winning big, and in a familiar place. “It is really exciting to win tonight. It sounds silly, but it feels like it has been a while since we have had a big win. We went and did FEI World Cup Finals™ in Paris and it was a great experience to be in Miami, New York, and all of those big places. It was a lot of traveling and good placings and going from CSI 5* to CSI 5*, so it is nice to pull in a win back here at our venue. It feels like home,” she concluded.
Kristen Vanderveen’s groom Luis Salazar, who has taken care of Bull Run’s Faustino de Tili for two years, was presented the Absorbine® Groom’s Award for his care and dedication to Bull Run’s Faustino De Tili.
Kristen Vanderveen, Aaron Vale, and Pablo Barrios in their presentation ceremony with (L-R) North Carolina Secretary of Commerce Tony Copeland; Dan Holmes, Senior Vice President of Commercialization and Brand Marketing Coca-Cola® Bottling Company Consolidated; Governor of North Carolina Roy Cooper, Mark & Katherine Bellissimo, Tryon Equestrian Partners, and Drew Brannon, President of
Tryon Riding & Hunt Club. Photo by Sportfot
The 90th Tryon Riding & Hunt CLub (TR&HC) Charity Horse Show Spring 6 competition concludes tomorrow, Sunday, June 10, featuring the $35,000 1.45m Sunday Classic hosted on the Derby Field at 1:00 p.m. For more information, visit www.Tryon.com.