Mill Spring, North Carolina – October 03, 2021 – Martien van der Hoeven (USA) and Morris Horta topped the competition in the $15,000 Horseware Ireland Welcome Stake at TIEC with a time of 36.901 seconds to open Tryon Fall 2 competition. Just one second behind and receiving the red ribbon was Willie Tynan (IRL) aboard Fenise, the 2010 Dutch Warmblood gelding (Campbell VDL x Ahorn) owned by MDM Equestrian Group LLC., with a time of 37.22 seconds.

Jacqueline Ruyle (USA) finished in third with her own Cyramo Z, the 2011 Zangershide mare (Clarimo x Vigo De Arsouilles STX) with a time of 39.044 seconds. 

Van der Hoeven (USA) and Morris Horta, the 2012 Belgian Warmblood stallion (Eldorado VD Zeshoek x Vigo De Arsouilles STX) owned by Lucirelli International LLC, conquered the Peter Grant (Calgary, Alberta) designed course after enjoying a six-week break from competition. “We got him around this time last year. We’ve been developing him. He’s turned into quite a reliable horse. We had about five or six weeks off. For me, I wanted to feel like we were knocking the rust off.”

The Grant course design accomplished exactly what he hoped it would for his first competition back, Van der Hoeven detailed. “I thought Peter Grant did a wonderful job. It was flowing, it had the right number clean, with the right questions.”

The pair plan to remain at Tryon for Fall 3, to compete in the $73,000 JTWG, Inc. Grand Prix CSI 2*. After that, Van der Hoeven’s plans for Morris Horta are up in the air: “We’ll probably look at either doing maybe a couple of classes, or we have a few other shows in mind. If he needs to pause for a second, we will do that.”

Van der Hoeven reflected on his time spent competing at TIEC, saying, “It’s great here. It’s reliable and it’s so horse friendly. They always have the right staff, good course designers, and the schedule runs well. We enjoy coming here!”

Final Results – $15,000 Welcome Stake

1) Martien Van Der Hoeven (USA) & Morris Horta – 0 / 0 – 36.901

2) Willie Tynan (IRL) & Fenise – 0 / 0 – 37.22

3) Jacqueline Ruyle (USA) & Cyramo Z – 0 / 0 –  39.044

Source: Press Release by Emily Carpenter for TIEC – Tryon International Equestrian Center

Photo: ©TIEC / Natalie Suto

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