Tryon Fall 3: Jumper Update
$32,000 LeMieux Welcome Stake CSI 2* Victors: Jad Dana and Itchcock Des Dames
Doug Payne Goes Clear with Chaccolate RFB in $15,000 Futures Prix
Jad Dana Rides Mondavi to the Top in $6,000 Two Phase CSI 2*
$6,000 EquiJet Speed Stake CSI 2* Win Goes to Todd Minikus Aboard Gardenia
Aaron Vale and Mucksmaeuschenstill Triumphant in $3,000 GSS Marketing Open Jumper Stake
For immediate release
Leyla Caynak and Rette Solomon for Tryon International
Mill Spring, NC - October 2, 2025 - Starting off the third week of the Tryon Fall Series presented by Coca-Cola with a bang, Jad Dana (LEB) saw his second FEI win in two days, claiming Thursday’s $32,000 LeMieux Welcome Stake CSI 2*. Partnered with Itchcock Des Dames (Marius Claudius x Calvaro F.C.), Dana bested a field of 59 trips across the Oscar Soberon (USA) track, blazing through the jump off timers in 37.57 seconds. Aboard his own Cristiano Obolensky (Coronet Obolensky x Stakkato), Gonzalo Busca Roca (ESP) piloted the 2015 Hanoverian gelding to a second place finish, just behind the winners with 37.72 seconds on the clock. Aboard Sabrina Lefebvre’s 2017 Belgian Warmblood mare Ribery (Aganix Du Seigneur x Cadix Du Seigneur Z), Luis Fernando Larrazabal (VEN) slotted into third place with a 38.81 second jump off.
Jad Dana and Itchcock Des Dames
©Paris Lockhart Natalie Suto Photography
“He’s one of my best horses right now. This year he’s really come into his own”, Jad Dana said of Itchcock Des Dames following their Welcome Stake win. “He’s been extremely competitive all summer. In the winter, we really started to get on a good run, and we had a big win in the summer,” the Wellington-based rider shared, recapping his recent successes aboard the 2014 Swedish Warmblood gelding.
Gonzalo Busca Roca and Cristiano Obolensky
©Trinity Keterer Natalie Suto Photography
With fourteen teams advancing to the jump off, the second round track challenged riders’ precision and speed. “It wasn’t a very easy jump off. You had to leave strides out and still make tight rollbacks,” Dana acknowledged. “As much as you wanted to make time, you couldn’t take [the course] for granted.”
Luis Fernando Larrazabal and Ribery
©Paris Lockhart Natalie Suto Photography
Show Jumping fans can look forward to seeing Jad Dana and “Itchy” in Saturday’s $70,000 Back On Track Grand Prix CSI 2*, as the pair looks to add another win to their week at Tryon International. “If I do my part and if he feels as good as he did today, we’ll probably have a good chance,” Dana asserted.
Dana concluded on a note of gratitude for the team behind Itchcock Des Dames. “A huge thanks to the whole team, and thanks to Leslie Burr-Howard and Peter Howard – they’re my biggest supporters and make everything happen for me! Thank you to the owners of “Itchy”, who were very generous to invest in him.”
Jad Dana and Itchcock Des Dames in their awards presentation ceremony.
©Trinity Keterer Natalie Suto Photography
For full results from the LeMieux $32,000 CCI 2* Welcome Stake, click here.
Doug Payne Goes Clear with Chaccolate RFB in $15,000 Futures Prix
October 3, 2025 - “It's been quite a while since I've won one that way!” Doug Payne (Rougemont, NC) commented after his win in the $15,000 Futures Prix. The Payne Equestrian mount Chaccolate RFB (Chacco Blue x Wolrusa) was the only horse to accomplish a clear round. Second place was presented to the fastest of the four faulters, Trapp O’Neal (Magnolia, TX) aboard Whitney Wickes’ 2017 Hanoverian mare, Quite Cute 3 (Quality Time TN x Calypso's Girl). Just a hair behind second place was Riley Delbecq (Duck Key, FL), riding Dylan Laiken’s Flore De B’Neville (President x Nouba De B’Neville), the 2015 Selle Francais mare.
Doug Payne and Chaccolate RFB
©Trinity Keterer Natalie Suto Photography
“Leaving all the poles up” was the strategy with the 2013 German Sporthorse gelding going into the Brody Robertson course, Payne stated. Noting the course’s difficulty, Payne commented that, “this horse, Chaccolate, has been a real project for us, and I'm really proud of how he jumped. He responded better than could be expected!”
Trapp O’Neal and Quite Cute 3
©Trinity Keterer Natalie Suto Photography
Learning to mitigate some of the stress factors in the warm up, keeping Chaccolate “quiet” and “relaxed” has generally led to success in the show ring, according to rider Doug Payne. Hoping to continue their clear round success, Payne and his mount will be participating in the Tryon Fall 3 Yanmar America $25,000 Sunday Classic.
Riley Delbecq and Flore De B’Neville
©Trinity Keterer Natalie Suto Photography
Partnered with "everything from five year olds up to the guys doing the FEI," Doug Payne is competing with a well rounded team during Tryon Fall Series presented by Coca-Cola! “We always love coming to Tryon, and it's the most convenient, competitor friendly venue that we ever go to. I always look forward to coming back,” Payne concluded.
For full results from the $15,000 Futures Prix, click here.
Jad Dana Rides Mondavi to the Top in $6,000 Two Phase
October 1, 2025 - Wednesday’s $6,000 Two Phase CSI 2* competition witnessed forty-seven entries attempt the 1.40m course, set by Oscar Soberon (USA). Twenty-three competitors cleared phase one, and thirteen went double-clear. The Burr Associates Inc. 2017 Irish Sport Horse mare, Mondavi (Tyson x Warrenstown You 2) came out of the pack on top with the fastest time of the double clear phases piloted by Jad Dana (LEB). With just .35 seconds separating the top two, Rupert Winkelmann (USA) and his own 2010 Holsteiner gelding, Quinn 33 (Quidam De Revel x Contender) received reserve honors. Completing the podium was Aaron Vale (USA) and L.Adermie R 4 (Den Ham Blue R x Namelus R), the 2013 Dutch Warmblood mare owned by Thinks Like A Horse.
Jad Dana and Mondavi
©Trinity Keterer Natalie Suto Photography
For full results from the $6,000 Two Phase, click here.
EquiJet $6,000 CCI 2* Speed Stake Win goes to Todd Minikus aboard Gardenia
October 3, 2025 - The $6,000 EquiJet Speed Stake featured a single-track speed course for thirteen competitors. The winning ride with a time of 57.93 seconds was achieved by Todd Minikus (USA) aboard Stephen Macken’s 2014 Hanoverian mare Gardenia (Unknown x Unknown). Ponce Tidwell Jr’s 2013 Belgian Warmblood gelding Ballon Bleu (Amaretto D'Arco x Ariadus) made a valiant effort for the reserve honors title with rider John Brown (GRB). The podium was completed by David Blake (IRL), who rode Fayuri (Favorit Ask x Lombard), the 2013 Swiss Warmblood gelding owned by P Stables LLC.
Todd Minikus and Gardenia
©Trinity Keterer Natalie Suto Photography
For full results from the EquiJet $6,000 Speed Stake, click here.
Aaron Vale and Mucksmaeuschenstill Triumphant in GSS Marketing $3,000 Open Jumper Stake
October 3, 2025 - There were ten trips to tour the International Stadium Friday morning in the $3,000 GSS Marketing Open Jumper Stake. Three competitors produced double clear rounds to earn a spot on the podium. Aaron Vale (Williston, FL) on the Thinks Like A Horse 2018 Holsteiner gelding, Mucksmaeuschenstill (Million Dollar x Ariane III), earned the quickest jump off time. Leah Harrison’s 2014 Oldenburg mare, Riviera BF (Cassini II x Rika II) was ridden by Ricardo Villa (Campobello, SC) to a second place time of 43.183. The yellow ribbon was awarded to Eliana Kirson, who piloted the 2013 Zangershiede mare, Enjoy CK Z (Echo Van't Spieveld x Valente Van't Kiezelhof), owned by Ian Kirson.
Aaron Vale and Mucksmaeuschenstill
©Chelsey Somohano Natalie Suto Photography
For full results from the GSS Marketing $3,000 Open Jumper Stake, click here.
Tryon Fall 3 continues through Sunday, October 5 and features the $70,000 Back on Track Grand Prix CSI 2* at 7:15pm in Tryon Stadium, with Saturday Night Lights presented by Skyla Credit Union kicking off at 4pm. Don't forget to wear your pink as part of Breast Cancer Awareness Night at Tryon International! Learn more at www.resort.tryon.com/snl
Photos ©Natalie Suto Photography (Trinity Keterer, Paris Lockhart, and Chelsey Somohano as noted). These photos may only be used once, in relation to this press release. Competitors may view and purchase competition photos at www.nataliesutophotography.shootproof.com. With questions regarding photography at Tryon International, contact media@tryon.com.