Tryon Summer 6 Midweek Update: Tryon Summer Series presented by The Farm House
Fernando Cardenas Takes Top Two in $32,000 LeMieux Welcome Stake CSI 3*
Nicolette Hirt and Chatou 7 Champion the $32,000 Two Phase CSI 3*
For Immediate Release
Leyla Caynak for Tryon International
Mill Spring, NC - July 17, 2025 - Riding the Ken Krome-designed course with three of his mounts, Fernando Cardenas (COL) took over the top two spots in Thursday’s $32,000 LeMieux Welcome Stake CSI 3*. The 2017 Hanoverian mare, Balou's Honora Car (Balou Du Rouet x Galiani CH), produced the winning jump off round in a time of 40.69 seconds. Fano Car (K Diamant D'heure ABF x Galiani CH) 2015 North American Sport Horse gelding, was the runner up, clearing the course in 41.50 seconds. Rounding out the podium, Emma Irwin (CAN) rode Las Vegas (Arezzo VDL x Otangelo), Rosalie Midyette’s 2016 Dutch Warmblood stallion, to a time of 42.17 seconds.
Fernando Cardenas and Balou’s Honora Car
©Bailey Beck for Natalie Suto Photography
“First and foremost, I want to dedicate this win to my dad,” Cardenas shared, “because he owns both horses, and he deserves it, and with the many years of breeding, it's nice for him to see these results.”
Fernando Cardenas and Fano Car
©Bailey Beck for Natalie Suto Photography
It was the eight-year-old mare’s first 1.50m course, following her podium placing in the 1.45m $32,000 Two Phase CSI 3* earlier in the week, Cardenas revealed. Despite a fresh division, Balou’s Honora Car showcased her carefulness to produce a double-clear effort.
“She [Balou’s Honora Car] has a shorter stride, and I got lucky in the first round where we had a couple taps, touching fence number four and number five, and that really got her even more careful for the rest of the course. She finished stronger and jumped the last vertical very, very well.”
Emma Irwin and Las Vegas
©Bailey Beck for Natalie Suto Photography
Of his second place mount, Fano Car, Cardenas added, “Yesterday I had had the water jump down with him, so today I was very careful to fence number four, just to make sure that he'd keep his head up. Everything rode very well for him, even the short lines, and I was very happy that he was able to wait and listen.”
Cardenas and his team show at Tryon International at least once a month, he detailed. “This [Tryon International] is home for us. We love the people, we love the facilities, and we love coming here. The whole show does a good job, and they put in good effort to always have quality jumps. This week I jumped jumps that I'd never seen - even though it's the same venue, the horses have a little bit different experience.”
For full results from the $32,000 LeMieux Welcome Stake CSI 3*, click here.
Nicolette Hirt and Chatou 7 Champion the $32,000 Two Phase CSI 3*
July 16, 2025 - Touring the $32,000 Two Phase CSI 3* course, 24 horses and riders challenged the Ken Krome-designed track. Only six of those cleared the first phase and qualified for the second phase of the course. Nicolette Hirt (USA) and the 2009 Oldenburg gelding, Chatou 7 (Chacco-Blue x Toulon) owned by Chatwood Farms LLC, championed the class with a time of 25.45 seconds. Earning second place with a speed phase time of 25.73 seconds was the 2017 Hanoverian mare, Balou's Honora Car (Balou Du Rouet x Galiani CH), owned and ridden by Fernando Cardenas (COL). Michael Kocher (USA) aboard his own Dexterity Z (Dominator 2000 Z x Canezaro), the 2017 Zangersheide gelding completed the podium with 26.33 seconds on the clock.
Nicolette Hirt and Chatou 7
©Bailey Beck for Natalie Suto Photography
For full results from the $32,000 Two Phase CSI 3*, click here.
Tryon Summer 6 continues through Sunday, July 20 and features Hunter and Jumper competition. Saturday Night Lights presented by Skyla Credit Union concludes for the summer on July 19th, with activities starting at 5PM and the $120,000 Cleghorn Golf & Sports Club Grand Prix CSI 3* kicking off at 8pm. Learn more at www.Tryon.com/snl. View details and learn more about ongoing events at Tryon.com/allevents.
Photos ©Natalie Suto Photography (Bailey Beck) unless otherwise noted. These photos may only be used once, in relation to this press release. Competitors may view and purchase competition photos at www.nataliesutophotography.com. With questions regarding photography at TIEC, contact media@tryon.com.