Despite a brief rain delay in the first round of competition showcased at Saturday Night Lights presented by Skyla Credit Union, 24 competitors contested the $70,000 Main Street Insurance Grand Prix CSI 2*, with Kristen VanderVeen (USA) and Bull Run’s Celestial jumping to victory in 32.35 seconds. Reserve honors went to Luis Fernando Larrazabal (VEN) aboard Belle De Muze, the Driss Ngadi-owned 2010 Warmblood mare (Ponsee V x Lando), with a time of 33.38 seconds in the jump off round. Stopping the jump off timers at 34.36 seconds, Kristen VanderVeen claimed third place aboard Bull Run’s Jireh, the 2014 Holsteiner gelding (Uriko x Colman) owned by Bull Run Jumpers Inc.

Hunter Kay (Columbia, SC) and Galileo (Unknown x Unknown) took charge in the $10,000 USHJA Open National Hunter Derby, winning the first of three Hunter Derbies hosted Friday during Tryon Spring 6 and Tryon Riding & Hunt Club Charity Horse Show. The team dominated over 13 contestants on the Derby Field, scoring 182 points. Riding Meredith Huddle’s Bluewater (Unknown x Unknown), the 2017 Dutch Warmblood gelding, Liza Boyd (Camden, SC) secured the reserve rosette on 176 points. Jennifer Bliss (Wellington, FL) took Wailea, the 2014 Dutch Warmblood mare owned by Ohana Equine LLC, to third place with 173 points on the board. 

the 76th Tryon Block House Steeplechase hosted more than 3,000 people at the Green Creek Race Course in Green Creek, NC, just minutes from the Tryon International Equestrian Center (Tryon International) and the Tryon Riding & Hunt Club (TR&HC), who partner to produce the historic steeplechase event each spring. Five races took place on good turf track conditions around the 1.16-mile irrigated track.

In a repeat victory, Chrystal Blue (Chacco Blue x Calvaro F.C.) and Samuel Parot (CHI) raced to win the $146,000 Cleghorn Golf & Sports Club Grand Prix CSI 3* with a speedy 34.06 second jump off time. The 2011 Oldenburg gelding owned and ridden by Samuel Parot went clear in both rounds against 19 competitors on the difficult course designed by Alan Wade (IRL). Just a couple seconds behind in the jump off with a time of 36.46 and earning reserve honors was Darragh Kerins (IRL) riding Lissino (Limbus x Lagumera B), the 2011 Holsteiner stallion owned by Eve Jobs. Rounding off the podium was Alexandra “Aly” Worthington (USA) aboard De L’oiseliere (Kapitol D’Argonne x Miss Flight) with a time of 37.2 seconds in the jump off.

Colin Syquia (PHI) and Front Page claimed the highlight class of Friday Hunter/Jumper competition, winning the $25,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby presented by The Farm House on a two-round score of 386. Josh Dolan (USA) piloted Con L’Anima, his own 2010 Westphalian mare (Cassini I x Cassina), to a score of 369 and the reserve title, while third place went to Jennifer Bliss (USA) aboard the 2005 Dutch Warmblood gelding (Tangelo van de Zuutheve x Nicolette V) owned by Harris Hill Farm LLC, Poker Face, and their 364-point performance.

Luiz Francisco de Azevedo (BRA) and Nashville closed out their Tryon Spring Series by winning Saturday’s $146,000 Main Street Insurance Group Grand Prix CSI 3*. Of the 20 horse and rider pairs competing under the Tryon Stadium lights, Francisco de Azevedo and Nashville (Diamant De Semilly x Darco), posted the fastest jump off time of 33.62 seconds. Click to read more results from Tryon Spring 6!

2023 marks the 95th edition of Tryon Spring 6/Tryon Riding & Hunt Club Charity Horse Show, a USEF Heritage Show.