Tryon Summer 6 Friday Update: Tryon Summer Series presented by The Farm House
$5,000 USHJA Open National Hunter Derby Presents Top Honors to Kelli Cruciotti Vanderveen aboard Ratino KN ter Beuken
Emma Gurley and Longtime Partner Latino Capture the Win in $5,000 USHJA Junior/Amateur National Hunter Derby
Michael Walton Rides Viva La Vida RW to Victory in the $6,000 Speed Stake CSI 3*
For Immediate Release
Leyla Caynak for Tryon International
Mill Spring, NC - July 18, 2025 - Fifteen trips took to Tryon International’s Derby Field to ride the $5,000 USHJA Open National Hunter Derby course. Kelli Cruciotti Vanderveen (Loxahatchee, FL) piloted the Remington Farm’s entry, Ratino KN ter Beuken (Gino H x Extreme From The Breeder D 09), to score a 176 and take the win. Second place with a total Hunt & Go score of 172 was awarded to Alicia Wilkinson (Charlotte, NC) riding Corvet Chaqueño (G..P. Chicco Blue x Corvet Coqueta), the 2017 Warmblood stallion owned by Crown Sport Horses LLC. Completing the podium on a score of 170 was the Kristen Kulinski 2012 Oldenburg gelding entry, Calistro (Cornet's Prinz x Alexa), ridden by Ellarose Lewis (Ethel, LA).
Kelli Cruciotti Vanderveen and Ratino KN ter Beuken
©Kristen Anchors for Natalie Suto Photography
Vanderveen and the 2017 Belgian Warmblood gelding have been partnered for the last year, and she shared, “I’m very fortunate to have the ride on him! He's an eight year old gelding, and we bought him last year and have just been bringing him along. We always thought he was going to make a fantastic Derby horse, and he obviously showed that today!”
Alicia Wilkinson and Corvet Chaqueño
©Trinity Keterer for Natalie Suto Photography
Detailing what made her mount stand out, Vanderveen continued, “I think his gallop is really what makes him stand out from other horses. He has this amazing long stride, and he also makes such a beautiful jump, so I can really trust his gallop, especially on a big grass field like this, and use it to my advantage!”
Noting their future plans, Vanderveen added, “We're gearing him up for the International Derby Finals in a month, so this was the perfect setting to practice on the grass and the high options. We're really thrilled!”
Ellarose Lewis and Calistro
©Trinity Keterer for Natalie Suto Photography
“It's wonderful - we love coming here [Tryon International]. We try to make it a staple every year, and we actually weren't even supposed to do these two weeks, but we had a great spring, so we just decided to come back and finish our summer!” Vanderveen raved of her Tryon International experience.
“I'm very fortunate to ride some amazing horses,” Vanderveen concluded. “That's just a testament to the team behind me - not just myself, but owners, trainers, grooms, sponsors, and everybody that puts in the effort. You just see the last 10% [in the ring], but it's the 90% that gets you there!”
For full results from the $5,000 USHJA Open National Hunter Derby, click here.
Emma Gurley and Longtime Partner Latino Capture the Win in $5,000 USHJA Junior/Amateur National Hunter Derby
The $5,000 USHJA Junior/Amateur National Hunter Derby showcased 27 trips touring the green. Local rider Emma Gurley (Rutherforton, NC) with her longtime partner Latino (Lasandos x Adora MB), a 2005 Swedish Warmblood gelding, captured the win with a pair of 89s for a total two-round score of 178. Earning the reserve honors title with their 176.5 total score was Lily Gieger (St. Petersburg, FL), aboard her own Bohemian Rhapsody (Christian x Valente Van De Bochten), the 2013 American Warmblood gelding. Ella Hudson’s 176 point performance with the 2016 Warmblood gelding, Definitely (Quantum x Ydalina Cabala), generated the highest first round score of 90, placing them in third.
Emma Gurley and Latino
©Kristen Anchors for Natalie Suto Photography
For full results from the $5,000 USHJA Junior/Amateur National Hunter Derby, click here.
Michael Walton Rides Viva La Vida RW to Victory in the $6,000 Speed Stake CSI 3*
Producing the fastest clean round with a time of 71.18 seconds, Michael Walton (USA) rode Viva La Vida RW (Vigo D'arsouilles X Unknown), the 2015 Zangersheide Gelding owned by Mia Marano, to a win in Friday’s $6,000 Speed Stake CSI 3*. The Ashlee Bond Show Jumping 2011 Westphalian gelding, Donatello 141 (Diarado x Lamoureux I), ridden by Ashlee Bond (ISR), stopped the clocks at 72 seconds for second place. Completing the podium with a 73.20 second round, Emma Irwin (CAN) piloted Concardus (Conthargos x Carthago), the Kimberlee Farms 2011 Oldenburg gelding.
Michael Walton and Viva La Vida RW
©Bailey Beck for Natalie Suto Photography
For full results from the $6,000 Speed Stake 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, Kristen Anchors, and Trinity Keterer, as noted) 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.