Last Updated on September 22, 2025 by adminahb
Ricardo Alberto Villa and Curioso Van Maarle Z ©Laci Matthews for Natalie Suto Photography
Mill Spring, NC – September 20, 2025 – The first Saturday Night Lights presented by Skyla Credit Union of the 2025 Tryon Fall Series presented by Coca-Cola was full of excitement and beautiful weather. Taking on the Jasen Shelley course were 14 horse and rider combinations. Completing their double clear efforts with the fastest time, Ricardo Alberto Villa (Campobello, SC) and Curioso Van Maarle Z (Canabis Z x Katina VD Holstenhoeve Z) were named champions in the $20,000 Tryon Grand Prix, presented by Special Olympics North Carolina.
Reserve Champion was earned by Taylor Land (Atlanta, GA) aboard Team Land Syndicate I LLC’s 2015 Oldenburg gelding Escobar WW (Etoulon x Pretty Woman) after their 41.725 second ride. Also stepping onto the podium for the evening aboard his 2017 Belgian Warmblood gelding Rock En Roll-B (Casello Van De Helle x Quiyoto) was Juan Ortiz (Loxahatchee, FL), following their 42.035 second jump off.
With the best of three zero fault rounds presented by Coke Zero in the jump off Villa rode his 2016 Zangersheide gelding to the winners’ circle. With this being only the third night class in which the gelding has competed, Villa explained, “He [Curioso Van Maarle Z] was really fresh today and he still gets really excited in the night classes!”
Partnered together for the past three years, Villa was happy with their Saturday Night Lights performance. “He was fantastic today! I wanted to go clear and I wanted to go fast!”
Only living half an hour away from Tryon International, Villa and his team will continue to compete during the Tryon Fall Series. “I was really happy with everything! The competition was good; the courses were fantastic – thank you Tryon for the effort!” Villa concluded.
Gisele Beardsley O’Grady Pilots Ballygriffin Riley to Victory in $2,500 USHJA National Hunter Derby
Saturday morning’s early Hunt & Go format class saw nine trips navigate the course. Fifth in the order-of-go Gisele Beardsley O’Grady (Tryon, NC) piloted Nancy Wilson’s Ballygriffin Riley (Hype x Harlequin Du Carel Babe) to the top score of 171. Reserve Honors and 169 points was awarded to Christina Fisher-Hensley (Marshall, NC) who competed on Banks Channel (Ugano Sitte x U-Too K), the 2012 Belgian Warmblood gelding owned by Anne Whitted. Completing their courtesy circle with 162 points earned, Suzanne Feagan (Columbus, NC) rode C Mark Feagan’s 2018 Oldenburg Stallion Bohemian Rhapsody (Bliss Mf x Rio’s Revolutio) to third place.
The 2018 Irish Sport Horse gelding received the highest handy score of 87, even though this was only his second time competing in the hunter ring. Gisele Beardsley O’Grady was happy with their performance and shared, “He came from the eventing world and is kind of learning how to be a hunter. He’s so brave, so much fun, so rideable, and he’s just a blast!”
Preferring the more traditional two-round hunter program, O’Grady touched on the benefits of a Hunt-&-Go format. “I think these [Hunt-&-Gos] are really good to save time when the classes are big. It also created a little bit of flow for him [Ballygriffin Riley], because he doesn’t have much experience. It does help to just go in, do one round, and be done.” Only partnered together for six months, O’Grady continued hoping that the gelding’s bread and butter will be blue ribbons in the adult amateur hunter ring. “As much fun as I’m having, his job is to look after his mom. He has proved to do well in the low adults; he jumps and moves well too!”
As a Tryon, NC local, O’Grady is only half an hour away from the Tryon International show grounds. “I love coming here and I love supporting the small shows! It’s nice for the young ones [horses], and the ones with less experience,” she concluded.
John Angus aboard W. Tonix Hero Triumphant in LeMieux $5,000 Welcome Stake
September 19, 2025 – With the leaves beginning to color and a crispness to the air the 2025 Tryon Fall Series was officially kicked off with Friday’s LeMieux $5,000 Welcome Stake. Twelve competitors tackled the Jasen Shelley course, with just three riders completing a double-clear round. Champion rider, John Angus (Mooresboro, NC) competed on two mounts, placing first with W. Tonix Hero (Ogano Sitte x Itaquine De Roll) and fourth with Fields Du Richmont. Stephanie Angus’s 2003 Dutch Warmblood gelding stopped the jump off timers for the winning time of 36.527. Riding Echo LVF (Emerald Van’t Ruytershof x E Contefina LVF) for Ashlee Bond Show Jumping, Ashlee Bond (Wellington, FL) and the 2018 Holsteiner gelding earned the reserve honors title. Just short with 38.775 seconds on the clock, Brittni Raflowitz (Palm City, FL) and Commander Bond (Corrado I x Valencia IX), the 2016 Holsteiner stallion owned by ESI Show Jumpers Inc., received third place.
Christina Fisher-Hensley Rides American Blue to Victory in $2,000 GSS Open Jumper Stake
September 21, 2025 – To conclude the 2025 Tryon Fall 1 week, Christina Fisher-Hensley (Marshall, NC) rode her own 2017 Dutch Warmblood gelding American Blue (Zirocco Blue VDLl x Burena) to victory in the Sunday GSS Marketing $2,000 Open Jumper Stake. Proving to be a challenging course set by Jasen Shelley, all three pairs received four faults for their jumping efforts. Trying to catch Fisher-Hensley’s time, Amelia Nowicki (Inman, SC) piloted her own Oh Say Can You See (Diktator Van De Boslandhoeve x Miss Independent), a 2014 Belgian Warmblood gelding, into second place. Completing the class with the third-place title was the Sterling Creek Jumpers, LLC mount Macho (Golddigger x Valencia), a 2017 Dutch Warmblood gelding, with rider Erika Gleb (Cumming, GA).
For all division results from Tryon Fall 1, click here.
Learn more at www.Tryon.com.