It was a blue ribbon for Bolivia as Daniel Bedoya and Abracadabra WKT conjured up a victory in the FEI $35,000 Welcome Stake CSI 2* during the first days of Tryon Summer III competition at Tryon International Equestrian Center (TIEC). Bedoya and the 2008 Holsteiner mare (Casall x Romino) owned by Monica Hanks sped through the jump-off track in 41.215 seconds to best the day's competition. Sydney Shulman (USA) and Jill Shulman's 2009 Warmblood mare (Diamant De Semilly x Kasina) Villamoura claimed second-place awards after a quick jump-off round that resulted in an accumulation of 42.466 seconds, while Javier Fernandez (MEX) rounded out the top three riding Miguel Madero's 2009 Dutch Warmblood gelding (Mr. Blue x Caretino), End Good All Good, stopping the timers in 42.648 seconds. 

The morning welcomed forty-two horse-and-rider combinations into the George H. Morris Arena to contest the course designed by Ken Krome (USA). With 16 entries returning for the jump-off, Bedoya claimed the top spot after maneuvering two mounts around the short course. "Obviously, I liked the course today," he commented. "I had two horses in the jump-off. It was fun and suited them. I thought we made up time with the liverpool. I was running full speed and I tried to do the same with my second horse, but that didn't work out so well. I was going for the win and a second place, but I'll take the win!"

The Texas-based rider has been through the levels with Abracadabra WKT, who had a successful stint in the hunter rings before switching her training to become a show jumper. "She's a mare that we bought as a four-year-old to be a hunter," Bedoya noted. "She's Texas bred and born and has really good breeding, but we bought her as a hunter for her owner. The highest scores I've ever earned riding a hunter were actually on her." 

"When she turned six she became quite impossible in that ring," Bedoya continued. "She started jumping too big. She was kicking and acting up, so we decided to turn her into a jumper. Her first class as a jumper was here, a year ago. She's come a long way." 

The pair has had an abundance of success at the venue this season and Bedoya has hopes of a promising future for the mare. He explained, "Hopefully by next year she can start doing the big Grand Prix classes. She's going to jump this Saturday night and that's going to be her first FEI Grand Prix under the lights. She's done a couple of National standard classes and a few of the FEI Sunday Classics, but hopefully we can start to push for the bigger ones now."

With a string of horses competing here at TIEC this week, Bedoya concluded, "I love the venue. We come here every year; this is my fifth year and definitely my favorite horse show. It's the best facility by far. This year we are also going to come back in October for FEI competition. I'm also trying to qualify for the FEI World Equestrian Games™ Tryon 2018 with my other horse."

Competition at Tryon Summer III commenced on Wednesday, June 28, with a steadfast win for Jack Hardin Towell (USA) in the FEI $5,000 1.40m Power & Speed CSI 2*. Towell piloted Vlock Show Stables LLC's 2008 Oldenburg stallion, Sandetto (Sandro Boy x Chellano Z) to the first place position after crossing through jump-off timers in 29.39 seconds. Second place went to Chile's Samuel Parot, who rode his own 2003 Zangersheide gelding (Andiamo x Royal Bravour L), Atlantis, across the fast track in 30.277 seconds. Third place was captured by David O'Brien (IRL) aboard Spy Coast Farm's Kir Royal SCF, a 2010 Belgian Warmblood gelding (Amaretto D'Arco x Nabab de Reve), ending with a jump-off time of 30.461 seconds.