Press release from Tryon International Equestrian Center

Jordan Coyle (North Salem, NY) and Elan Farm’s Essenar Crixus came out on top in Sunday’s $30,000 American Standard Grand Prix to conclude Tryon Fall 4 competition at Tryon International Equestrian Center (TIEC) at Tryon Resort, stopping the jump-off timers at 36.89 seconds. Kristen VanderVeen (Wellington, FL) piloted Bull Run’s Almighty, the Bull Run Jumpers Six LLC-owned 2008 Hanoverian gelding (Caspar x Quidam De Revel), to clear the short course in a time of 38.6 seconds to earn reserve, while Conor Swail (Wellington, FL) and Gamble, the 2011 Dutch Warmblood gelding (Vingino x Indoctro) owned by Asta Torokvei, received third on a score of 38.964 seconds. 

“I had him as a young horse in Ireland, actually, then when I came to America he went back to his owner,” Coyle shared before explaining that he just started working again with the 2010 Irish Sport Horse gelding (Luidam x Ard VDL Douglas) about a month ago: “This is my first real horse show with him. He jumped FEI this week, but he’s still a bit green so this class was perfect for him. We have big plans for this one, so come Florida, hopefully he’ll be ready to compete at the Grand Prix level.” 

Course designer Peter Grant (CAN) welcomed back 13 horse-and-rider pairs to the jump-off from an initial field of 47 contestants. “It was a nice course; big enough but not too big for him. The jump-off was pretty wide open and I could let him gallop.” Coyle explained where he gained the lead during the jump-off: “Over to [jump] 12 it was a bit reckless, but I cantered and saw the straight [line] right away. He wasn’t really sure where he was going, I think. He just got it at the last minute but he has to learn to do these things if he’s going to be as good as I hope.”

Coyle revealed that it was his and his brother’s first time competing at TIEC: “Everything is amazing. It’s Daniel’s first week here as well and both of us can’t believe we haven't been here before,” Coyle concluded, “I’m just coming back from an injury so I’m just going to do three weeks [of showing], then go home and recover properly for Florida.”