Press release from Tryon International Equestrian Center
Sydney Shulman (ISR) and Villamoura left out a few strides to top Tryon International Equestrian Center’s largest class held to date at the venue, winning the $37,000 Horseware Ireland Welcome Stake CSI 3* on a time of 32.3 seconds. Kristen VanderVeen (USA) and Bull Run’s Risen, the 2006 Dutch Warmblood gelding (Utopie x Indoctro) owned by Bull Run Jumpers, Inc., earned second place on a time of 33.64 seconds, while Alberto Michan (ISR) rounded out the podium aboard Cosa Nostra, the 2010 Oldenburg mare (Conthargos x Quintender) owned by Alberto Michan and Daniel Michan Halbinger, in a time of 34.06 seconds over the jump-off course.
The Michel Vaillancourt (CAN) course design tested a record 106 horse-and-rider pairs, with 27 pairs qualifying for the jump-off and 19 pairs ultimately challenging the short course. Previously, the largest class hosted at TIEC to date featured 102 entries. Not only did Shulman guide the 2009 Selle Francais mare (Diamant de Semilly x Unknown) owned by Jill Shulman to a win, but she also qualified J. Boston S.E., the 2009 Belgian Warmblood (Boris van het Kluisebos x Guido) owned by Jill and Sydney Shulman, and was the only rider to return for the second round with two mounts.
“I thought the course walked quite difficult, and I thought it rode hard enough, also,” Shulman recapped. “It’s a great group of horse and riders here, so I’m not surprised there was such a big jump-off with so many in the class, but I thought Michel did a great job designing the course to try and get the right number for the jump-off. My horses jumped really nicely, and in the first round they were both perfect and jumped beautifully. They’re completely opposite animals, so their plans are really different, but they both jumped great.”
With Villamoura, Shulman explained, her M.O. is to add strides in the lines, but for today’s competitive jump-off, leave-outs were key to their comfortable lead. “Normally, I do the add with her. In the first round, I did five strides in the first four-stride line. I don’t think anyone else did that! I did nine strides to the liverpool, which was really an eight, and then in the jump-off I did eight to the liverpool. Then, I did five strides – normally I would do six on her – so when she does the leave-out, it’s very, very fast. Normally I’m adding a step and it’s still fast, so I think she saved time there, as well as to the second jump, where we were super neat. She’s amazing.”
Shulman revealed that she is saving Villamoura for the CSI 4* competition during Tryon Fall 6, while J. Boston S.E. will continue competing at the CSI 3* level in the meantime. “Villamoura will actually jump the qualifier in the 4* next, in two weeks, and J. Boston [S.E.] will jump the Grand Prix this Saturday.” Shulman concluded, “I’m really grateful to the show organizers for allowing us to show safely, and I just want to thank my whole team for making sure everyone stays safe and follows protocol so we can show.”