Press release from Tryon International Equestrian Center

The start of FEI Jumping competition at Tryon International Equestrian Center at Tryon Resort (TIEC) resulted in back-to-back wins for Adam Prudent (USA) and Baloutinue, claiming both Wednesday’s $10,000 EquiSafe Global Power & Speed Stake CSI 2* and Thursday’s $37,000 Horseware Ireland Welcome Stake CSI 2*.

Besting a field of 73 entries around the Catsy Cruz (MEX) course, Prudent and Baloutinue stopped the jump-off timers at 33.62 seconds to earn the Welcome Stake win. In second, Fernando Cardenas Jr. (COL) piloted Quincy Too, the 2009 Zangersheide gelding (Unknown x Unknown) owned by Fernando Cardenas, to a time of 34.39 seconds, while Beezie Madden (USA) sped to third aboard Breitling LS, the Abigail Wexner-owned 2006 Dutch Warmblood stallion (Quintero x Acord II), clearing the short course in 34.41 seconds.

Prudent and the 2010 Hanoverian gelding (Balou Du Rouet x Landor S) owned by Plain Bay Farm were one of 21 horse-and-rider pairs to challenge the jump-off track, and he relayed that focusing on speed has been paying off this week: “He’s a work in progress, but an amazing horse. He’s top quality. With this week being a little smaller [at the two-star level], the plan was to really teach him to go fast. We’ve never really gone fast,” Prudent elaborated. “We have the first round nearly to a tee. He goes clear most of the time, but in the speed round, he can be a little all over the place. We worked on going fast with the smaller fences this week, and it’s paid off!”

To successfully best a competitive field, Prudent shared that he had to leave some strides out around the course, which he called a “great build. It was a great course all in all, and was a pleasant ride,” he reported. “There were leave-outs between the jumps and my plan was to get those, which I usually don’t get. He handled it beautifully!”

Prudent, who will call TIEC home for the next four weeks, was last at the venue for the 2019 Tryon Fall Series and commented on the Tryon Stadium’s newly re-engineered footing, saying, “I like the footing, and the change was nice. It doesn’t get as deep as it used to. I like it! The horses are jumping great on it. My experience at Tryon has been fantastic, and it’s a pleasure to be here.”

Looking ahead, Prudent has several up-and-coming FEI mounts that will have an opportunity to shine in international competition, but in the meantime, Baloutinue will have the opportunity to go three for three in Saturday afternoon’s $73,000 Tryon Resort Grand Prix CSI 2*.