Kristen Vanderveen (USA) and Bull Run's Faustino De Tili were unstoppable once again in Thurday's CSI4* $35,000 Tryon 1.50m Challenge at the Tryon International Equestrian Center (TIEC), completing their jump-off track in 32.921 seconds. Santiago Lambre (MEX) and Doloris claimed the second place honors with a time of 33.990 seconds, while Vanderveen also secured the third place position aboard Bull Run's Testify with a time of 34.349 seconds. 

Vanderveen and Bull Run's Faustino De Tili are no strangers to the winner's circle at TIEC. The duo amassed back-to-back wins last week in the $35,000 1.45m Suncast® Commercial Welcome Stake CSI3* and the $130,000 Asheville/Greenville BMW Centers' Grand Prix CSI3*. 

The track, set by Alan Wade (IRL), saw 38 entries in the class with ten pairs advancing to the jump-off. Vanderveen described the course saying, "It was definitely built bigger than last week. Everything rode pretty nice, and showed up well. The course designer did a great job because everyone had a nice round and there were plenty of clean horses. The bigger jumps were definitely nice to jump before Saturday night."

Vanderveen relied on Bull Run's Faustino De Tili, a 2005 Belgian Warmblood stallion (Berlin x Darco) owned by Bull Run Jumper's Five LLC, to get the job done, as the duo took their first major win since last week's grand prix. The pair is continuing to build confidence and racking up wins as they head into their competitive summer season. 

"Last week I had the advantage of jumping off last and this week I went first. He is so fast and I was definitely trying. I had trouble in one roll back turn that I thought was going to cost me, but he made up for it. He got me out of that, which was really great," she said. 

"Lately he's been doing this funny thing in the warm-up ring where he shakes his head a little bit and it's really cute because I scratch his neck and tell him he's the man. That's how I know he's feeling it," Vanderveen added with a laugh. 

Vanderveen and her second mount, Bull Run's Testify, a 2004 Selle Francais gelding (Dollar Du Murier x Oberon Du Moulin), owned by Bull Run Jumper's, completed the jump-off track later in the order of go. Vanderveen detailed that ride saying, "He is a little more steady eddy and a little bit slower. I normally go a touch slower, but double clean with that one."

Vanderveen is looking forward to defending her title win from last week and will jump both horses again on Saturday night in the highlight class of the week, the CSI4* $216,000 Horseware® Ireland Grand Prix staring at 8:00 p.m. 

"The plan for this week is to jump both of them on Saturday, which I am very excited about. For the rest of the summer we plan to stay here at TIEC. I have some young horses who are coming in from Europe to compete the national weeks and then we look forward to the FEI classes in July."

The breadth of FEI horses Vanderveen has produced have all performed well at TIEC, as she remains one of the most successful riders to compete at the venue to date. With the majority of their summer schedule based at Tryon, Vanderveen feels that the show has become somewhat of a summer home for her team. 

"It is great showing here at TIEC. It is convenient, everything is set up really well and the horses feel at home here. The footing has been great, and everyone is very nice and accommodating. You're just in a good spirit all the time and it is nice to be around happy people."