From a field of 49 entries, Santiago Lambre (MEX) and his own Doloris, a 2008 Dutch Warmblood mare (Harley VDL x Colinda D), were the only pair to go double clear in the $35,000 Suncast® Commercial Welcome Stake CSI2*, Thursday's highlight class for the Tryon Fall III CSI2* competition at Tryon International Equestrian Center (TIEC). Tryon Fall III welcomes back international FEI competition to the venue, beginning a four-week stretch of top show jumping competition, which will conclude on Sunday, October 29. 

Lambre and Doloris posted a blazing short course time of 37.60 seconds, while Tracy Fenney (USA) and MTM Farm's MTM Reve Du Paradis, a 2005 Selle Francais gelding (Crown Z x Kaline De Semilly), stole second place with the fastest four-fault short course, stopping the timers in 38.07 seconds. Michael Morrissey (USA) took third aboard La Lopez 3, a 2008 Westphalian mare (Lenardo x Leandra) owned by QBS Equestrian LLC, with their time of 38.29 seconds. 

Lambre complimented his mount's carefulness around the challenging CSI2* course, and said, "In the first round, the mare was really good. She is very careful. I gave her a three-week break, so she is fresh. In the jump-off, I was lucky to be the only one clear." 

The pair has been competing together for about a year, Lambre explained, though he's owned the mare since she was six. "This year she's winning a lot of classes. I think six or seven FEI classes this year, and she's very consistent." 

The class saw 49 trips on the course designed by Richard Jeffries (GBR), while only twelve returned for the jump-off round. The short course's elements posed tough questions to the twelve combinations that contested it, explained Lambre. "I think the jump-off was big," he noted about the track. "Sometimes the oxer is less wide, and in this jump-off it was still [the same width], with not so many options, so it was tough, and of twelve clear there was only one double-clear."

After a successful summer at TIEC, Lambre is hoping that fall is just as fruitful, especially for Doloris, "My plan with her is to ride in the Grand Prix this week and then the CSI5* in two weeks," he said. "Tryon is very nice. I did all the summer here and it's a fantastic facility-one of the best places in the world."