Press release from Tryon International Equestrian Center & Resort

Samuel Parot (CHI) claimed his second Welcome Stake win in a row, blazing around the short course in 40.273 seconds with Dubai to dominate the $37,000 Horseware Ireland Welcome Stake CSI 3* at Tryon International Equestrian Center & Resort (TIEC). Jonathan McCrea (USA) and Fantasy BB, Windsor Show Stables’ 2010 Dutch Warmblood mare (Cardento 933 x Labor’s VDL Indorado), stopped the timers in 40.928 seconds for reserve, while Heather Caristo Williams (USA) piloted Celtic Hero BZ to third place on a time of 41.715 seconds with the 2012 Zangersheide stallion (Calikot Hero x Nissan Caretano Z) owned by Holly Caristo.

Parot was one of four pairs to challenge the Michel Vaillancourt (CAN) course design after 54 horse-and-rider pairs navigated the first round of competition. Last to go, Parot knew that tight turns combined with his horse’s scope would be the winning combination:

“The horse is not so fast, but he has big scope,” Parot said of the 2008 Dutch Warmblood gelding (Cardento 933 x Kastello) he owns in partnership with Soffia Renato. “I think I won the class when I turned to the last combination. I turned very [sharply] - for him, this is no problem. I did the same on the other turn. I did one more stride in the last line, but I turned very tight. That was my strategy.

Vaillancourt set a formidable combination late in the course, which caught many riders out and narrowed the field significantly ahead of the second round. “The course was very difficult, with only four clear,” Parot recapped. “The time [allowed] was normal, but the last line was very, very difficult for all the riders. My horse who won today has a lot of experience, and I know he has a lot of scope. In the last line, most of the horses were getting tired - my horse has scope for days! I’m so happy with him.”

Parot has the remainder of Tryon Fall 4 competition to continue his winning ways before heading south to Wellington en route to Mexico, but will first be contesting the $137,000 Coca-Cola® Grand Prix CSI 3* on Saturday in Tryon Stadium.