Tryon, NC – April 20, 2019 – Adrienne Lyle and Harmony’s Duval kicked off Tryon Spring Dressage 1 CDI3* by earning a personal best score of 75.130% to top a field of 14 in the Grand Prix. Ashley Holzer and Havanna 145, a 2007 Hanoverian mare (Hochadel x Rodgau) owned by Diane Fellows, garnered a score of 72.478% to be awarded second place, while Canadian Jill Irving and her own Degas 12, a 2002 Hanoverian gelding (De Niro x Regazonni), rounded out the podium on a total score of 70.978%.
For Lyle and the 2008 Dutch Warmblood gelding (Rosseau x Riverman) owned by Duval Partners LLC, their clean Grand Prix test was “a big deal” and full-circle from their first National Grand Prix competition at TIEC exactly a year ago.
“At this show a year ago we did our first National Grand Prix, so he’s only been in Grand Prix competition for a year,” Lyle elaborated. “It’s always been about getting him to focus and not get flustered and get through a test without mistakes, so this is a really big accomplishment.”
“He hasn’t shown that many places in his life, and we’ve only been at [Adequan® Global Dressage Festival] all season, so this is new for him,” she continued. “I love this showground – it’s maybe my favorite showgrounds in the world to show – but it’s great for the horses to get to come to a new place and ride in a new stadium with an atmosphere like this. It’s really fun.”
Her young mount showed great composure despite several rain delays through the day, and “is always ready to go,” she revealed. “He’s a horse that I get out several times before his test, tack-walking and hand-walking a lot, so he’s in and out a lot through the day. [Today] we had to wait a bit, but that’s just part of the game. The good thing about him is he’s always ready to go – he has endless energy. So when we throw the tack on, he’s ready for it, no matter when that is.”
Lyle called Tryon International Equestrian Center (TIEC) at Tryon Resort the ideal stepping stone for her next challenge with Harmony’s Duval: taking on Europe. “I wanted to come to this CDI to get one more show in before we go to Europe this summer. I think this is a really good stepping stone to get him some exposure and solidify him a little bit more. He got a grant to go to Europe this summer from the USDF that will help fund him there,” Lyle continued. “He was US bred and born, so he’s never been out of the country. He’s a really wonderful horse – we’ve had him since before he was saddle-broke, so it’s a fun culmination of many years of work with him.”
Later in the weekend, Lyle and Harmony’s Duval danced to another win in the Grand Prix Special CDI3* on a score of 73.851%. Canada’s Naima Moreira Laliberte and KML S.A.R.L’s Statesman took reserve after earning a total score of 72.404%, dancing in tandem with the 2007 Hanoverian gelding by Sandro Hit. Once again gaining the podium, Jill Irving (CAN) and Degas 12, her own 2002 Hanoverian gelding (De Niro x Regazonni), received a composite score of 69.596% to take third place.
In the Grand Prix Freestyle CDI3*, Holzer and Havanna 145 claimed the win with an impressive score of 77.225%. Irving rode Arthur to a second place finish with a 74.075%, while Jessica Jo Tate and Kynynmont Gunsmoke’s Gideon, 2008 Connemara Cross gelding (Gun Smoke x Kynynmont Tara) owned by Pam Liddell, combined to receive a score of 67.925% and third place.
“I’m thrilled. I’m really over the moon with her,” emphasized Holzer of the 2007 Hanoverian mare (Hochadel x Rodgau) owned by Diane Fellows. “We had a bit of a setback last year, so this is her just sort of coming out of it, and she is really exceeding my expectations. The one little mistake she made was completely my mistake and she was just phenomenal. She kept answering the call and I had some moments even in the warm-up where she’s just bringing it to another level.”
Holzer and Havanna danced to “Havana,” bringing some sauce with the new floor plan. There were several aspects of their performance that Holzer was particularly excited about, she detailed: “I was really hoping, in the beginning, to just flow with her. Sometimes I get a little aggressive in my forward and it ends up looking a little rushed and hectic, and think she flowed really well through the first half pass and then coming up to the first passage, and I was really thrilled with the way that flowed to the music.”
The small tour competition saw Spain’s Pablo Gomez Molina bested the Prix St. Georges CDI3* competition aboard Furst Fiorano Ymas, a 2007 Westphalian gelding (Furst Piccolo x Donnerbube I) owned by Yeguada de Ymas S.L., scoring 72.353% to take the win. Reserve honors went to Jennifer Baumert aboard Handsome, a 2005 Hanoverian gelding (Hochadelx Weltmeyer) owned by Betsy Juliano, LLC, scoring 71.765%. Endel Ots and Lucky Strike, a 2010 Hanoverian gelding (Lord Laurie x His Highness) owned by Max Ots, scored 71.324% to round out the podium and take third-place honors.
In the Intermediate I CDI3*, Baumert and Handsome won the class, scoring a total of 74.755%, while reserve honors were awarded to Ots and Lucky Strike with 72.451%. Rounding out the podium, Gomez Molina and Furst Fiorano Ymas scored 71.765%. On the final day of small tour competition during the weekend, the Intermediate 1 Freestyle CDI3* saw Gomez Molina and Furst Fiorano Ymas take top honors again with a score of 76.125%, while reserve was awarded to Baumert aboard Handsome for their efforts amounting to a score of 75.667%. Third place was named to Endel Ots and Lucky Strike for their score of 75.333%.
In the Intermediate II 16-25 CDIU25, Canada bookended the podium with Moreira Laliberte and I Do Kiss, a 2006 Swedish Warmblood stallion (French Kiss x Donnerfly) owned by KML S.A.R.L., receiving a score of 68.412% to take first. Reserve honors belonged to Anna Weniger aboard Don Derrick, earning a 63.353% with the 2004 Dutch Riding Horse gelding (Don Ruto x Libertino I) owned by Dawn Weniger. Third place went to Camille Carier Bergeron aboard Gilles Bergeron’s Acoeur, a 2007 German Sport Horse gelding, with a score of 63.206%.
Canada’s Vanessa Creech-Terauds swept the CDI-Young Rider division on Leatherdale Farm’s Fleur de Lis L. The 2009 Hanoverian mare (First Dance x De Niro) earned a 71.147% in the team test and a 72.029% in the individual test. In the Freestyle, the pair posted a score of 73.825% to take the lead over Anna Weniger (USA), who partnered with Andrew Weniger’s Claudius, a 2010 Hanoverian gelding (Carland x Wilander), to score 64.700% for second.
The Junior Rider team test in the CDI-J saw Camille Molten score 67.697% to win aboard her own Heros, a 2004 Danish Warmblood mare (Blue Hors Hertugx Lucky Light). Reserve went to Sophia Holloway aboard Neptune NF, her own 2009 Andalusian gelding, with a score of 62.883%. Lunalee Barboza (USA) and her own Donatus, a 2003 Wurtbrg gelding (Dark Dream x Davina) received third place on a score of 61.909%.
Results: CDI3* Grand Prix Special
Rider / Country / Horse / Total Score
1. Adrienne Lyle / USA / Harmony’s Duval / 73.851
2. Naima Moreira Laliberte / CAN / Statesman / 72.404
3. Jill Irving / CAN / Degas 12 / 69.596
4. Micah Deligdish / ISR / Destiny / 65.489
4. Michael Pineo / USA / Farrington / 65.489
6. Jessica Jo Tate / USA / Faberge / 65.17
7. Heather Blitz / USA / Semper Fidelis / 64.511
8. Hokan Thorn / USA / Django / 58.979