Mill Spring, NC – August 19, 2019 – Santiago Lambre (Wellington, FL) and Con Rouet claimed Sunday’s $25,000 Tryon Resort Grand Prix at Tryon International Equestrian Center (TIEC) at Tryon Resort to conclude Tryon August 2 competition at the venue, laying down a jump-off time of 36.95 seconds. Taylor Land (Atlanta, GA) and Falco V, the Pinetree Farms Inc.-owned 2010 Dutch Warmblood gelding (Bustique x Montreux), were back on the TIEC podium with a second-place jump-off time of 37.881 seconds, while David Blake (hometown) piloted Don’t Touch Du Bois, the 2009 Belgian Warmblood mare (Kashmir van Schuttershof x Indoctro) owned by Pine Hollow Farm, to third on a short-course time of 38.896 seconds.
Dean Rheinheimer’s course tested 27 entries in the initial round, with eight horse-and-rider pairs welcomed back to challenge the jump-off track. Last to go, Lambre and the 2010 Oldenburg gelding (Conthargos x Balou Du Rouet) owned by Salvador Onate Barron made easy work of the course despite being newly-paired teammates.
“This is the second show I’ve had with him [Con Rouet],” explained Lambre. “He’s a new horse to me, and looks very competitive. I think he’s going to be a winner! I showed him in Michigan one week, and this is the second show. He’s very easy to ride, and careful. I got him three weeks ago from Mexico.”
Lambre and Con Rouet were fourth in Friday’s $5,000 Horseware Ireland Welcome Stake, just missing out on the podium, but found their stride in Sunday’s jump-off course, Lambre detailed. “I thought it was a really nice course. Not too big, but difficult lines, so it was not easy for the riders. The jump-off was really nice,” he continued. “You could turn short and get a nice gallop. It was very nice!”
Competition was stiff, as fellow competitor Land has been on a hot streak at TIEC and had posted a tight time to beat, but Lambre utilized his position in the order of go to study where he could make up the time: “I was the last to go, so I saw the other riders. I had to do everything very short and forward, because it was really fast!”
