Mill Spring, NC – July 13, 2024 – Capping off an evening of Saturday Night Lights festivities presented by Stuller Power Solutions and a thrilling display of show jumping with course design by Guilherme Jorge (BRA), Ashlee Bond (ISR) stepped to the top of the podium of the $65,000 Buckley Fence Grand Prix CSI 2*. Bond, paired with Aurora Farms’ Elka De La Pomme (Cartoon Z x Kannan), dominated the ten-horse jump off with a final time of 36.09 seconds. Last year’s Summer 5 Grand Prix winner, Nicolas Gamboa (COL), returned with NKH LLC’s NKH Mr. Darcy (Darco x Chepetto), the 2013 Holsteiner gelding, to claim reserve honors in a time of 36.13 seconds. Representing the home nation, Doug Payne (USA) piloted Quintessence (Unknown x Unknown), the 2011 Holsteiner gelding of Payne Equestrian, to mark 38.95 seconds on the clock for third.
Bond provided insight into Elka De La Pomme’s development over the team’s two year partnership. “She’s been a fighter since the day I got her – super careful, and all the quality. I just had to channel it in the right direction, because she always wanted to go so fast,” Bond said of the 2014 Hanoverian mare.
Bond expressed her delight for Elka De La Pomme’s performance under the Tryon Stadium lights. Known as “Tater” around the barn, Bond noted that the mare is “just learning to put it all together, go fast in a jump off, and keep her head about her. I’m really proud of her today. I felt like it just all came together at the right time.”
Despite the extremely small margin between Bond’s and Gamboa’s jump off times, the Israeli rider explained that she did not dwell for long on her competitors’ jump off rides. “When I go into a jump off, I just do what I feel my horse and I are ready for. If that ends up being the win, great! If not, it’s what I felt was right for us in that moment,” she detailed.
©Bailey Beck for Natalie Suto Photography
With the Saturday Night Grand Prix being Bond’s last class before departing to the Paris Olympics, she now has her sights set on her upcoming performance with Donatello 141. “Donnie will fly out with Brittini Raflowitz and Jessie Stanek, my manager, on July 21st. We’ll have nine days of just doing what we do and getting ready, but keeping it all the same. It’s just another horse show – we’ve fortunately done an Olympics before, so we kind of know what to expect.”
Bond has used her time at Tryon International to prepare for Paris, looking to repeat the same success she had in previous Olympic competition. “Tryon is always great! This was the exact prep I did before the Tokyo Olympics,” she recapped. “I won the 3* Grand Prix, and then went [to Tokyo] and had a very good showing. So if this is a good omen, I’m all for it!”
Fans can look forward to seeing Bond back for the Tryon Fall Series. “I’ll be back for the Major League Show Jumping 5* in the fall,” Bond said. “I love it here – I think it’s great for young horses and older horses, with good footing and a big venue. You can go trail riding on the Cross-Country courses, which I think is amazing for all ages.”
©Bailey Beck for Natalie Suto Photography
Results: $65,000 Buckley Fence Grand Prix CSI 2*
Horse Name, Year Breed gender (Sire x Sire of Dam)
Rider (Country), Owner: Faults/Faults/Time
1) Elka De La Pomme, 2014 Hanoverian mare (Cartoon Z x Kannan)
Ashlee Bond (ISR), Aurora Farms: 0/0/36.09
2) NKH Mr. Darcy, 2013 Holsteiner gelding (Darco x Chepetto)
Nicolas Gamboa (COL), NKH LLC: 0/0/75.36
3) Quintessence, 2011 Holsteiner gelding (Unknown x Unknown)
Doug Payne (USA), Payne Equestrian: 0/0/38.95
4) One and Only, 2014 Belgian Warmblood mare (Diktator Van De Boslandhoeve x Cardento 933)
Charlie Jayne (USA), Kameb Equine Ventures LLC: 0/0/40.62
5) Nakia, 2013 KWPN mare (Action-Breaker x Elegante)
Ella Kraut (USA), Ella Kraut: 0/0/41.60
6) Interactive Mortgage Cayjano, 2013 Westphalian gelding (Cayetano L x Danenkonig)
Olivia Cliver (USA), Johnson Equine LLC: 0/4/37.31
7) Night Wish, 2016 Hanoverian gelding (Unknown x Unknown)
Ashlee Bond (ISR), Aurora Farms: 0/4/37.62
8) Otto BH, 2012 Zangersheide stallion (Norton D’ Eole x Toulon)
Amanda Derbyshire (GBR), Amanda Derbyshire: 0/8/37.23
9) Olympia Van Het Eikenhof, 2014 Belgian Warmblood mare (Elvis Ter Putte x Toulon)
Abigail McArdle (USA), Sweetwater Jumpers LLC: 0/8/45.49
10) Karoline of Ballmore, 2010 Belgian Warmblood mare (Diarado x Convento Van De Helle)
Hallie Grimes (USA), Can We Keep It? LLC: 0/11/51.58
11) Blues RW, 2013, Westphalian gelding (Untouched x Chacco-blue)
Michael Walton (USA), Mia Marano: 2/80.85
12) Buga Z, 2010 Zangersheide gelding (Chester Z x Quality Touch Z)
Samuel Parot (CHI), Samuel Parot: 4/74.44
For full results from the $65,000 Buckley Fence Grand Prix CSI 2*, click here.
