This Thanksgiving, Team Tryon is full of gratitude to so many of you. 

To the competitors, venue staff, grooms, lodging guests, volunteers, photographers, vets and equine care teams, and of course the horses who made this season’s competitions so incredible: celebrating ten years of horse shows at Tryon International with you was so special. We can’t wait to see you all again soon. 

To our WNC and Upstate SC community members who jumped in to help us take care of our neighbors in the wake of Hurricane Helene: this community is the BEST community, and we are so proud to call Mill Spring, NC our home. 

For these and more, we are so grateful:

The 5th Tom Bass Seminar on Diversity in Equestrian Sports will be held as a hybrid event on Saturday, November 23th from 12:00 noon to 2:30 p.m. EST. Hosted at the newly constructed Overmountain Lodge on the campus of the Tryon International Equestrian Center and Resort (TIEC) in Mill Spring, North Carolina (USA), the meeting will examine issues relating to diversity in domestic and international sport. Learn more about this event!

Winning the final $15,000 Buckley Fence Sunday Grand Prix of the Tryon Fall Series presented by Coca-Cola, Brittni Raflowitz (Palm City, FL) rode Semilly F (Copyright C x Brisa De Ibio), the 2011 Spanish Sport Horse mare owned Ashlee Bond Show Jumping to a double clear effort and a jump off time of 34.51 seconds. Close behind the winning team, John Brown (Mill Spring, NC) and his own Belgian Warmblood gelding Ballon Bleu (Amaretto D Arco x Papilon) took second place, marking 35.59 seconds in the jump off. Aboard Queen Bee Z (Quincy Car x Can Get You), Ragan Roberts (Roanoke, VA) rode her own 2016 warmblood mare to a 39.04 second jump off, incurring four faults, to complete the top three. 

Closing out Tryon Fall Finale 1 with a win in Tryon Stadium, Grace Debney (Hampden, MA) and Jesprit H.S (Eldorado Van De Zeshoek x Esprit-R) claimed the $15,000 Buckley Fence Sunday Grand Prix with a double clear performance. Debney and Jesprit H.S jumped to the top of the leaderboard with a 36.36 second jump off time. Clayton Russel (Columbus, NC) also converted two clear rounds aboard Starboy (Cellestial x Fame), the 2016 Hanoverian gelding owned by Christina Kelly to take second in the class, with a time of 38.25 seconds. Incurring four faults in her 36.87 second jump off round, Gracie Allen (Moorestown, NJ) rode Hadj Des Fontaines (Captain Semilly x Tea De La Bruyere), the 2017 Selle Français gelding owned by Koryo Equine LLC, to third place. 

When Hurricane Helene struck, changed our entire landscape, and devastated the lives of the people and animals who live here and love these mountains, Mary Adams, owner of the Sanctuary at Red Bell Run in Columbus, NC, received a call from Elaine Nash, the Director of Fleet of Angels, a nationwide organization that assists equines and their owners suffering from disasters. Fleet of Angels and their network of volunteers and donors wanted to help. Mary and her staff at Red Bell Run were asked to manage the logistics of incoming donations and get them out to people and animals in need. A large space would be needed to store the supplies, feed and hay that would be required for such a huge undertaking. Mary reached out to Sharon Decker at Tryon International Equestrian Center for help. Tryon International immediately offered the use of their indoor arena, a perfect space for the purpose, and the outpouring of help began.

Under the lights of Tryon Stadium in front of a Halloween-costumed crowd, Nicholas Dello Joio (USA) found the top of the podium for the second time during Tryon Fall 6 with a victory in the $70,000 Coca-Cola Grand Prix CSI 2*. Partnered with Dylano Van De Heide Z (Denzel Van't Meulenhof x Feinschnitt I van de Richter), the Wellington-based rider smoked the six other jump off teams on the Ben Townley (GBR) track in 34.44 seconds. Andres Julio Soto Peña (DOM) and his own 2008 Danish Warmblood gelding, Optimus Blue (Chacco Blue x Baloubet De Rouet), toured the jump off track in 35.65 seconds for reserve honors. Aboard her own Heartbeat W (Baloubet De Rouet x Heartbreaker), the 2012 Dutch Warmblood gelding, Elizabeth Bates (CAN) completed the Grand Prix podium with 36.03 seconds on the clock. 

In the final feature class of Major League Show Jumping at Tryon International, six horse-and-rider pairs battled for dominance in the $340,000 KASK Grand Prix CSI 5*. Ultimately, it was Conor Swail (IRL) and Casturano (Castelan 3 x Canturo) who took the win, blazing through the jump off in 41.54 seconds. Fractions behind Swail, Kent Farrington (USA) and his own Greya (Colestus x Contender), the 2014 Oldenburg mare claimed reserve honors in 41.89 seconds. Daniel Bluman (ISR) completed the podium, marking a 42.21 second jump off aboard Abigail Wexner’s Corbie V.V. (Cornet Obolensky x Chacco Blue), the 2015 Zangersheide mare. 

Liza Towell Boyd (Camden, SC) and Crooner Brimbelles Z (Windows VH Costersveld x Rare des Brimbelles Z) claimed top honors in Friday’s $15,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby presented by Equiline, scoring 366 points over two rounds. Boyd also piloted Ondine D’Orleans (Vigo D'arsouilles x Coco Chanel Z), the Finally Farm, Inc.’s 2014 Belgian Warmblood mare, to a score of 358 for reserve honors. Victoria Free (Fayetteville, GA) and Step Up (Cabana x Speak Up), the 2016 Hanoverian gelding owned by Andrea Block, rounded out the podium on a score of 347 points. 

WELLINGTON, Fla. - Oct. 22, 2024 - The former majority owners of Palm Beach International Equestrian Center, Mark Bellissimo, Marsha Dammerman, Lisa Lourie, and Roger Smith (“the Partners”), formed a new entity called WI FL Acquisition, LLC (“the Company”) to acquire Wellington International. The Company announced today that it signed a binding agreement to acquire Wellington International from Global Equestrian Group (“GEG”). Effective upon close of the transaction, Murray S. Kessler will lead Wellington International as Chief Executive Officer.

Aboard St. Bride’s Farm’s Baloutinue, Laura Kraut (USA) jumped to first place in Thursday’s Premier Equestrian Grand Prix Qualifier CSI5*, besting 41 total teams. Kraut put 36.33 seconds on the clock for the win, ahead of Tryon Fall 5’s feature Major League Show Jumping classes this week. Ashlee Bond (ISR) rode Donatello 141 (Diarado x Lamoureux I), her own 2011 Westphalian gelding to second place in the class, with a time of 36.54 seconds. Taking third with Vital Chance De La Roque (Diamant De Semilly x Rivage Du Poncel), Conor Swail (IRL) piloted the Mannon Farm-owned 2009 Selle Français gelding to a jump off time of 37.02 seconds. 

Notching another victory under the lights of Tryon Stadium with a win in the $120,000 Stuller Power Solutions Grand Prix CSI 3*, Jacqueline Ruyle (USA) layed out a double clear effort, partnered with San Chano (Sandro Boy x Chacco-Blue). Ruyle and San Chano toured the Nicholas Granat (USA) jump off course in 37.24 seconds to claim the top podium spot. Conor O’Regan (IRL) rode the 2012 Belgian Warmblood gelding, Manchester (Quidam De Revel x Codex), owned by Delshore Horses LLC, to reserve honors on a time of 38.71 seconds. Joining his fellow Irishman on the podium, Richie Moloney and  Equinimity LLC’s Coco Beach (Casall x San Patrignano Corrado), the 2012 Holstiener mare, marked 39.46 seconds in the jump off to place third. 

Note: this is the final of our daily updates regarding Hurricane Helene relief efforts. Stay tuned for periodic updates still to come!

Wednesday October 9 concluded our drive-through emergency supply center operations at Tryon International, with more than 9,876 people served since October 3, by our best estimates. The response of our community, with both donations and helping hands, has been absolutely overwhelming for our team to witness. 

Since Wednesday, our team of staff and volunteers have begun sending any remaining supplies to other nonprofits, shelters and supply distribution points throughout the region so that they can be utilized in the best possible way. Unless otherwise previously coordinated, we are not accepting any donations of human supplies at this time. 

The Tryon International Fall Three-Day Event & Horse Trials, originally scheduled for October 31-November 3, has been canceled due to damage incurred on the White Oak Cross-Country Course by Hurricane Helene. The remainder of the property was largely unaffected.

Today, Wednesday October 9, concluded our drive-through emergency supply center operations, with more than 9,876 people served since we opened on October 3, by our best estimates. The response of our community, with both donations and helping hands, has been absolutely overwhelming for our team to witness. 

Our work is not over! Recovery for the region as a whole will be a long process, and we are not going anywhere. In collaboration with our friends at Red Bell Run Sanctuary and Fleet of Angels, we will continue to accept donations and distribute animal feed and other livestock supplies daily from 10am-4pm at the Indoor Arena. Our partners are helping ensure that feed, shavings, hay, fencing and other crucial needs are being met throughout the region and in our own backyard. 

To coordinate a donation or pickup of livestock supplies, contact sanctuary@redbellrun.org. 

Click here for a list of locations accepting donations.

Volunteers are still needed to help process remaining supplies for redistribution. Sign up here.

MILL SPRING, N.C.- Due to the unprecedented impacts of Hurricane Helene across Western North Carolina and the greater Atlantic region, WCRA (World Champions Rodeo Alliance), PBR (Professional Bull Riders), and Tryon International have canceled the 2024 Rodeo Carolina. Following the storm, the event had been rescheduled for October 30-November 2 in Mill Spring, North Carolina at the Tryon International Equestrian Center and Resort.

Wednesday, October 9 will be the last day for distribution of human emergency response supplies to individual drive-through vehicles. With careful consideration with the county, in light of numerous organizations in the area that are providing food, water, personal hygiene and home care supplies, our Emergency Relief efforts in this specific capacity will wrap up at 4pm Wednesday. 

All remaining products at that time will be distributed to non-profits in the region that have long term opportunities for distribution or use of these items. Tryon International will, however, continue to distribute hay, feed, all livestock feed, chicken feed, dog food, cat food, cat litter, etc. daily from 10am-4pm. 

Supply Distribution Center: 
Tryon International Indoor Complex
2676 John Shehan Rd, Mill Spring NC 28756

Open DAILY 12-4pm
Tuesday October 8-Sunday, October 13

Free supplies are available to anyone who needs them, for humans, pets and livestock. This distribution center will operate as a drive-through, staffed with volunteers and Tryon International team members, as part of the Polk County network of disaster relief locations. Follow signs for drive-through pick up. 

Atrium Health’s Med-1 Mobile Hospital, located at Exit 170 at the roundabout, is FREE for anyone who needs medical care, access to prescriptions, and more. Open 24/7. Please spread the word!

Dear Neighbors and Friends: 

Your response to the request for supplies and goods that we could share with families across our region has been amazing. The numbers of volunteers that have come to assist, in the process of gathering and distributing, has been far beyond our expectations. THANK YOU! THANK YOU! By our best estimates, more than 5,588 individuals have received items from the distribution center October 3-6, and still many other bulk loads of supplies have been sent to various Western NC communities.  

Supply Distribution Center: 
Tryon International Indoor Complex
2676 John Shehan Rd,
Mill Spring NC 28756

Supply Distribution Center Open DAILY 10am-6pm through Sunday, October 13

Free supplies are available to anyone who needs them, for humans, pets and livestock. This distribution center will operate as a drive-through, staffed with volunteers and Tryon International team members, as part of the Polk County network of disaster relief locations. Follow signs for drive-through pick up. 

Supply Distribution Center: 
Tryon International Indoor Complex
2676 John Shehan Rd, Mill Spring NC 28756

Supply Distribution Center Open DAILY 10am-6pm through Sunday, October 13

Free supplies are available to anyone who needs them, for humans, pets and livestock. This distribution center will operate as a drive-through, staffed with volunteers and Tryon International team members, as part of the Polk County network of disaster relief locations. Follow signs for drive-through pick up.