Mill Spring, North Carolina, USA – October 17, 2019 – Andy Kocher (USA) and Abelone O.T. Lowlands Z sped to win Wednesday’s $36,000 Power & Speed Stake CSI 5* during Tryon Fall 5 at TIEC with a double clear and a speed phase time of 23.608 seconds.

Second place was awarded to Daniel Coyle (IRL) aboard his own CHS Krooze, a 2010 Irish Sport Horse mare (Kroongraaf x Unknown), with a double-clear effort and a speed phase time of 23.619 seconds.

Leslie Burr-Howard (USA) piloted Donna Speciale, a 2008 Dutch Warmblood mare (Cavalier x Concorde) owned by Laure Sudreau-Rippe & Peter Howard, claiming third-place honors with a speed phase time of 23.675 seconds.

“Abelone [Abelone O.T. Lowlands Z] is an eight-year-old mare that I’ve had for four years, and we actually have a foal from her,” Kocher explained of the 2011 Zangersheide mare (Andiamo Z x Diamant de Semilly). He continued, “We just started jumping her again last year, so she’s kind of amazing. She started competing in FEI classes during WEF and she’s had a couple good results throughout the year, but this is her first win in a FEI ranking class.”

Course designer Guilherme Jorge (BRA) set the course for the largest class held at TIEC to date, with 102 entries to test the Power phase. “The course was good. Honestly, I wish it had more jumps in the speed phase,” Kocher admitted. “I feel like it was hard to make up ground, but it worked in my favor. There were 110 horses so you had to make the time work.

“While some riders had two or three horses, I only entered her in this class; that was my strategy. I’m saving my other horses for later and I aimed her to win this class. I was at it for sure, but it didn’t go the way I thought it was gonna go. I left out a stride in the first line, then I left out a stride in the next line, and then I added in one line. It was an amazing class to win,” concluded Kocher.

Tryon Fall 5 competition continues through Sunday, October 20, featuring the marquee $384,000 Gary Sinise Foundation Grand Prix CSI 5* in Tryon Stadium Saturday, October 19, at 7pm. The full Tryon Fall 5 schedule can be viewed at Tryon.com.

For full results from the $36,000 Power & Speed Stake CSI 5*, please click here.

Source: Press release from TIEC – Tryon International Equestrian Center

Photos: © Sportfot