Mill Spring, North Carolina – May 26, 2021 – Erynn Ballard (CAN) competed in the irons with Really Electra Xango for the first time on Wednesday to kick off Tryon Spring 4, winning the $6,000 Power & Speed Stake CSI 2* with a speed phase time of 22.783 seconds.
In reserve, David O’Brien (IRL) and El Balou OLD, the 2012 Oldenburg stallion (Eldorado VD Zeshoek x Balou du Rouet) owned by Chansonette Farm LLC, stopped the timers in 23.368 seconds, while Michael Murphy (USA) claimed third on a speed phase time of 23.75 with Comedie de Talma, the 2012 Selle Francais mare (Kannan x Contender) owned by Esperanza Imports, LLC.
Forty-eight entries navigated the power phase of the track set by Nick Granat (USA), with 22 horse-and-rider pairs continuing on to the speed phase of the course. Ballard (CAN) is newly paired with the 2012 Brazilian Sport Horse mare (Indoctro x Lucky Electra Xango) owned by Ilan Ferder, and revealed that their winning ride in Tryon Stadium was actually their first competition together.
“That was my first class with her! I love her,” Ballard elaborated. “She goes the way that I like to ride, and I really believe in her. She really went out there today from start to finish.”
While Ballard acknowledged that many riders were using the Power & Speed Stake as a training opportunity, she wanted to go for the win with “Electra,” choosing to take a more conservative approach with some of her other horses. “There were a lot of people who were training in that class. When we walked the course, we made a plan for the horses that we were training. I said, ‘Electra, we’re going for the win,’ and she went for the win.”
The course not only suited her horse, Ballard reported, but she thought that it was a great way to kick off the first day of FEI competition at TIEC, initiating the first week of international jumping competition of the season.
“I liked the course. It was a very fair start for a two-star. Sometimes, the lines are blurred between two, three, four and five, so I think that it was a really nice introduction to the two-star.” Ballard concluded, “A lot of these horses haven’t had a lot of exposure [to different environments], as they’ve been in Wellington for most of the winter, so it’s a positive start for the horses at this level, and we hope to have a good rest of the week.”
Final Results – $6,000 Power & Speed Stake CSI 2*
1) Erynn Ballard (CAN) & Really Electra Xango – 0 / 0 – 22.783
2) David O’Brien (IRL) & El Balou OLD – 0 / 0 – 23.368
3) Michael Murphy (USA) & Comedie de Talma – 0 / 0 – 23.75
Source: Press Release by Sarah Madden / TIEC – Tryon International Equestrian Center
Photos: © TIEC / Madison Ibach
Discover more from JUMPER NEWS
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
Categories: CSI 2*, English, Jumper News Canada
