Tryon, Mill Spring, North Carolina, USA – June 07, 2023 – For the second week in a row, Jad Dana (LEB) and Fleur-de-Lis’ Cherie (Clarimo x Lancer II) were crowned the winners of Wednesday’s $39,000 Two Phase CSI 3*. Dana and the 2012 mare, owned by the Cherie Group, marked a jump off time of 23.92 seconds.
With twenty-one competitors tackling the Bernardo Costa Cabral (POR)-designed course, Dana knew Fleur-de-Lis’ Cherie was up to the challenge. He said of the mare, “She has been absolutely incredible for me. She wins all the time. We always know we have a chance to win a big class like this when we enter her.”
Placing second was Simon McCarthy (IRL) and Gotcha (Stakkato x Cassini I), the 2011 Holsteiner mare owned by Rock Ridge Farms. McCarthy and Gotcha marked a jump off time of 24.19 seconds.
Samuel Parot (CHI) rode Tiffany de Olid (Huppydam des Horts x Coco de Mies), his own Spanish Sporthorse mare, to third place honors with a time of 24.33 seconds.
Fleur-de-Lis’ Cherie has shown great consistency throughout the Tryon Spring Series. “She won the same $39,000 class last week, and the first week she was also clear in the Grand Prix. So this has been a great triumph for her,” Dana recapped. “I’m extremely, extremely happy with her and grateful and thankful for the generous owners that believe in us and that secured the ride for me.”
The mare’s speed on the ground was key to Dana’s victory on Wednesday. “I have to say that I was lucky, because the other people that I was able to beat actually did less numbers of strides on the rollback, but my mare is maybe the fastest and has the fastest foot speed. I can make up time, even though I added some strides,” he detailed. “I would say that I wasn’t able to leave strides out like some others did, but she’s so quick and she’s so fast off the ground. That’s what made it possible for me to win today.”
Dana concluded that Fleur-de-Lis’ Cherie is ending on a high note. “I think she’s probably done, because she couldn’t be better!” He added, “I have two other horses also in the FEI division, After Eight and Caro W – they will jump. They’re in the Welcome Stake tomorrow, and one of them will do the Grand Prix Saturday night.”
Dana and his team will be at Tryon for another week of competition. “It’s been fantastic! It’s always [a show] that we like to do after WEF is done. We hang out in Florida for a bit more to show and then normally Tryon is our first away show of the year. We really like it here. We’ve been here for three weeks and will come back.”
Final Results – $39,000 Two Phase CSI 3*
1) Jad Dana (LBN) & Fleur-de-Lis’ Cherie — 0 / 0 —23.92
2) Simon Mccarthy (IRL) & Gotcha — 0 / 0 — 24.19
3) Samuel Parot (CHI) & Tiffany de Olid — 0 / 0 — 24.33
Source: Press Release by Rette Solomon and Sarah Madden for Tryon International
Photos: © Karli Dannewitz for Natalie Suto Photography
