Mill Spring, North Carolina – June 22, 2025 – The Tryon Summer Series presented by The Farm House kicked off with Tryon Summer 2 competition, held June 20-22 at Tryon International Equestrian Center & Resort (Tryon International). The weekend saw John Brown (USA) take top honors in the feature class, the $25,000 Henri de Rivel Sunday Grand Prix, with Ballon Bleu, stopping the short course timers in 37.673 seconds to take the win.

In second, Brittni Raflowitz (Palm City, FL) and Hedwina de Villee, the 2013 Warmblood mare (Nabab de Reve x Azarra de Villee) owned by Mackenzie Hirsch, cleared the jump-off timers in 39.215 seconds.

David Blake (IRL) rode the Pine Hollow Farm 2014 Dutch Warmblood gelding, J. Diago (Diarado x Tara), to third place in a time of 40.293 seconds.

Brown and the 2013 Belgian Warmblood gelding (Amaretto D’Arco x Papilon) owned by Ponce Tidwell Jr. are gearing up for the CSI 2* competition during Tryon Summer 3, following their FEI debut this spring.

Brown noted that the course was both easy for his horse and good preparation for the weeks ahead:

“The first course was good for him. It was easy for him, actually, but it was good, because he’s a smaller horse. It was good to get all the distances in and just practice for the CSI 2* next week.” 

Brown, a local whose base is just a few miles from Tryon International, has a longtime history with Ballon Bleu. “I started this horse as a three-year-old. He was approved as a stallion for a while, then was gelded and came back to me as a six-year-old, and we’ve been together for six years now. I live here; it’s home!”

Final Results $25,000 Henri de Rivel Sunday Grand Prix

1) John Brown (GBR) & Ballon Bleu – 0 / 0 – 37.673

2) Brittni Raflowitz (ISR) & Hedwina de Villee – 0 / 0 – 39.215

3) David Blake (IRL) & J. Diago – 0 / 0 – 40.293

Source: Press Release by Sarah Madden Taylor for Tryon International

Photos: © TIEC / Bailey Beck for Natalie Suto Photography

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