The Spy Coast Farm Developing Jumper Series took place over the course of four days and four rounds, with the fate of the young winners determined on Saturday morning.

After a hard-fought battle against several mounts, the $5,000 Spy Coast Farm 5-Year-Old Jumper Championship title was awarded to Jennifer Waxman, of Lexington, Kentucky, and Spy Coast Farm LLC’s very own Nightshade SCF. The duo crossed through the jump-off timers in 38.052 seconds to seal the top spot.

Second place was awarded to Katie Sparks of Sarasota, Florida, and Centennial Farm Inc.’s April Fool, who ended the weekend with a final jump-off time of 34.152 seconds and with four added faults. Third place was rounded out by David O’Brien, of Lexington, aboard another Spy Coast Farm LLC mount, Nanette SCF, who did not contest the jump-off, landing on a time of 75.5 seconds and 16 total faults.

The $10,000 Spy Coast Farm 6-Year-Old Jumper Championship welcomed 11 horse-and-rider combinations to test their skills, but it was young horse rider David O’Brien who took another Spy Coast Farm LLC horse straight to the top, piloting Merly Chin SCF to the blue rosette with a fault free jump-off time of 30.799 seconds.

“I use the Developing Jumper Series as an aid for my horses,” said O’Brien, who has ridden several successful horses through the Developing Jumper Series over the past few years. “By the end of the year, I feel like I’m up on par with the rest of the young horses. Throughout the year, it’s a great stepping stone for your horse to get in the ring. It’s inexpensive and generally good courses. The shows in Tryon in April, the B-rated shows, they always put you in a good ring. You can really get the horses up and going. Throughout the year, the course designers add extra things into the ring like water jumps and that kind of stuff.”

Second place was scooped up by Brittni Raflowitz (Palm City, Florida) and the ESI Show Jumpers Inc. entry Mevis de Muze, riding to a jump-off time of 31.671 seconds. Third place was rounded out by Wellington, Florida, native Carlos Myrrha, who rode El Milagro’s Lovergon across the fast track in 33.356 seconds.

Allen Nabors Jr. represented Landrum, as he grabbed the first-place spot in the $10,000 Spy Coast Farm 7-Year-Old Jumper Championship with Jessie Mazzoni’s Bon Chatsworth Pierre, besting 16 other competitors with a jump-off time of 32.737 seconds in the fourth and final round of competition.

Schuyler Riley, of Wellington, claimed second with G-Force, owned by Wolfstone Stables & Sales Inc., with a time of 33.46 seconds. Third place went to Paul O’Shea, of Wellington, and Skara Glen’s Para Bellum, marking down a time of 33.583 seconds in the final jump-off.

– Submitted by Tryon International Equestrian Center