To the editor:

Recent stories in the Tryon Daily Bulletin about the issues concerning horse manure disposal in our community immediately caught our attention.

Although we were not contractually or directly involved in the manure disposal operation, we felt a responsibility to address the issue, as during our competition seasons, we are the county’s largest producer of manure requiring offsite disposal.

We have made significant investments in this county and have had great success working collaboratively with our neighbors, county officials, and the community at large to create an exciting future.

When we heard of this situation and the challenges it was creating for some members of the community, we immediately reached out to the county manager, Marche Pittman, to identify an alternative for suitable manure disposal with minimal impact.

We contacted Corbett Stone, owner of Tryon Equine Compost, and manager of the site and gave notice that we will not be using his services as long as disposal was at the current location.

Mr. Stone was also sensitive to the issues and would like to participate in our solution.

We are confident we will find a solution that can be a win-win for Mr. Stone, Polk County and The Tryon International Equestrian Center (TIEC). We are honored to be living in such a wonderful community with such great support. An endeavor as large as TIEC creates both opportunities and occasional challenges. You have our commitment that we will endeavor to meet challenges head on as they arise.

Mark Bellissimo
on behalf of Tryon Equestrian Partners
Katherine Bellissimo,
Roger and Jennifer Smith,
Lisa Lourie,
Jenji and Diana Mercer,
Howard and Gwen Dvorkin,
Joe and Cindy Mitchell