Mill Spring, United States – July 17, 2025 – Riding the Ken Krome-designed course with three of his mounts, Fernando Cardenas (COL) took over the top two spots in Thursday’s $32,000 LeMieux Welcome Stake CSI 3*. The 2017 Hanoverian mare, Balou’s Honora Car (Balou Du Rouet x Galiani CH), produced the winning jump off round in a time of 40.69 seconds.
“First and foremost, I want to dedicate this win to my dad,” Cardenas shared, “because he owns both horses, and he deserves it, and with the many years of breeding, it’s nice for him to see these results.”
It was the eight-year-old mare’s first 1.50m course, following her podium placing in the 1.45m $32,000 Two Phase CSI 3* earlier in the week, Cardenas revealed. Despite a fresh division, Balou’s Honora Car showcased her carefulness to produce a double-clear effort.
“She [Balou’s Honora Car] has a shorter stride, and I got lucky in the first round where we had a couple taps, touching fence number four and number five, and that really got her even more careful for the rest of the course. She finished stronger and jumped the last vertical very, very well.”
Fano Car (K Diamant D’heure ABF x Galiani CH) 2015 North American Sport Horse gelding, was the runner up, clearing the course in 41.50 seconds.
Rounding out the podium, Emma Irwin (CAN) rode Las Vegas (Arezzo VDL x Otangelo), Rosalie Midyette’s 2016 Dutch Warmblood stallion, to a time of 42.17 seconds.
Of his second place mount, Fano Car, Cardenas added, “Yesterday I had had the water jump down with him, so today I was very careful to fence number four, just to make sure that he’d keep his head up. Everything rode very well for him, even the short lines, and I was very happy that he was able to wait and listen.”
Cardenas and his team show at Tryon International at least once a month, he detailed. “This [Tryon International] is home for us. We love the people, we love the facilities, and we love coming here. The whole show does a good job, and they put in good effort to always have quality jumps. This week I jumped jumps that I’d never seen – even though it’s the same venue, the horses have a little bit different experience.”
Final Results – $32,000 LeMieux Welcome Stake CSI 3*
1) Fernando Cardenas (COL) & Balou’s Honora Car – 0 / 0 – 40.69
2) Fernando Cardenas (COL) & Fano Car – 0 / 0 – 41.50
3) Emma Irwin (CAN) & Las Vegas – 0 / 0 – 42.17
Source: Press Release from Tryon International
Photos: © TIEC / Bailey Beck for Natalie Suto Photography
