Mill Spring, United States – July 19, 2025 – Under the Tryon Stadium lights for Saturday Night Lights presented by Skyla Credit Union, concluding the Tryon Summer Series presented by The Farm House, Kristen VanderVeen (USA) claimed yet another victory in the $120,000 Cleghorn Golf & Sports Club Grand Prix CSI 3*. Atop Bull Run’s Jireh (Uriko x Colman), VanderVeen crossed the jump off timers in 38.05 seconds to best a field of 25 competitors.
The Bull Run Jumper’s Inc 2014 Holsteiner gelding entered the Tryon Stadium after a week off, resulting in an exciting round for his pilot Kirsten VanderVeen. “I might have underestimated how fresh he’d [Bull Run’s Jireh] be feeling after that break,” she admitted. “When he’s fresh, he gets interesting. It felt like I was riding a loose gazelle! The first round didn’t feel like my most beautiful, but he was very careful!”
Eight horse-and-rider pairs riders qualified to compete in the short track, and after making the decision to change her mount’s bridle to tweak their ability to communicate effectively, VanderVeen’s strategy as the pathfinder in the jump off was to “not go full speed” while still being able to put the pressure on her fellow competitors. The time proved to be unbeatable, holding up to seven subsequent competitors and successfully defending her streak.
Richie Moloney (IRL), riding Skelwith Diamond Lady (Kalaska De Semilly x Balou Du Rouet), the 2014 Anglo European mare owned by Equinimity, secured second place with a 38.46 second jump off round.
Completing the podium in third place, Michael Walton (USA) and Mia Marano’s 2015 Selle Francais Stallion, Fahrenheit de Vains RW (Cornet Obolensky x Qredo De Paulstra), finished with 42.54 seconds on the clock.
Speaking of her second mount’s performance, Bull Run’s Celestial, the 2015 Zangersheide stallion, VanderVeen shared, “This is his first season jumping under the lights, so he is settling in. It’s a nice problem, that he’s getting consistent enough that I’m starting to have higher expectations and I expect him to jump clear.
“I was a little disappointed he didn’t jump clear tonight, but I think that means we’re moving in the right direction, and that the new expectation is we jump clear, not just survive!”
VanderVeen and Bull Run’s Jireh have had a very successful 2025 season at Tryon International, winning repeatedly throughout the Spring and Summer series. Bull Run’s Jireh hasn’t lost a class since coming to Tryon International fresh off his World Cup Finals appearance. The pressure to continue their winning streak was in the back of her mind, but not weighing as heavily as in previous weeks, she acknowledged.
“Three weeks in a row I’ve won and since this is my last week after a break, I better not screw it up,” VanderVeen said to herself. After securing Saturday night’s win she reflected, “It was nice coming off of a break. Mindsets were a little clearer, everybody had some time to decompress, and we were all all fresh and excited!” VanderVeen and the Bull Run Jumpers team will return for the Tryon Fall Series presented by Coca-Cola.
Final Results – $120,000 Cleghorn Golf & Sports Club Grand Prix CSI 3*
1) Kristen VanderVeen (USA) – 0 / 0 – 38.05
2) Richie Moloney (IRL) & Skelwith Diamond Lady – 0 / 0 – 38.46
3) Michael Walton (USA) & Fahrenheit de Vains RW – 0 / 0 – 42.54
Source: Press Release by Leyla Caynak and Rette Solomon for Tryon International
Photos: © TIEC / Bailey Beck & Sarah Sturgis for Natalie Suto Photography
