Triumph and tragedy

Amy Tryon aboard the 8-year-old ex-racehorse Leyland were victorious at the CCI2*/CCI3* Jersey Fresh Three-Day Event in Allentown, N.J., this past weekend, beating all odds. Tryon, who hails from Duvall, Wash., had minor knee surgery just weeks ago, and Leyland is still relatively green at the Advanced level after taking all of last year off from a broken hind coffin bone.

“[Leyland] definitely showed his greenness at the offset [Fence 7 & 8],” Tryon said after the cross-country phase of the event. “But he’s a really good galloping horse, and he was great around the course. Mentally, it’s a big barrier for them when the optimum time gets over the 10-minute mark.”

Tryon and Leyland took the lead after the cross-country phase of the event and were able to hold through the following day’s stadium jumping competition.

“I was definitely surprised to see that I’d taken the lead,” Tryon said after finishing up on country-country.

Sadly, the Jersey Fresh trials were marred by tragedy. Tigger Too, a 17-year-old gelding owned by three-day eventing Olympian David O’Connor, died while competing in the cross-country phase of the event. The horse, who was being ridden by Lauren Kieffer, fell on course and died moments later. Preliminary necropsy findings on Tigger Too show he passed away from an acute abdominal aortic rupture. Final necropsy results are pending. Kieffer was uninjured in the fall.

The Federation Equestre Internationale (FEI), which oversees equestrian sport worldwide, says it has assigned an investigative panel to review the facts surrounding the incident, and more information will be released once the investigation is through.