Tryon – For horse enthusiasts, The Tryon International Equestrian Center & Resort is the place to visit. It has become a global equestrian destination. If you haven’t had a chance to visit before, the Center will certainly be a surprise for its amazing campus and activities available for all ages. For more information, just go to www.resort.tryon.com.
Tryon International has grown to become one of the world’s top equestrian locations, a sister location to Wellington in Florida. It brings riders and fans of the sport to Mill Spring, near Tryon on the border of North and South Carolina. In 2018 Tryon International hosted the FEI World Equestrian Games, which is held every four years in various locations around the world. This foothills area has long been rooted in equestrian activities, holding horse shows for all ages, regular foxhunt events with hunt balls, and a renowned steeplechase. The Tryon Blockhouse Races, a steeplechase was first held at Harmon Field in 1946. It continues today in April at the Tryon International Green Creek Race Course with great excitement. Countless equestrian icons have lived, worked and competed in this Polk County horse country. To name and remember a few, and who may have barns or stadiums with their name: Gordon Wright, Carter P. Brown, his son, and Betty Reynolds Oare.
CEO Mark Bellissimo, who first sketched out a possible layout of the venue on the back of a napkin, said it was the spirit of the region that captured his attention. “Roger and Jennifer Smith, who are business partners in Wellington, and dear friends of mine and my family, live in Polk County and have a great passion for the area,” he said. “Over the years, we attended the Tryon Block House Steeplechase with them and we were enchanted with both the locale, the equestrian heritage, and the energy of the people in the community.” An ambitious plan with an enormous economic benefit to the area was set in place. Contractors and subcontractors then built miles of sidewalks and roads, installed miles of cabling, built 6 barns containing 800 horse stalls and close to 100 structures including 1,3,5 bedroom cabins, retail structures, office complexes, and much more.
The venue now boasts 13 all-weather competition rings, more than 1,400 permanent stalls onsite, eight restaurants and bars, 250 hotel beds, 200+ RV pads, an Indoor Complex, ample shopping and ample shaded spectator areas. Activities abound for visitors and their families. Saturday Night Lights (SNL) Series can be enjoyed on select dates from May through October. Saturday Night Lights are action-packed nights featuring free entertainment such as pony rides, live bands, face painting, rides on a hand-painted Venetian carousel, performers, and more! You can grab dinner, at one of the many restaurants, and enjoy an incredible breath-taking show jumping competition under the lights in Tryon Stadium with family and friends with seating open and free.
The USEF/EVUSA National Vaulting Championships will take place in the Indoor Complex at Tryon International August 9-11. Simply described as gymnastics on horseback, vaulting is a harmonious bond between horse and athlete that creates awe-inspiring acrobatic displays of skill and precision. A slight change of pace featuring Western cowboy activities will be shown from October 3 – 6th, when there will be Professional Bull Riders and World Champion Rodeo Alliance Competition.
Musical events are regularly held. On July 26, there is a free performance by Hope Griffin from Asheville from 5:00 to 8:00 pm at the Legends Plaza Stage. Champagne Charlie, an acoustic duo from Western North Carolina will be performing jazz, blues, and country classics in a unique style they call Acoustic Swing on August 2nd.
A few of the riders who have been visiting since 2014 have been spotlighted online. One such rider is Fernando Cardenas, the owner of 3H Sporthorses, 3H Equine Hospital, and Mobile Veterinary Services. Fernando immigrated to the US from Colombia in 1987 and has lived in North Carolina since then. He has been coming to Tryon since its opening in 2014 and competed in the FEI World Equestrian Games™ Tryon 2018. Another is Kelly Kocher, trainer, coach, and rider, who has lived in the Tryon area for 27 years. He has come to Tryon International since the very first show in 2014 as both rider and trainer, competing and coaching up to the Grand Prix level.
Plans are currently being made for the next 10 years with new developments undoubtedly to take place. Tryon Equestrian Partners Carolinas Operations President, Sharon Decker, says online “The main focus of the next ten years rests squarely on accommodations and event expansion and residential development.” “Over the next ten years, we will grow the accommodations on the property. That’s a need we already have, and we will fill that need with new hotels, cottages and cabins.”