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Tryon Riding & Hunt Club Hound Show 2020 Scholarships Charity Horse Show I Hall of Fame Voting

Tryon Riding & Hunt Club Hound Show

JUNE 13, 2020 - The Tryon Riding & Hunt Club held its first Fox Hound Show since 1987 on Saturday at FENCE.

Five fox hound clubs participated including Green Creek, Tot Goodwin, Tennessee Valley, Cedar Knob, and Moore County plus Sugarsand Beagles. Over 40 hounds were shown in unentered and entered dogs and bitches with gender champions and a Grand Champion pinned. The Show Grand Champion was Angus, a male foxhound from Moore County and the Reserve Champion was Friendly, a bitch hound from Goodwin Hounds.

Show Organizer Katherine Gunter, most recently Huntsman for Aiken Hounds was thrilled with the event, saying \"All of the exhibitors were so happy with both the venue and operation of the show and several commented that next year will bring even more clubs.\" Club President Terry Lynch said \"It was extremely gratifying to bring a long missing tradition in fox hunting back to the area. We\'re almost certain there hasn\'t been a hound show in Tryon for 33 years!\"

As part of the show celebration, Gerald Pack and Tot Goodwin judged whip cracking and horn blowing contests with the former won by Katherine Gunter and the latter won by Lincoln Sadler. Look for this to become a new TRHC annual event happening in April of each year.

2020 Scholarships

Tryon Riding & Hunt Club Announces Scholarship Recipients

Tryon, N.C. JUNE 16, 2020- The Tryon Riding & Hunt Club (TR&HC) announces the recipients of its annual scholarships to five local college and college-bound high school students. The scholarship awards are one of several community-based programs sponsored by the TR&HC.

\"All our scholarship recipients are deserving of our support,\" says Kent Holden, TR&HC Board member who reviewed the applications. \"Their applications reflect a level of professionalism, commitment to a career goal and a steadfast vision on their path forward.\" While not a mandatory part of the application, each recipient is involved in some form of horsemanship.

A total of $5,000 in scholarship money has been awarded to the following students:

Amanda Fisher, 20, of Simpsonville, S.C., is a student at the University of South Carolina-Aiken where she studies marketing. She is president of the USC-Aiken Event Team and hunts with the Aiken Hounds. Amanda is a member of the U.S. Pony Club, the U.S. Eventing Association and the U.S. Equestrian Federation.

Eric Harrelson, 18, of Green Creek, N.C., will attend Berry College this fall and plans to become a vet. Eric participates in mounted Revolutionary War reenactments, where he is a member of the 3D Light Dragoons.

Emma Hay, 17, of Columbus, N.C., will attend Appalachian State University this fall where she will study environmental science. Emma, an eventer, overcame a diagnosis of scoliosis to get back in the saddle and continue riding. She grew up in Pony Club and is a member of the USEA and the U.S. Hunter Jumper Association.

Caroline King, 18, of Rutherfordton, N.C., will attend the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill this fall. Her career goal is to become an equine veterinary pharmacist. She was able to accomplish her dream of qualifying and competing in U.S. Equitation Finals and qualifying for the E.J. Haun Medal Final. She has been a competitive hunter rider for 11 years and is a member of the USEF, USHJA, the N.C. and S.C. Hunter-Jumper Associations, and the Blue Ridge Hunter Jumper Association.

Keileigh Jean McMurray, 19, of Columbus, N.C., also attends University of South Carolina-Aiken. She plans to become a large animal vet. An eventer, Keileigh is a member of the USC-Aiken Eventing Team, the USC-Aiken Intercollegiate Dressage Team, the USEA, USPC, Aiken County Pony Club and the Intercollegiate Dressage Association.

Charity Horse Show I

Tryon Riding & Hunt Club\'s Charity Horse Show Supports Local Non-Profits

Tryon, N.C. (June 3, 2020) - Living up to its tradition of philanthropy and support to Western North Carolina communities, the Tryon Riding & Hunt Club announces three local charities to be the recipients of grants; Polk Equine Emergency Rescue (PEER), Guiding Reins and Thermal Belt Outreach Ministry.

The presentations to each charity will be made as part of the Heritage Charity Horse Show hosted at The Tryon International Equestrian Center (TIEC) this week. The historical horse show is being held with no spectators following state guidelines for social distancing.

The Charity Horse Show is held annually to benefit local non-profits. \"Local charities are so important to our way of life in our small-town communities,\" says Terry Lynch, Tryon Riding & Hunt Club Board president. \"They lessen the impact of poverty and hunger; provide unique social services that help the disabled; and others provide emergency services that unless needed, we are prone to forget they exist.

\"We are excited that the show will take place under these difficult circumstances. It is regrettable that the thrill of the actual horse show competition will not be witnessed first-hand by spectators. While not as public, we still have a platform to acknowledge these worthy causes.\"

Charities are created to fill a void where there is need. In the case of PEER, the equine community lacked a dedicated resource for large animal rescue. This organization is comprised of trained volunteers who are on call in Polk and surrounding counties in Western North Carolina and Upstate South Carolina.

According to Dianne Joyce, PEER Board president, \"We\'ll use our donation from the Tryon Riding & Hunt Club to fund continuing education for our volunteers--and we appreciate the Club\'s donation. Our training is ongoing with state-of-the-art equipment. Donations from the club will help us meet our training goals.\"

Using horses once destined for disposal, Guiding Reins is an equine-assisted therapy program is dedicated to improving the quality of life for military personnel and veterans, first responders and people with special needs. Diane Prewitt, founder of the organization says, \"Interacting with a horse is not going to cure people, but it will bring peace of mind. The donation from the Tryon Riding & Hunt Club will help provide free equine therapy for our clients and help them cope. We are so grateful.\"

The third charity is Thermal Belt Outreach Ministry serves Polk County residents who need assistance with day-to-day necessities such as food, heat and housing. It\'s goal is that no individual or family in Polk County goes hungry, cold or without shelter.

"Outreach is honored to be involved with Tryon Riding & Hunt Club and is grateful for their generous support,\" says Margot Carter, Thermal Belt Outreach Development director. \"As we prepare for anticipated additional financial hardship from our community due to the Covid-19 crisis, this donation will help cover rent and utility bills for those in need."

The competition and check presentations will be streamed from the TIEC website. A second TR&HC Charity Horse Show to benefit three different charities will take place at TIEC June 30- July 5.

Hall of Fame Voting

Carolinas Show Hunter Hall of Fame Voting Opens

Tryon, N.C. February 7- Voting is open for nominees to the 2020 Carolinas Show Hunter Hall of Fame, which \"recognizes excellence among show hunters and horsemen with ties to the Carolinas.\" Ballots will be accepted through Feb. 29, 2020.

The Carolinas Show Hunter Hall of Fame was created to celebrate and honor outstanding show hunters and horsemen with Carolina connections, preserve the sport, and educate the sport\'s younger generations about amazing show hunters and horsemen of the past.

\"Just as in past years, 2020 has an incredibly talented and successful group of nominees-horses that have won all over the country and at the nation\'s top horse shows,\" says Joann Loheac, co-founder of the Carolinas Show Hunter Hall of Fame. \"Every horse that has made it onto the ballot has been truly \'legendary\' and worthy of induction.\"

This year\'s ballot will focus on horses only, she adds. \"The CSHHF committee decided that 2020 is going to be a year where we focus 100 percent on the horses, our partners who give us their all.\"

The 2020 Show Hunter nominees are:

All Mine, winner of 8,587 U.S. Equestrian Federation points in the Junior Hunter division; ridden by Holly Orlando Hayes and Neely Bates.

Charade, whose career highlights included being Small Junior Hunter Reserve Champion at Devon, Ox Ridge and Kentucky National Indoors; ridden by Helen Holmberg and Neely Bates.

Leisure Time, whose wins include 1982 American Horse Show Association Horse of the Year, Second Year Green Working Hunter Champion and Grand Green Working Hunter Champion; ridden by Valerie Haynes.

Lyphard Cay, whose Amateur Owner career included Champion or Reserve at the 1992 Pennsylvania National Horse Show and the National Horse Show; 1993 Champion at the Washington International Horse Show and the National Horse Show; and 1995 Champion and Grand Champion at Devon; ridden by Sherry Robertson.

Naute Mia, who won 43 championships and 222 blue ribbons in the 1950s; ridden by Gordon Wright and Jarrett Schmid.

2020 Nominees for the Elma Garcia Award given to an exemplary Adult Amateur/Children\'s Hunter are:

Devise, who won a combined total of 43 champion and reserve titles, Classic wins and Circuit Championships between 2004-2008; ridden by Maddie Gardner and Meredith Mateo.

Just Matt, who frequently won the Adult Amateur and Children\'s Hunter divisions at major shows in the U.S., including the TR&HC Horse Show, where he was Grand Adult Hunter Champion and winner of the Director\'s Trophy in 2007; ridden by Alison and Peyton Thorpe.

Merlin\'s Magic, who was champion or reserve 13 times from 2001-2003 and was champion or reserve at six consecutive horse shows in 2004; ridden by Jennifer Smith.

Only members of the CSHHF are eligible to vote. More information about the inductees may be found at carolinasshowhunterhalloffame.com.

Induction to the Carolinas Show Hunter Hall of Fame will be held June 5, 2020, at the Tryon International Equestrian Center during the Tryon Riding and Hunt Club Charity 1 Horse Show.

A traveling exhibit of the inductees\' biographies and pictures will be displayed at the induction ceremony as well as other locations throughout 2020.

For more information about the Carolinas Show Hunter Hall of Fame and the Tryon Riding and Hunt Club, please visit carolinasshowhunterhalloffame.com.

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