David O'Brian sweeps the board

Credit: Sportfot

David O'Brian sweeps the board


Mill Spring – October 25, 2020 – David O’Brien swept all three divisions in the Developing Jumper Series Finals presented by Spy Coast Farm at Tryon International Equestrian Center and Resort (TIEC), piloting seven mounts for Spy Coast Farm LLC throughout the weekend. Created by Tryon Equestrian Partner and Spy Coast Farm owner Lisa Lourie, the Developing Jumper Series educates and showcases young equine talent in the United States, highlighting the heightened effort to produce top sport horses through American breeding programs like Spy Coast Farm. The Developing Jumper Series Finals has been hosted at TIEC since 2017, bringing up-and-coming stars into the spotlight during the Tryon Fall Series annually.

“I’m proud of my trainers, and they had the horses well prepared for this championship,” Lourie emphasized. “I was excited about the quality of all the horses and riders that participated and U.S. young horse development is definitely improving across the board.”

Spy Coast Farm, founded in 2003 and offering a holistic approach to the breeding, training and healthcare of broodmares and foals, is dedicated to making a significant investment in American-bred sport horses with quality that speaks for itself, Lourie said. “Initially, it seemed like a part of the industry that was sort of left on the table—that it was an untapped resource. I never like to see waste, and I knew that some of the best mares in the world were not being used to their best advantage, so I saw an opportunity to just jump into the breeding industry.”

Since 2017, through the Developing Jumper Series classes and beyond, Spy Coast Farm’s young horses have accrued international interest and symbolize an exciting new age for breeders in the United States. Lourie emphasized that she’s excited about continuing to shine the spotlight on the growing pool of talent available to riders in the United States, providing an alternative to importing from abroad. “I’m excited about improvements we are planning to make to the Developing Jumper Series here at Tryon going forward, and hope to continue to elevate the experience for these horses and riders, as well as for breeders and potential buyers.”

The first class of the day, David O’Brien (Lexington, KY) navigated Spy Coast Farm LLC’s 2015 Belgian Warmblood gelding (Big Star x Rolette), Polaris SCF, to victory in the $5,000 Developing Jumper Series 5-Year-Old Jumper Championship as the only pair to complete the jump off without any faults, stopping the timers in 49.524 seconds. Brittni Raflowitz (Palm City, FL) claimed second place with ESI Show Jumpers’ Foxtrot, the 2015 Oldenburg gelding (Monti Oblensky x Stutbuch I), on a four-fault short course time of 39.126 seconds. O’Brien also competed another Spy Coast Farm LLC mount, Piranha SCF, a 2015 Belgian Warmblood mare (Diktator van de Boslandhoeve x Beluga), in the jump off and finished third with a time of 41.106 seconds and four faults.

The $10,000 Developing Jumper Series 6-Year-Old Jumper Championship saw 13 pairs challenge the first course with three returning for the jump off. Again, O’Brien claimed the top honors, this time with Spy Coast Farm LLC’s Octavius SCF, a 2014 Belgian Warmblood gelding (Diktator van de Boslandhoeve x Beluga), with a time of 40.953 seconds. Maggie McAlary (Anherst, NH) finished second with a time of 42.284 seconds aboard McAlary LLC’s Indian Quality Z (breeding unknown). Rounding out the top three was Richie Moloney (Wellington, FL), who navigated Daisycutter, the 2014 North American Warmblood (Diktator van de Boslandhoeve x Trulli) owned by Equinimity LLC, to a short course time of 48.741 seconds.

“He [Octavius] is ultra careful and scopey,” O’Brien shared of his mount. “He is not the biggest horse in the world, but his heart is massive – he has a very big heart."

Topping off the championship, the $10,000 Developing Jumper Series 7-Year-Old Jumper Championship saw O’Brien and Spy Coast Farm LLC’s Nightshade SCF, a 2013 Belgian Warmblood gelding (Baldev x Olisina), put in the only fault-free round in a field of 20 and a time of 73.938 seconds. Stella Manship (Brewster, NY) and Elan Farm’s Lisaniska Cool Quality, the 2013 Irish Sport Horse gelding (Companiero x Trixi), were awarded second for their efforts finishing with four faults and a time of 72.03 seconds while Paul O’Shea (Wellington, FL) finished third aboard Eye Candy Jumpers’ Gangster of Love, a 2013 Irish Sport Horse gelding (Clinton x Echo Peach), with a time of 72.708 seconds and four faults.