Jean Gordon
Tuesday, July 2, 2024 12:30 pm
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The week of July 6th marks the 10th anniversary of the first horse show ever hosted at Tryon International Equestrian Center (TIEC) in Mill Spring. The occasion will be marked at Saturday Night Lights with special fanfare surrounding the $120,000 Camp Electric Co. Grand Prix CSI 3*.
The celebration kicks off at 4pm on July 6 and continues until 10pm with the drone show. Live music will be provided by the Ol'74 Jazz Band before and after the Grand Prix.
Throughout the afternoon there will be pop-up shopping, food vendors. Pre-show activities will include a parachute jump into the Tryon Stadium with the singing of the National Anthem.
The $120,000 Camp Electric Co. Grand Prix CSI 3* begins at 8pm and the evening concludes with the Drone Show.
"We are hopeful to have many of the same competitors who were present at the very first horse show," said Sarah Madden, public relations and marketing manager at TIEC. There will be several special guests at the event.
During an interview earlier this year, Tryon Equestrian Partners President Sharon Decker said, "Because we've been successful here, new restaurants have popped up in our community, our hospital has been able to grow and expand. There are other medical services that have come here because the demand is here. Developers have had the chance to build homes and contractors are building neighborhoods."
TIEC began as a place for horse lovers to enjoy and through the years has become more of an entertainment center for the mountains. The venue hosts light shows, concerts, the Earl Scruggs Music Festival, and youth sports like indoor track and field. Local and area high school sports teams have competed at the indoor arena.
Para Dressage and the Special Olympics NC Tournament have also been at TIEC.
Decker said vision for TIEC is "to create one of the world's best sports and entertainment facilities."
TIEC has generated more than 4,700 jobs and has had an economic impact of over $600 million since its beginning, based on a study done in 2019.
TIEC partners have to look creatively at what exists and build on what's already there,"taking the opportunity to say, 'Well, we know a lot about tourism in WNC'," Decker said.
"We want to take this opportunity to thank this community for your support in these 10 years," Decker continued.
"We are so thankful and know that there are even more great things ahead," she said.
Over the next 10 years, TIEC will begin multi-housing, single family homes, additional restaurants and hotels, and will be a place to enjoy horse centered sports.
The 10-year anniversary celebration is presented by Camp Electric, who has been a longtime partner in the development of the facility.
Parking is $10 per car after 4pm with a portion of the proceeds benefiting a veteran-focused nonprofit, H.O.O.V.E.S.