Bernadette and Jim Cogdell with Mark Bellissimo (right). Photo by Leslie Threlkeld.
The Tryon International Equestrian Center has fast become a premier facility for multiple equestrian disciplines. Since eventing was debuted at TIEC during the American Eventing Championships, it was selected as host of the 2018 World Equestrian Games. And earlier this year, Jim and Bernadette Cogdell announced that The Fork International Horse Trials would relocate to TIEC.
During the cocktail hour preceding the Year-End Awards dinner at the USEA Convention, the Cogdells along with Mark Bellissimo of Tryon Equestrian Partners discussed transitioning The Fork to TIEC and introduced the below video. Watch and get a sneak peak at the location of the new cross country course that will be debuted at The Fork in April. Captain Mark Phillips and Tremaine Cooper are designing the courses on a converted golf course next door to the Resort’s main equestrian complex.
“I’m very pleased to start this journey with Mark,” said Jim Cogdell, who will remain the Chairman of The Fork at TIEC. “I saw something that is absolutely spectacular with the cross country layout and I want to thank Mark and all the team at Tryon.”
Bernadette echoed her husbands sentiments: “I am honestly very excited about The Fork moving to Tryon. I think we’ve done as much as we can do at our farm and the facility at Tryon is so far above and beyond.”
Mark thanked Jim for “having the faith in us to take his ‘child.'” He expressed confidence that there is an opportunity to grow the sport of eventing, increase sponsorship and engage spectators and is looking forward to working together with the Cogdells to accomplish this with The Fork Horse Trials.
