Jimmy Torano Tops $35,000 Vermont Grand Prix, Presented
by Bruce Chovnick LLC
East
Dorset, VTAugust 4, 2002 Jimmy Torano celebrated victory
with a win in the $35,000 Vermont Grand Prix, Presented by Bruce
Chovnick LLC, at the Manchester and the Mountains Horse Show, part
of the 2002 Vermont Summer Festival held at Harold Beebe Farm in
East Dorset, VT.
Torano,
who has just returned east after competing the United States Equestrian
Teams Selection Trials for the World Equestrian Games in California,
did not show any signs of jet lag as he set a blistering pace of
40.93 seconds in the eight-horse jump-off. Torano, who also won
a Grand Prix at the Vermont Summer Festival in 2001, appeared very
smooth and fluid and he tackled the course set by 1976 Olympian,
Buddy Brown, but his pace was deceivingly quick.
This
horse has a really big stride, so he can leave a stride out a lot
easier than most, said Torano of Ft. Lauderdale, FL, in praise
of Aguila, a 10-year-old bay Dutch Warmblood gelding by Libero.
Torano collected a winners check of $10,500 for the days
work.
Olympian
Peter Leone tried to catch Toranos time but fell almost two
seconds short, clocking in at 42.68 seconds to finish in second
position.
I
was prepared to put in the winning ride, but, unfortunately, my
plans were different from my horses, said Leone who
hails from Greenwich, CT. He was so excited, he knew he was
in the speed round, and it ended up working against us. Im
never satisfied being second, but Im happy with my horse.
His performance in the first round was one of the most consistent
I have ever felt.
Leone
was aboard Lataro, a 10-year-old Holsteiner gelding from the famous
Landgraf breeding line. The Manchester and the Mountains Horse Show
marked Lataros first appearance in the grand prix ring since
sustaining an injury at the end of April.
Third
place went to Mary Lisa Leffler of Brookeville, MD, who posted a
clear round in the jump-off in a time of 42.98 seconds with the
powerful Graf Rossini S.
Meredith
Taylor of Pembroke, MA, the very first rider into the ring from
the 34-horse starting field, advanced to the jump-off aboard Equifit
Pizarro, with her time of 43.91 seconds earning her fourth place.
Kirsti Smith of Rockport, MA, had the fastest four-fault round in
the jump-off riding Jennieta to place fifth.
The
five-week Vermont Summer Festival, New Englands largest AA
rated hunter-jumper horse show circuit, culminates with the Vermont
Summer Celebration, August 7-11. Each week the Vermont Summer Festival
features several open jumper classes including the $35,000 Grand
Prix class each Sunday. Top riders and horses, both nationally and
internationally, are showcased in these USET-recognized events.
For
further information please visit the Vermont Summer Festival website
at www.vt-summerfestival.com
or call 802-362-7548.
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