TRYON, N.C.--JJ Torano on Lyon 50 won the $20,000 1.40m Open Speed Stak, a costume class, on Friday evening, Oct. 30 at the National Horse Show.
JJ Torano on Lyon 50 (Photo by Phelps Sport)Lizzie Traband, riding as Captain Hook, wonr the $2,000 Best Costume Award.
Thirty-three horse-and-rider combinations took to Ken Krome’s 14-obstacle speed track, combining Halloween fun with fast-paced competition.
Torano, dressed as Shrek, complete with a green face, won over a field of 33 over the course set by Ken Krome.
He finished clean in 62.535 seconds to win over Violet Tatum on Flotylla, who finished just four tenths of a second back in 62.938 seconds, while Francisco Goyoaga Mollet on Stakato Cornet was third in 63.245 seconds.
“I stuffed my stomach, but that didn’t affect me too much,” Torano said of riding in costume. “I just had to hold on a little tighter than usual.”
“IT WAS A very nice track,” he said. “There were a couple of rollbacks where you could make up some time, and a couple of lines where you could leave out a stride. I think it gave you options depending on the horse you’re riding, and it was a very fair course tonight.”
Lizzy Traband on Rokeechobee STB (Photo by Phelps Sport)“Obviously, it’s great to win tonight, but our main focus is tomorrow night at the Grand Prix,” Torano said.
Traband won Best Costume for her elaborate Captain Hook ensemblethat included a metal hook for ra hand.
Lizzy Traband and Rokeechobee STB
Traband’s pirate-inspired look featured a custom-made jacket created by Mary O’Connor, who transformed a jacket originally worn by her daughter to a Renaissance fair into a one-of-a-kind costume.
Sophia Sageman, riding as How to Train your Dragon,placed secondin BestCostume.
Samantha Schaefer on Emely Van De Pluimert Z won Wednesday’s $5,000 1.30m Open Jumper Welcome and Thursday evening's $10,000 1.30m Open Speed Stake.
Warlierin the week, Scott Stewartof Flemington, N.J., on A Lister won the the $75,000 National Horse Show Hunter Classic.
The top six from each eligible hunter division competedi in the Hunter Classic.
Stewart set the pace with a first-round score of 91 and held onto the lead with a second-round score of 90, securing the championship title with a winning total of 181.
The victory continued a standout season for Stewart and A Lister, who also was champion at the Capital Challenge Horse Show earlier this fall.
Stewart’ was Leading Hunter Rider Award and won two Professional Hunter division championships aboard Dr. Betsee Parker’s horses: Rosewood in the $10,000 Green Conformation Hunter Division, and California Love in the $10,000 High Performance Conformation Hunter Division.
Just one point separated the top two finishers in the Classic, with John French on Kaiden placing second and also taking the Grand Champion Professional Hunter title on Wednesday.
