WELLINGTON, Fla.--Jimmy Torano of Mohrsville, Pa., on Laskano won the $15,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby Hunt & Go competed on the grass Derby Field on March 25 at the Winter Equestrian Festival.
Jimmy Torano on Laskano (Photo by Sportfot)Thirty-two riders competed over a course of 13 obstacles designed by Ken Krome in a “Hunt & Go” format, with the first seven fences as their classic round, and the last six fences judged as their handy round.
This “Hunt & Go” format also allowed for a possible extra two points awarded per section for high options taken and handy round bonus points awarded up to a maximum of 10 per judging panel.
“He’s already won three Derbys,” said Torano. “He won one back in December, he won the two others he’s done during WEF, and now today so, the only four he’s been in, he won all four.”
THOUGH this wasn’t their first trip to the winner’s circle, it was the pair’s first time out on the grass this season.
“I actually think he was better on the grass,” said Torano. “I think he was almost bored of being in those same rings. I think the grass sparked him up just enough, and he’s got a big, beautiful gallop that I think he really showed off today. I think between the jumps is where he was just so pretty.”
His gallop is just one of the attributes that Torano thinks makes Laskano so accomplished.
“He’s just a horse you can count on,” said Torano. “He never, ever, ever spooks at a jump. When I walk in a ring, I don’t need a big tour, and I don’t need to show him the jumps. He’s a horse that really tries not to let you down.
“He’s a quiet horse, not spooky, he’s got a perfect lead change, he jumps the height easy,” said Torano. “He really checks all the boxes, and he has all the qualities a horse really needs for this.”
Despite going late in the order, Torano didn’t have the usual opportunities to prepare.
“A lot of times people say that going late is an advantage, but for me today it didn’t really matter,” Torano said. “I missed the course walk because I had to be at the other show and when I came up, I literally didn’t get to watch anybody go so today, in my case, it didn’t really make a difference.”
Without the chance to get an idea of how the course was riding, Torano had to rely on his knowledge of Laskano and his abilities.
“I came up, someone told me the course, I went in, and I did it,” said Torano. “I didn’t know what was scoring well so I thought, ‘I have to try to be as handy as I can.’”
Laskano and Torano would start the “classic round” section of their course earning scores of 93 and 87.5 with both high options taken for a 184.5 total.
The “handy round” section of the course was an elevated 94 and 90 with eight handy bonus points earned from each judging panel and both high options taken for a total of 204, putting their final total at 388.5 for the win.
Also taking all the high options, Kelley Farmer and Meaningful ended on a score of 379 for second place, and Greg Crolick rode Carole Chase’s Chappy to 373 points for third.
Victoria Colvin, Macquarie Simon, and Caroline Olsen won the three sections of the $10,000 USHJA National Hunter Derby.
Meanwhile, at the International Arena, 59 show jumpers in the world competed in the $50,000 WEF Challenge Cup Round XI.
Following a 10-horse jump-off, Sergio Alvarez Moya of Spain won on Malibu De Muze, clean in 35.36.
“He has a huge stride and a ton of blood,” said Alvarez Moya. “It is funny because I don’t have the best control with him, but when I am going fast I don’t need as much, so I guess that helps. The first few fences of the jump-off I really had to make a plan and ride, but then I just let him go a bit and followed him for the rest.”
“We have only been paired for roughly five months,” he said. “Control was a bit of an issue for me at first, but we have been working hard at getting to know each other and I think we are starting to get there. I always say the horses will find you, and it is true because I was not looking for another horse but now, I have him. He doesn’t have much experience at this level, but I have been very pleased with him throughout the majority of the season.”
Irishmen Darragh Kenny and Mark McAuley placed second and third, respectively, with Kenny on Chic Chic a little over a second slower than Moya in 36.98 seconds.
McAuley on Jasco VD Bisschop was third with a time of 37.07 seconds.
