DEVON, Pa.--Roberto Teran Tafur of Colombia on BP Wakita was clean in 34.27 to win the $145,100 Idle Dice Stake on Saturday evening at the Devon Horse Show and Country Fair.
Roberto Teran Tafur on BP WakitaMcLain Ward on First Lady went three horses after Teran Tafur, but despite quick turns was unable to catch him, finishing clean in 34.33, 6/100ths of a second slower, to place second.
"I'm feeling super excited," said Teran. "This mare means a lot to me. Winning at Devon, and with the group that made it to the jump-off, is really hard. And it feels just great."
The class was halfway over before the first horse went clean, and it was beginning to look like no one was going to go clean.
But then the 13th to go, Jimmy Torano on Chewbacca went clean, and amazingly after that the gates opened and over half of the remaining entries went clean.
Eight made it to the jump-off, with six of those going clean again.
JESSICA MENDOZA of Great Britain on I-Cap CLZ was third in 34.86, with Hallie Grimes of Houston, Texas on Malissa De Muze fourth in 34.87, Torano fifth in 37.34 and Grace Debney of Great Britain on Gideon sixth in 38.35.
McLain Ward on First Lady "I helped train Wakita for the past three years, and I've been riding her for a year," said Teran Tafur. "She's a very smart, careful competitor and a fast mare. She has a little bit of a tough temperament."
"Always when McLain is coming after you, you have to think you have to do your best," he said. "I did all I could to win. I'm extremely happy."
In competition, Teran Tafur is usually referred to as simply Teran.
He explained that in Columbia you have both the first name of your father and also your mother's family name, but not hyphenated as it usually is in this country, and he said he prefers to be called Teran Tafur.
He said that he liked the new format of the Speed Derby that had been held Friday evening,
Jessica Mendoza on I-Cap CLZ"It's a great format," he said. "It worked out great. They should keep doing it."
Teran Tafur said he has been invited to Aachen this year and will be taking his top two horse there to compete.
"I'll be back at Devon next year for sure," he said.
Teran Tafur said that, although he competes for Colombia, he has lived in the Untied States for 23 years, currently in Wellington, and is an American citizen.
In a bittersweet victory, Ward was Leading Open Jumper Rider.
Bittersweet because, despite winning two classes, Ward finished sixth in the Grand Prix and second in the Idle Dice Stakes, the two biggest classes and the classes Ward had most wanted to win.
Donatello, ridden by Ashlee Bond, who won the Grand Prix, was Open Jumper Champion with 25 points over Reserve Champion Eddie Blue, ridden by Devin Ryan, with 24 points.
Augusta Iwasaki on Fresa won the $20,000 Amateur Owner Jumper Stake but was Reserve Champion to A Toi De Prim.ridden by Layla Kurbanov, who placed third in the Stake.
"My plan was to go in and have a nice,solid first round," said Kurbanov after the stake. "I really wanted to keep her organized. She tends to get a little excited. For the jump-off, I went first, so I wanted to start off strong. I didn't really know what the other riders wee going to do, so I just went as fast as I could."
Carolie Ingalls on Concerto was Amateur Owner Hunter, 18 - 35, Champion and Amateur Owner Grand Champion.
"It was incredible, said Ingalls. "Last year was my first year here, ad I think I was very nervous. But this year we came back, and I was just really determined and excited to be back."
