Speedy and Clear: Uxanna Tops $5,000 1.40m Open Jumpers with Jimmy Torano

Lexington, Ky. – July 26, 2019 – The Kentucky Summer Horse Show opened Friday morning competition in the Rolex Stadium with the $5,000 1.40m Open Jumpers, where 14 horse-and-rider combinations contested the 14-effort track designed by Marina Azevedo. As a power and speed class, the contenders jumped the first seven jumps clear before moving onto the second speed phase. While riders raced to beat the clock, none could catch Jimmy Torano who rode the quickest clean round for the top spot on Uxanna, while Lorcan Gallagher on Colada and Pablo Barrios on Fursina VDM, placed second and third, respectively.

Jimmy Torano and Uxanna

The first in the class, Barrios, laid down a competitive round, jumping double-clear and finishing with a fast time of 33.431 seconds on Fursina VDM, a 9-year-old Dutch Warmblood mare owned by Ignacio Oberto. His time proved tricky for competitors to beat until Michael Murphy and Lord Up had the necessary impulsion to finish in 31.291 seconds, but pulled down two rails during the speed phase to finish with eight faults.

Pablo Barrios and Fursina VDM

It wasn’t until Torano’s double-clear performance aboard Uxanna that Barrios’ lead was overtaken. Uxanna, Torano’s 9-year-old Wurttemburg mare, shaved nearly two seconds off the initial leader’s time with a tight inside turn to the second to last fence, finishing clear in 31.615 seconds. Torano purchased the mare by Ustinov in 2018 and has worked on developing her with his wife Danielle. The pair share the ride depending on their schedules and her most recent highlight was a third-place finish in the $25,000 Horseware Ireland Welcome Prix with Jimmy at Tryon International Equestrian Center this spring.

One of the last horse-and-rider combinations of the class, Ireland’s Lorcan Gallagher on Colada, made their best effort to overcome Torano’s time but ended their double-clear round in 33.090 seconds. The 8-year-old Swedish Warmblood mare, owned by Sweet Oak Farm, finished the class in second place, narrowly edging out Barrios who ultimately finished in third.

Lorcan Gallagher and Colada

Show jumping competition continues at 8:00 a.m. on Saturday, July 27, in the Rolex Stadium with the Low Junior Jumpers and will feature the $50,000 Rood & Riddle Grand Prix at 7:30 p.m.

RESULTS

$5,000 1.45m Open Jumpers
Place / Horse / Rider / Power Faults | Time / Speed Faults | Time
1. Uxanna / Jimmy Torano / 0 | 44.548 / 0 | 31.615
2. Colada / Lorcan Gallagher / 0 | 45.199 / 0 | 33.090
3. Fursina VDM / Pablo Barrios / 0 | 44.612 / 0 | 33.431
4. Dior / Lorcan Gallagher / 0 |45.301 / 0 | 33.983
5. R.K. Vincent Santa Monica / Shannon Clifford / 0 | 46.206 / 0 | 37.317
6. Gauguin / Darragh Kerins / 0 | 45.681 / 0 | 38.791
7. Delight M-G C De Leuze / Darragh Kerings / 0 | 48.893 / 0 | 44.160
8. Maraca LS La Silla / Kady Abrahamson / 0 | 47.697 / 0 | 44.265
9. Lord Up / Michael Murphy / 0 | 45.741 / 8 | 31.291
10. Ayade Hero Z / Daisy Farish / 4 | 44.201 / 4 | 32.284
11. Ferdita / Juan Rodriguez Silva / 0 | 46.573 / 8 | 36.834
12. Deavantus / Rachel McMullen / 4 | 49.087 / 4 | 41.310

FROM THE WINNER’S CIRCLE

Jimmy Torano – $5,000 1.40m Open Jumpers winner

On Uxanna:
“She was great today. I jumped her in the 1.30m yesterday just to let her jump a smaller class before building it up today. She was good yesterday — I went fairly fast in that and she ended in fourth, but today she was on the money. She felt dynamite.”

Jimmy Torano and Uxanna

On their round today:
“Oddly enough, she is a big mare and there was a tight inside turn going to the second to last jump and I questioned that a little bit, even when I was in the ring. I thought ‘wow that is really a tight turn,’ but she felt so on the money that I was going to take it. The footing is so good here that I knew I wouldn’t get a slip there.”

On what’s next for Uxanna:
“The mare is unfortunately very green for her age. Luckily, this summer she is coming along nicely. I am hoping to do the grand prix with her next week. I wanted to get her acclimated to the facility this week. It’s a big, impressive ring and I wanted to do a couple of classes in here and then build her up for the grand prix next week. This is the first time I’ve shown her here.”

On showing at the Kentucky Summer Horse Show:
“We love it here. We came here last year and had a great show. You can’t find a better facility. It’s the best footing we have in this country.”

Sophia Mitchell Rides to THIS National Medal Win at Kentucky Summer Horse Show

Lexington, Ky. – July 26, 2019 – Equitation was on display Friday morning at the Kentucky Summer Horse Show at the Kentucky Horse Park starting with the THIS National Children’s Medal 15-17 in the Claiborne Ring. Seventeen horse-and-rider combinations tackled the 3’ course, and it was Sophia Mitchell aboard Lily Walton’s Callahan that rode away with the win.

Sophia Mitchell and Callahan
Sophia Mitchell and Callahan

Equitation riders were asked a series of questions throughout the course filled with rollbacks and unrelated distances. The course consisted of three consecutive rollbacks before a bending line across the diagonal. Many riders committed to a certain number of strides between the jumps, but were unable to achieve the distance they hoped for, separating the top group of riders. The course ended with a vertical away from the gate and another rollback to a two-stride combination on the outside line in front of the judge, giving riders a chance to display body control and position.

Mitchell walked into the ring half way through the class with the confidence and determination of a seasoned equitation rider, scoring an 83, bringing her to the top of the call-back list for the test. Riders Molly Dailey, Macie Sousa and Aly Muir were all called back, respectively. The judge chose to test the top four riders with a series of rollbacks, a trot fence, a halt and a display of two changes of lead in front of the judge before returning to the line-up. All four riders completed the tested and showed their skills to the best of their ability with smooth rounds and lead changes. Ultimately, Mitchell was able to stay on top of the class, bringing home the blue ribbon. Sousa moved from third place to second place and Dailey dropped to third while Muir remained in her position at fourth place.

Callahan
Callahan

Mitchell, a student of Val Renihan and Will Stuart of Findlay’s Ridge, just began showing in the equitation this year after acquiring her trusty mount, Callahan. Mitchell competes in the THIS National Children’s Medal while also gaining experience in the 3’6” equitation classes such as the USEF Medal, ASPCA Maclay and WIHS Equitation Classic. The young rider plans to compete in the indoor season in both the 3’ and 3’6” equitation finals.

The action continues Saturday, July 27 with the conclusion of the Amateur Owner Hunter division in the Stonelea Ring and the Adult Amateur Hunters in the Claiborne Ring, where championship and reserve championship awards will be presented.

FROM THE WINNERS CIRCLE

Sophia Mitchell – THIS National Children’s Medal winner

On her horse:
“He’s 12 years old. I leased him at the beginning of the winter circuit in Florida right before it started and it was actually my first time doing the equitation. I just started the equitation at WEF (Winter Equestrian Festival) this year. He’s my first equitation horse and he’s been amazing, he’s taught me so much. He helps me out so much in my riding – he’s awesome! He gives you a great feeling when you’re riding. He always has his head in the game. When he goes into the ring, he knows what he has to do. He’s a great partner to have.”

On her trainer:
“I’ve been riding with Val Renihan at Findlay’s Ridge since the beginning of WEF this year and it’s been amazing!”

On her round today:
“I think I did well today. In the first trip, it was my first round of this show, so I think I started out well, and as I was going around it was getting better and better. I did really well in the test. I was one of my better tests.”

On her goals for the rest of the year:
“I want to have a successful Indoors. It’s my first time doing the 3’6” equitation finals. I just want to have consistent, solid rounds. I’ll do the Taylor Harris [National Children’s Medal] finals and so far I’m qualified for the Medal and the Maclay.”

On showing at the Kentucky Summer Horse Show:
“This is actually one of my favorite horse shows – the space is so big. This horse show has so much to do and it’s so fun. I really like all the rings. This is definitely one of my favorite shows!”

Will Stuart – Assistant trainer for Sophia Mitchell

On Sophia:
“I think Sophia did great today. She started riding with us just last year and she’s come so far. She’s become more and more consistent. It’s nice to see that everytime she goes in the ring, she’s super confident and getting better and better. She’s had a really good year with the Taylor Harris [National Children’s Medal] so we’re looking forward to finals.”

On what’s she’s been working on at home:
“[We’ve been working on] her position, getting her leg tighter, getting more precise, consistency and just becoming stronger as a rider and more accurate.”

RESULTS

THIS National Children’s Medal 15-17
Place / Rider / Horse
1. Sophia Mitchell / Callahan
2. Macie Sousa / Mojito Z
3. Molly Dailey / Centerfold K
4. Aly Muir / Sting
5. Leah Wilson / Heart Breaker
6. Charlotte Heide / The Weekend
7. Kalli Meagher / Fever
8. Sydney Robbins / Artano G

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