Jimmy Torano and Aguila Jump to Victory in the $35,000 Grand Prix Sponsored by Orvis At The Vermont Summer Festival Horse Shows

East Dorset, VT - July 18, 2004 - Jimmy Torano of Fort Lauderdale, FL bested a blistering pace set by Canada's Harold Chopping to take the blue ribbon in the $35,000 Manchester Summer Festival Grand Prix sponsored by Orvis in East Dorset, VT.

Chopping and his mount, Kathleen, had a speedy time of 33.642 seconds, which seemed insurmountable. Paired with the Dutch Warmblood gelding, Aguila, Torano went last in the deciding jump-off round and turned in a time of 32.697 seconds to take home the winner's share of the $35,000 purse, a specially crafted leather bag from Orvis, and an original painting from famed equine artist Terry Lindsey.

"This was Aguila's first time showing in ten months," explained Torano. "And this was a great way for him to jump back into the ring!" Aguila, a 12 year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding by Libero, underwent surgery for an injured stifle which left him on the sidelines for close to a year. Torano took his time bringing Aguila back to the same level of fitness and performance the horse displayed before his injury.

Aguila's stunning performance today showed that Torano's fine horsemanship and patience paid off. "When this horse is on, he's hard to beat. He has a huge stride and also turns well." Owned by Sir Ruly, Inc., Aguila has been in the winner's circle before in Vermont with a victory in the $35,000 Vermont Grand Prix at the 2002 Vermont Summer Festival.

Torano felt the jump-off course was "great for the riders and spectators. Even though there was a lot of rain here this week, the footing was amazing! The show management did a wonderful job of ensuring the footing was both safe and springy."

Danielle Torano, Jimmy's wife, also took home a piece of the Grand Prix money. Mounted on Quinault, she had the third fastest time in the jump-off. Earlier in day, Danielle earned her own blue ribbon aboard Lojana in the $10,000 Show Jumping Hall of Fame Amateur Owner Jumper Classic. Placing second in that class was Amanda Starbuck of Ridgefield, CT on Lickity Split.

In the $10,000 Show Jumping Hall of Fame Junior Jumper Classic, the feisty Salsa galloped off with the win for owner/rider Gabby Slome of Riverdale, NY. Paired with Missy Clark's Espina Du Manoir, Slome also placed second in the same class.

This is the 11th year the Vermont Summer Festival Horse Shows have taken place at the Beebe Farm, just off Route 7 north of Manchester. The Vermont Summer Festival is New England's largest "AA" rated hunter/jumper horse show circuit and runs from July 14 to August 15. This year's series includes five $35,000 Grand Prix and five $10,000 Mini Prix. Each of the five weeks will also feature a $10,000 Show Jumping Hall Of Fame High Junior/Amateur-Owner Jumper class, part of the Show Jumping Hall of Fame Jumper Classic Series. The second show in the series, the Manchester Classic begins this Wednesday, July 21.

The Orvis Company, a local business and the nation's oldest mail order company, was the sponsor for today's $35,000 Grand Prix. The Orvis Company headquarters have been in Manchester, Vermont, since the company was founded in 1856. British and English equine style and culture have always influenced Orvis, so the Vermont Summer Festival was a natural fit for the nation's finest distinctive country lifestyle brand.

Admission to the Vermont Summer Festival is $5 for adults, $3 for seniors, and $2 for children. For further information about the Vermont Summer Festival, please call (802) 362-7548 or go to http://www.vt-summerfestival.com/.

Photo Credit: Flashpoint Photography© 2004