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Phillips
Wins $35,000 Manchester Classic Grand Prix Presented by Hand
Motors
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East
Dorset, VT—July 20, 2003— Jonathan Phillips of Potomac,
MD rode Prins, owned by Jonathan and Jeffrey Phillips, to win the
$35,000 Manchester Classic Grand Prix Presented by Hand Motors at
the Manchester Classic Horse Show, July 16-20, the second week of
the five-week-long Vermont Summer Festival, July 9-August 10, at
the Harold Beebe Farm in East Dorset, VT.
After turning in what were described by his trainer, Jimmy Torano,
as “two picture perfect rounds,” Phillips topped the five
horse-and-rider combinations who qualified for the jump-off. He
earned his first Grand Prix win with a fault free jump-off round
in a time of 45.289 seconds.
“It
felt amazing,” Phillips said of his performance in the day’s
highlighted event.
Jimmy Torano of Fort Lauderdale, FL earned second place behind his
student. Torano was the only other rider in the jump-off to post
a clear round. However, Torano, aboard Gibson, owned by Sir Ruly
Inc, had a slightly slower time of 48.206 seconds. “It was
nice beating the trainer,” Phillips said with a laugh.
“I
was happy with my horse. I got lucky in the jump-off. I really hit
that vertical hard.” Torano said of his own round. “And
if I’m going to be second, it mine as well be someone from
my barn.”
Earlier
in the day, Jimmy’s wife Danielle Torano of Fort Lauderdale,
FL earned the top two places in the $10,000 Show Jumping Hall of
Fame Amateur-Owner Jumper Classic Presented by Nutraceutical International
Inc. The only rider to turn in clear rides in the jump-off, Torano
took home the blue ribbon with Cavalier, owned by Sir Ruly, Inc.
After
Jimmy gave up the ride on Cavalier over the winter, Danielle took
over the reins of the seven-year-old gelding. “If you were
to pick a horse for me, he’s the last one you would pick,”
Danielle said of the large grey gelding who towers over her small
frame. “But he’s very sensitive and very easy to ride.”
Danielle
posted her other clear round aboard the 12-year-old Dutch Warmblood
mare, Lalique, owned by Sir Ruly Inc, to take second place. “I’m
just getting to know her,” she said of the mare, who she purchased
from Marc Leone over the winter. “She felt really good. We
just changed the bit, and she was great.”
Summer
Gay of Ridgefield, CT aboard Tyler, owned by the RCG Farm, was the
fastest four fault finisher with a time of 33.327 seconds.
Mexican
rider Jorge Berganza aboard his Samsara Tabira bested the field
of 12 horse-and-rider combinations to win the $10,000 Show Jumping
Hall of Fame Junior Jumper Classic Presented by Nutraceutical International
Inc. Berganza was the only rider to produce a clear round in the
first phase of competition eliminating the need for a jump-off.
The second place award went to the fastest four fault finisher,
Gaby Slome of Riverdale, NY aboard Espina Du Manior, owned by Missy
Clark and Double H. Farm.
The
Vermont Summer Festival is New England’s largest “AA”
rated hunter/jumper horse show. This year’s event includes
five USET-recognized $35,000 Grand Prix to be held on the last day
of each show and five $10,000 Mini Prix to be held on the Friday
of each show. Each of the five weeks also features 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 which determines
which junior and amateur/owner riders will qualify to ride at the
2003 National Horse Show.
For
further information on the 2003 Vermont Summer Festival, please
call (802) 362-9023. For full results, visit the Vermont Summer
Festival website
at www.vt-summerfestival.com.
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