Manuel Torres and Anabella
Guerreiro's father had the ride as together he and Anabella bested a competitive field at the Swan Lake Summer Kick-Off Classic to take home the lion share of the prize money in the $25,000 Kick-Off Classic Grand Prix.
"I began to ride her in the grand prix just a few weeks ago," Torres said of the 12-year-old Swedish Warmblood. "She's been putting it together little by little, and it all just came really together for the first time today. It's the first time she ever won a grand prix in the U.S. so I'm very happy."
Torres was one of five competitors to navigate the first round, Oscar Soberon designed course without fault and advance to the jump-off.
"[Oscar Soberon] is a fantastic international course designer," Torres said. "I hope he keeps coming because he's just amazing. He's very technical; he's very modern. It was a tough course today, but you saw most of the professional riders were able to put it all together."
Those who were able to put together all the pieces in the first round to join Torres in the jump-off included his daughter, Guerreiro, aboard her mount Fifty Shades, Mary Lisa Leffler and Carlot, Cassandra Kahle and Wall Street and Ian Silitch and Cordovo.
As the first round pathfinder, Silitch and Cordovo, owned by Gaston Family Investments LLC, were the first to try their hand at the short course, but they fell victim to two rails to finish on eight faults in a time of 48.065 seconds. That score would end up relegating them to the fifth place spot.
Torres was the next in the ring, and he and Santa Catalina Farm's Anabella produced a time that would hold his lead through to the end, tripping the timers in 47.319 seconds.
The next to return, Leffler and Carlot, owned by Rolling Acres Farm, came into the day with a Swan Lake grand prix victory already recently under their belt, having won the $25,000 Blue Rock Classic Grand Prix in May. With a double clear effort on Saturday it looked like they could pull off the victory at Swan Lake again, but it was not to be this time. They crossed the finish line just behind Torres in a time of 48.284 seconds; that clear time would end up being good enough for second.
Kahle and Wall Street, owned by Redfield Farms, came next, turning in the fastest time of the day to finish on 46.671 seconds. However, a light rub at the second fence of the short course would knock a rail out of the cups and knock them to the eventual third place spot.
Guerreiro and Fifty Shades, owned by Santa Catalina Farm, were the last combination to return to give her father a run for his money. With one rail down and a time of 49.344 seconds, Guerreiro would finish in the fourth place spot and her dad would clinch the win.
"I'm very happy. I think Anabella's just fantastic. She's really light and very simple to ride," Torres said. My daughter was very successful in the amateur division with her. She's very uncomplicated. She wants to do well. She's not as powerful, but she tries to do well."
Torres continued, "I knew I had to do about the same track as everybody, but I just had to be a little bit faster to a couple of the jumps. She's really quick. So for the last jump, I knew she was going clean, so I think I went for it from the next to the last jump to the last jump. I was galloping, and I found a long distance that worked out well. She was just wonderful."
Torres and Anabelle will enjoy a few weeks off before heading next to the Vermont Summer Festival Horse Shows. When it comes to their horse show travel schedule, Swan Lake Horse Shows remain a favorite stop.
"It's relaxing atmosphere. I always get really treated well by [show manager] Nathan Panetta," Torres said. "The footing is good. The people are really nice. I just really love it."
The Swan Lake Summer Kick-Off Classic concludes on Sunday with a day of Jumper Classics beginning at 8:30 a.m.
$25,000 Swan Lake Kick-Off Classic Grand Prix Results
Rank Horse Rider Prize Round 1 F | T Jump Off F | T
1st 504 - ANABELLA MANUEL TORRES $7,500 0 | 85.23 0 | 47.319
2nd 363 - CARLOT MARYLISA LEFFLER $5,500 0 | 85.462 0 | 48.284
3rd 437 - WALL STREET CASSANDRA KAHLE $3,250 0 | 82.57 4 | 46.671
4th 505 - FIFTY SHADES ANDREA TORRES GUERREIRO $2,000 0 | 81.182 4 | 49.344
5th 232 - CORDOVO IAN SILITCH $1,500 0 | 86.384 8 | 48.065
6th 240 - ABRACADABRA MELISSA RUDERSHAUSEN $1,250 4 | 86.513 -
7th 503 - VICTORIA ANDREA TORRES GUERREIRO $1,000 8 | 78.9 -
8th 572 - GENTLEY FILIP DEWANDEL $750 8 | 82.281 -
Morgan Ward and Broadway
The trip to the Swan Lake Summer Kick-Off Classic was well worth it for Morgan Ward and her mount, Broadway, as they earned the championship title of the weekend's 3'6" Junior Hunter division. The New Jersey duo rose to the top of the same division during the Blue Rock Classic at Swan Lake Stables in May, and they returned this weekend to mimic this success.
The pair rode into the ring on Saturday morning off a hot-streak from the day before, having won blue ribbons in both of Friday's over fences classes, putting them top in the standings for the final day of the 3'6" Junior Hunter division.
"He's one of the best. He felt really great today; he's usually really tired the second day, but the more he goes, the bigger and better he jumps," Ward explained, with her tricolored ribbon in hand. "The handy course was especially a lot of fun. They gave us a few options for the turns, which was really nice. Some shows like to keep it simple, but this one was great because I love the tricky ones."
Ward and Broadway were just one point shy of Madeline Schaefer's winning 82-point ride in their first round over fences on Saturday, earning a score of 81, but the pair swapped spots with Schaefer and Best Of in their second go-around to secure another win. Electing to cut corners and ride up to the distances, Broadway's confident stride secured them the first place slot in the handy round. Their blue ribbon efforts would ultimately earn Ward and Broadway, owned by Lindsey Ward, the division championship. The reserve championship in the 3'6" Junior Hunters went to Kaitlyn Williams and Rockette, owned by Ramble On Farm.
In the 3'3" Junior Hunters, it was Caroline Blank and her gelding, Impressionist, who climbed the ranks over the two days to secure the championship victory in the division. Blank and the 10-year-old warmblood closed out day one with eight and fifth place prizes over fences and a first place in the under saddle, and they turned it up a notch the next morning to leave a lasting impression on the judges, claiming a blue ribbon in the handy round.
While Saturday's courses posed problems for a number of competitors, they were evidently no match for the winning team, who chose Swan Lake as one of the first destinations of their junior hunter career together.
"I just got him in October, and we just moved up to the juniors. He has a really consistent pace; once you get him going he just stays there and does his job," Blank explained, gleaming with pride after her success. "Swan Lake is the perfect place to gain some miles in the division. We come here every year for a few reasons: the competition is always really great, they are always adding to the grounds, the courses are well kept, and the people are always really nice."
The reserve championship in the 3'3" Junior Hunters was awarded to Holly George on Silent Partner.
The final day of the Swan Lake Summer Kick-Off Classic will be Sunday, June 21, beginning with the $400 0.8m Jumper Classic at 8:30 a.m.
To learn more about the Swan Lake Summer Kick-Off Classic and all of the Swan Lake Horse Shows, please visit www.swanlakehorseshows.com.