East Dorset, VT — Darren Graziano and his young mount Vernal bested a field of 21 to claim victory in the $30,000 Mount Equinox Grand Prix on Sunday, July 31, at the Vermont Summer Festival in East Dorset, VT. The six-week equestrian competition is running at Harold Beebe Farm from July 6 through August 14, 2011.

Graziano and Vernal, a nine-year-old Warmblood gelding owned by Katie Kohlhas, were one of 10 horse and rider combinations that managed to jump Eric Hasbrouck’s course without penalty in the first round. An additional 10 horse and rider combinations had four faults in the first round, with only one horse bringing down multiple rails.

“Vernal is kind of a new mount for me,” said Graziano of the big bay gelding. “We got him towards the middle of Florida and just went really slow with him, trying to get his head together, to get the rideability. We did a few of the schooling classes just to try and figure each other out. When we got home from Florida, we started to jump a few of the bigger classes and then, about five weeks ago, he jumped his first Grand Prix. He jumped the first grand prix with four faults, just a bit of a green mistake, then we did a nice invitational grand prix in Millbrook, and he won. We did one more grand prix with four faults and then this, so I think he is doing alright.”

Graziano owns and operates DG Venture, Inc. out of Brewster, New York, where he has focused on the development and training of amateur and adult riders and the buying, development and sales of young horses that he has imported from Europe.

Helen Goddard had good luck as she placed two of her mounts, Guitar Hero and Blue Danube, in second and fifth place respectively. Ian Silitch had the most trouble of any rider, but not in the ring. Silitch’s mount Rivano unseated him in the schooling area and had to be chased down and returned to his rider before Silitch managed to turn in two clear rounds and finish in third place.

Jeff Ayers and Abercrombie won the popular $5,000 NEHJA Hunter Derby held Thursday, July 28. Abercrombie is already an experienced winner at the Derby format and proved it by posting the first round’s top score of 88. Ayers of Sellersville, PA, guided the stylish six-year-old grey gelding around the challenging 3’3” derby track set by course designer William Glass with barely a touch of the reins. The course, which spanned two rings, featured many creative natural obstacles including a two foot round log set between the two rings, a woodpile, and large tires set in the ground under rails, which caused problems for several riders.

The top 12 riders after the first round came back in reverse order of standing for the second handy round with Ayers having the advantage of being last to go. Mary Lisa Leffler and Zivago, who had been sitting in second with a score of 85 in the first round, laid down a great trip in the handy round to earn an impressive score of 90, the highest score of the day. Returning to the ring, Ayers and Abercrombie set down a trip that was consistent, confident and in beautiful form for yet another score of 88 and the win.

“We imported Abercrombie from Europe exactly two years ago,” said Ayers. “I bought him because of his jumping style on the video, and that is why he is doing so well in the Hunter division. He uses everything correctly: front end, back end, and all. He never pulls, he never gets faster, in fact at this time of night, I call it the witching hour, a lot of horses can get really stupid, but he just gets a little brighter which is good because during the day he can be so lazy.”

Ayers continued, “He has done about five of these 3’3” Derbies and he is a legitimate horse. He can jump 4’, and this is lower than what he jumps in the First Year Green Division, so it is easy for him. I did the Derby prep with him yesterday and he kind of looked at the tires, but nothing was a problem for him today.”

Not only did Abercrombie bring the Derby trophy back to the barn for Ayers, but he also won four classes in the Green Hunter Division and placed second in the fifth to win the Championship in a decisive manner.

Ireland’s Darragh Kenny riding Castello claimed victory in the $10,000 Giorgio Armani Open Welcome Stake, Presented by Manchester Designer Outlets, held Friday, July 29. Kenny, who is based out of North Run in Warren, VT, drove south to the show grounds to pilot Castello, a nine-year-old Holsteiner gelding owned by American Olympian Lauren Hough, around the difficult track built by course designer Eric Hasbrouck. Out of the original 21-horse starting field, Kenny and Castello were one of nine combinations to jump clear in the first round, and one of five to post a double clear performance. Competing in the middle of the pack, Kenny was not certain if his time of 33.67 seconds would hold for the win, hoping instead for a top three finish. Although Darren Graziano riding Vernal came closest to catching Kenny’s time, he crossed the timers in 34.28 for second place.

“I got the ride on this horse because I am very good friends with Sloane Coles, the girl that was riding him for Lauren Hough,” explained Kenny, 23, who hails from County Offaly, Ireland. “She had a really bad fall in Saugerties and has a bad concussion and can’t ride for three months, so she asked me to ride the horse for her for a couple of shows.”

Of his jump-off performance, Kenny commented, “I didn’t think that my time would hold; I was a little bit slow back to the second to last jump, but he is a naturally fast horse, really competitive and careful, and I was just being a little bit cautious, which is unlike me. And now I get to go shopping at Giorgio Armani!”

For the victory, Kenny won $3,000 in prize money as well as a $1,000 gift card for the Giorgio Armani store in Manchester, VT.

Nina Montross won and placed second in the $1,500 Marshall & Sterling Children’s Jumper Classic, a qualifying competition for the $15,000 Vermont Celebration Children’s/Adult Jumper Classic, presented by Parlanti.

Montross, who hails from Bedford Hills, New York, is a seasoned competitor, despite her young age of 12. Starting out with pony hunters, Montross has always had her eye on the jumper ring. She had great success with her pony jumper and has now made a successful transition from pony jumpers into the children’s jumper division.

Montross rode Voigtsdorfs Ohio, an eight-year-old Holsteiner mare, to double clear rounds to take the blue ribbon, beating herself by almost four seconds with her other mount, Nerazzuro.

“I just got Ohio at the end of the Winter Equestrian Festival,” said a happy Montross, referring to the 12-week competition held January to April in Wellington, Florida. “I just love her; she is so good and so fast.”

Even though their partnership is new, the pair has placed in numerous classes in the Children’s Jumper division at several major horse shows, including the Winter Equestrian Federation, HITS and Lake Placid.

“I’ve been with Jimmy for over a year, and it is so much fun and I am learning so much,” said Montross of her coach and trainer, well-known grand prix competitor Jimmy Torano.

The $2,500 Marshall & Sterling Adult Jumper Classic, also a qualifying competition for the $15,000 Vermont Celebration Children’s/Adult Jumper Classic, presented by Parlanti, had an expected outcome as Alyssa Kinsey and her extraordinary mare, Grisset, turned in the fastest jump-off round of the day to win in decisive fashion. Kim Tobias and Vipman W finished second.

Kinsey’s win in the $2,500 Marshall & Sterling Adult Jumper Classic placed her in a tie with Tobias at the top of the qualifying standings for the $15,000 Vermont Celebration Children’s/Adult Jumper Classic, presented by Parlanti, with a total of 61 entrants already on the good list.

Jimmy Torano of Ft. Lauderdale, FL, was determined to win the $5,000 Open Jumper Stake, speeding around the course with Katina, owned by wife, Danielle. Torano made sure that the judges knew that it was him riding the horse so that the points counted towards his place in the $10,000 Sir Ruly Inc. Open Jumper High Score Award standings. Torano trails several riders in the current standings, including his wife, who won the $30,000 Otter Creek Grand Prix on Sunday, July 24. Torano’s clear round to win the $5,000 Open Jumper Stake on Katina, as well as a seventh place finish on Winner, moved him up a few places on the leader board.

French Kiss carried Brooke Baldwin-DeGrazia to a sweep of the Regular Working Hunter classes for owner Tina Furey of New Canaan, CT. The seven-year-old Westphalian gelding has shown his prowess in the ring on numerous occasions, winning in several different divisions over the season.

Following two days of rest, the fifth week of competition in the six-week Vermont Summer Festival begins on Wednesday, August 3.

Offering more than $750,000 in prize money, the Vermont Summer Festival is the richest sporting event based on purse in the state of Vermont. The first five Sundays of the Vermont Summer Festival feature a $30,000 Grand Prix at 1 p.m., culminating with the $50,000 Vermont Summer Celebration Grand Prix on Sunday, August 14. In addition to the $10,000 Open Welcome Stake, Presented by Manchester Designer Outlets, held each Friday, the weekly $10,000 Show Jumping Hall of Fame Junior/Amateur-Owner Classics are hotly contested. New for 2011, the Vermont Summer Festival will host a $5,000 Hunter Derby each Thursday five of the six weeks.

Competition begins at 8 a.m. daily, Wednesday through Sunday. Admission is $5 for adults, $3 for children, Wednesday through Saturday. On Grand Prix Sunday, admission is $7 for adults, $5 for children. As always, 100 percent of the gate proceeds benefit the Friends Foundation for MEMS, (Manchester Elementary and Middle School).

For over 20 years, the Vermont Summer Festival has attracted exhibitors and their families to the Manchester region each summer. For more information about the Vermont Summer Festival, please e-mail: [email protected] or visit www.vt-summerfestival.com.