Harrisburg, Pa. – October 13, 2024 – At just 14 years old, JJ Torano has added his name to the history books as the youngest rider on record to win the Dover Saddlery/USEF Hunter Seat Medal Final.
On his way to the victory on Sunday, October 13, at the Pennsylvania National Horse Show in Harrisburg, PA, Torano first topped a field of 168 first-round entries to take over the lead. After the top 25 returned for a second round, Torano moved from first to second, but additional testing of the top six ultimately saw him return to the winner’s position.
With judges Rachel Kennedy and Tammy Provost presiding over the class, second place went to Sydney Raidy, and Maddie Tosh rounded out the top three.
“It’s still kind of unreal to know that I won the Medal Final at this age,” said Torano, who rides as 13 years old, having turned 14 in June. “It definitely feels good. On [Favorite Edition Z], coming back for a test, I do feel really confident knowing he can do anything I ask him for.”
Confidence in his testing abilities aboard Favorite Edition Z proved paramount for Torano, as the top six riders were asked to complete a challenging ride-off round that incorporated a hand gallop, nine jumping efforts, two demonstrations of the counter canter and a halt – all executed without stirrups.
“We don’t know what to expect coming here, but we practice a lot on what we could be asked to do,” said Torano of his preparation for testing with his training team – which includes his father, Jimmy Torano, alongside John Brennan, Missy Clark and the team at North Run. “It’s a lot of practice and repetition, but mainly, a lot of counter canter and just the simple things, the basics with the horse. So, a lot of repetition.”
JJ Torano has had the opportunity to implement that repetition with Favorite Edition Z since January of this year when the 12-year-old Belgian Warmblood gelding was acquired by his parents and Clark and Brennan.
“He did the equitation finals last year; his first horse show was actually the Hampton Classic last year, and he’s been perfect since I’ve been with him and had him the whole time,” said JJ Torano. “And Missy [Clark] and John [Brennan], with him being in their barn in the North Run team, he’s really come to it quickly.”
For the gelding’s performance on Sunday, Favorite Edition Z was selected by the judges as the Best Equitation Horse and presented with the Doris H. Clark Memorial Perpetual Trophy, donated by Missy Clark.
With JJ Torano ultimately earning the win and the Adrian van Sinderen Memorial Perpetual Trophy, the rest of the results also saw some shaking up in the final testing.
Adriana Forte and Cornet Z were the first to return, and while Forte delivered a beautiful ride, a missed fence counted her off course and struck her from top contention.
Sitting in the fifth-place position, Raidy and Mac One III were the next to tackle the test, and the New York City native turned in a strong performance that would eventually secure her the reserve championship honors.
“I really just wanted to play it safe, keep everything very tidy and clean, just get the test done,” explained Raidy, who trains with Frank Madden at Capital Hill. “We’ve had so many lessons at home, learning about what the smartest choices are once you’re in there. It’s so easy to get nervous and just try to do something really hard. So, I just wanted to walk in, get my counter lead and get my distances – which I did. So, it’s good.”
Next in was eventual third-place finisher Tosh aboard Daktari. While Daktari swapped off in one of the counter canters and had rails at one fence, Kennedy and Provost ultimately rewarded her with the third-place honor. Kennedy later noted that it was apparent that Tosh “fought a little bit for her counter,” working hard to return to the counter canter, which was rewarded.
Heading into the testing, the third position was held by Olivia Sweetnam, and Ariana Marnell was the frontrunner. However, with a missed counter canter for Sweetnam and a swap off and a rail down for Marnell, they were relegated to fifth and fourth, respectively.
For Tosh, the third-place finish came following a move up from 10th in the first round to fourth after the second round.
“The first round I thought was really nice,” said Tosh, who trains with her father, Hunt Tosh. “Maybe the first line I underestimated it a little bit. I should have been there to support [Daktari] a little bit more. Then, the second round, he is so brave. He’s pretty much down for anything. So, I wanted to just go and have the most confident, bold ride that I could. I thought the course rode very nicely for him because he has such a big stride, and he’s so adjustable. So, I thought that it was a great course for me and [Daktari].”
For full results of Sunday’s Dover Saddlery/USEF Hunter Seat Medal, click here.
