Robert Ross and Argensohn Win $10,000 Mini Prix at Vermont Summer Festival

Robert Ross riding Argensohn for owner Joe Zada and Romance Farm won the $10,000 Open Mini Prix today at the Manchester Summer Festival, the first week of the Vermont Summer Festival in East Dorset, Vermont.

Ross, who resides in Wellington, Florida, and Bridgehampton, New York, bested a field of 19 horses aboard the 11-year-old Oldenburg breeding stallion.  Jimmy Torano, of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, riding Aguila placed second. Gabby Slome, of Riverdale, New York, saddled Salsa for third. Danielle Torano in the irons on Capitano earned the fourth place ribbon.

Friday’s Open Mini Prix required riders to jump a first round of 10 fences built by course designer Anthony D’Ambrosio.  The track included double combinations at Fences 4, 6, and 9.  Riders who jumped without fault stayed in the ring and immediately jumped a seven-fence jump-off course.  Eight riders managed to go clean in round one, but in the jump-off only four captured the double-clear score with time deciding the winner by four-tenths of a second.  Danielle Torano riding Capitano for Sir Ruly, Inc. went first in the order and notched the inaugural clean sweep, marking the jump-off time to beat at 40.04 seconds.  Jimmy Torano aboard Aguila, also owned by Sir Ruly, Inc., was the 10th rider on course and edged his wife out of the lead with a short course time of 38.91. Slome attacked the course two rides later and gave the Toranos a run for the money, posting her jump-off time at 39.84.  Ross said he watched both the Toranos’ performances, then as the 15th rider to go, his strategy for the jump-off paid off, and he clocked in clean in 38.52 seconds to claim victory. “I did the five [strides] to the combination, which gave me the four/tenths of a second to beat Jimmy,” explained Ross.

“I saw Jimmy do six strides from the Liverpool (Fence 8) to the in-and-out (9AB), so I tried five because I knew I was either going to do it, or I wasn’t,” Ross continued, noting that if he didn’t take that risk, he would end up fourth or lower. “It was probably just that one stride right there, because the rest, Jimmy was so fast.”  Ross also credited his mount. “When I did the five in the second round, there was no room in there and Argensohn just flung his legs out of the way on the out [of the in-and-out] to make it happen. It had nothing to do with me,” Ross said laughing, “It was all him deciding ‘I’m not going to hit that jump!’  It was good.”

Ross also noted that the format of the class worked to his advantage today, though he normally likes the Grand Prix format when the qualified riders return as a group for the jump-off.  “My horse gets hot really easily, so it worked in my favor that I didn’t have to take him back out and then jump a bunch more fences, and then come back in.”

Another advantage Ross acknowledged the exemplary training help he gets from his partner, six-time dressage Olympian Robert Dover.  Dover rode Argensohn just before they loaded the stallion on the trailer headed for Vermont two days ago. “He can get him going really nicely for you,” acknowledged Ross. “You get on and the horse is really perfect for the classes, so we love when he gets on.  If not, I try to do it myself!” Ross added with a laugh.

Ross, who turned professional 10 years ago, was only recently partnered with Argensohn and in the last two months has been showing the stallion successfully in the Grand Prix. “He’s so quiet, he’s the sweetest – like a puppy dog,” said Ross of the striking bay.  “It’s nice to have a breeding stallion be like that.”  The duo has earned a ribbon in every grand prix they’ve entered, including one win prior to today’s victory.

Jimmy Torano had to settle for second today, but he and Aguila won the $75,000 Grand Prix at Lake Placid last week.  Torano has been partnered with the 13-year-old bay Dutch Warmblood gelding for six years.  Torano acknowledged Fence 9AB as the key to today’s course. “I felt like my horse was a little aggressive and even in the jump-off, I still did the six [strides],” said Torano. “He’s a fast horse anyway, and I thought I could win the class even by doing the six.  Robert rode a great round and he beat me doing the five.”

Torano described the track today as a nice introduction for the horses to the Grand Prix ring in Vermont as well as a preview of what riders can expect to see in the $30,000 Battenkill Grand Prix scheduled for Sunday, July 17. Torano, with his wife, Danielle, the only couple competing on the Grand Prix circuit on the East Coast, plan to show up to five of the 26 horses they have on the grounds in Sunday’s class.

Nineteen-year-old Slome, who was competing in only her fourth class at this level, was pleased with her third place ribbon with Salsa today. “I was really happy. My horse jumped super. I was consistent today,” Slome said.  “I’ve just started to move up. Normally my problem is going slowly in the jump-off, so I was pretty happy with my time,” she added.  Slome trains with Missy Clark and North Run Stables of Warren, Vermont.  “Being third to two professionals, I can’t complain,” Slome added with a smile. Slome’s mount Salsa is an 11-year-old German warmblood gelding that she’s owned for two years.