Tag Archives: Michael Tokaruk

Michael Tokaruk and Qasqai Capture the $25,000 Grand Prix at Brownland Spring II

Michael Tokaruk and Qasqai, photo by Robin Young.

GERMANTOWN, TN – APRIL 26, 2015 – At the Brownland Farms Spring II Horse Show, Michael Tokaruk of Germantown, TN was victorious in Saturday’s $25,000 Grand Prix-Regional Standings. Tokaruk captured the class aboard Qasqai, owned by Maria Roberts of Collierville, TN.

Qasqai, a 12-year-old Belgian gelding, only came to Tokaruk in early March. After getting to know each other showing in the 1m30 and 1m40 classes in Gulfport, MS, the team scored this Grand Prix contest, their first together as a pair.

Earlier in the week Tokaruk and Qasqai earned blue-ribbon honors the 1m30 Jumpers and — despite clocking the fastest time — were seventh in Thursday’s Welcome Stake with only one rail down.

Tokaruk also placed second in the Welcome Class with the 8-year-old mare Zig Zag PCH, owned by Lee Hatcher of Little Rock, AK.

In the Grand Prix Tokaruk bested 15 other teams for the win, including Christoph Schroeder and the Schroeder-Derek Peterson-owned Catungee, who took the second spot, and Louise Graves and Zavira, who were victorious in the Spring I Grand Prix just one week earlier.

In round one Tokaruk and Qasqai were first in the order of go and set the bar high with a clean round in the Gerry Briggs-designed course with a time of 89.655 out of an allowed of 95 seconds.

Only five earned a place in the jump off. But Tokaruk and Qasqai were again first on course and showed the crowd they were aiming for the victory gallop with a second flawless round in a searing 39.023.

“My plan was to ride a very efficient jump off, but going first I really wanted to leave the jumps up,” said Tokaruk. “Qasqai is fast and he’s careful. He loves to turn and burn and wants to win every class he’s in, so he’s really a lot of fun to ride.

“This horse is a natural champion – he has shown all over the world – and I’m so thrilled to have him in my barn and so grateful for such supportive owners,” Tokaruk added. “When she’s ready, Maria will take over the ride and I’m just so excited to see what they will do together.”

The Prix capped off a banner week at Brownland for trainer Tokaruk and owner Roberts. In addition to the Grand Prix victory and second place in the Welcome class, Tokaruk was Champion in the 1m15 jumpers aboard the Wolf-Trot Farms-owned Zento VDV (a current sale horse). Roberts, meanwhile, was Reserve Champion in the medium/large green pony hunters aboard her own Rollingwoods Piece of Cake.

Congratulations to all!

Tokaruk Show Stables, LLC is a full-service equestrian facility based in Collierville, TN. Canadian-born Michael Tokaruk is an internationally renowned champion who has ridden and trained hunters, equitation horses, and grand prix jumpers and their riders to countless accolades at the biggest horse shows across North America.

Tokaruk Show Stables, (202) 413-2303, or mtokaruk@hotmail.com

Michael Tokaruk and Lord Byron Capture the $25,000 Grand Prix of Germantown

Michael Tokaruk and Lord Byron. Photo by Ben Strafuss

GERMANTOWN, TN – JUNE 10, 2012 – At the 64th Annual Germantown Charity Horse Show, Michael Tokaruk of Tennessee was victorious in Saturday’s $25,000 Grand Prix. Tokaruk captured the class aboard his own Lord Byron, marking the 18-year-old gelding’s second victory at Germantown.

In 2005 the team took the blue ribbon to score their first career Grand Prix. And last year, Tokaruk scored a one-two punch in the Grand Prix of Germantown, riding Roger Rabbit, the 11-year-old gelding owned by Castle Point Farm LLC, to the victory gallop while also piloting Lord Byron to the second place ribbon.

In Saturday’s class, held in the Main arena of the Germantown Civic Club Complex, Tokaruk bested 18 other teams for the win, including Andy Kocher aboard the Claudia Billups-owned Puppet Master, David Wright with Imperator, and the week’s Welcome Stakes winner Richard Cheska who rode Quick Tempo.

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Atlanta Fall Classics – Classic Company Ends 2011 Season on High Note

Michael Tokaruk and Ultaire Win $25,000 EMO Welcome Jumper Stake; Megan Edrick and Cadence Repeat Victory in $25,000 EMO Grand Prix

Michael Tokaruk & Ultaire ©Flashpoint Photography

Conyers, GA — Nov 20, 2011 — Week two of the Atlanta Fall Classics put the jumpers center stage for the finale event of Classic Company’s 2011 season with two big $25,000 classes. “This week’s big money classes were a nice way to end the season for our exhibitors. It’s been a great year of shows and the new season will be even better!” Bob Bell, President of Classic Company, said.

Show jumping action kicked off on Friday with the $25,000 EMO Welcome Stake presented by EMO Insurance. The field of 31 was a virtual who’s who of the sport with the likes of Olympic vet Chris Kappler, USET Champion Schuyler Riley, and show jumping Million Dollar Club member Wilhelm Genn taking on Allen Rheinheimer’s complex 12 fence layout with one goal-clear the jumps and beat the 82 second time allowance.

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Michael Tokaruk and Roger Rabbit Take the Mid-South Classic $25,000 Grand Prix

Michael Tokaruk and Roger Rabbit accept the blue ribbon from Brownland Farm’s Sissy Anderton. Lili Weik Photography

FRANKLIN, TN – JULY 12, 2011 – On Sunday, July 10, Michael Tokaruk of Memphis, TN captured his second major win in less than two months aboard Roger Rabbit, the 10-year-old Holsteiner gelding owned by Castle Point Farm LLC.

The team beat the heat and the competition to easily win the Mid-South Classic $25,000 Grand Prix, which capped off the week at Brownland Farm in Franklin, TN.

Tokaruk, 30, who recently returned to Memphis to act as rider and trainer at Dave Pellegrini’s Spring Mill Farm, piloted the up-and-coming-gray gelding through two clean rounds to earn the top spot.

In the first round, 26 teams navigated the Tim Hott-designed course, but only six went clean.  In the jump-off, only Tokaruk and Roger turned in a fault-less performance for the blue-ribbon win. “I thought the course rode well,” said Tokaruk following the win. “Big enough without over-facing anyone, and technical enough that you had to do some riding out there.

“We were the only double clean and our time was three seconds faster that the 2nd place finisher who had four faults, “ Tokaruk continued. “We could have had a rail down and still won by a good margin. I made a nice inside turn that saved us some time. Going early in the jump-off, I knew I needed to be clean, but I also wanted to be quick enough to put pressure on the rest of the field.”

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Draper Equine Advisory Board Member Michael Tokaruk Dominates Germantown Charity Horse Show Grand Prix

Grand Prix show jumper Michael Tokaruk, a Draper Equine Therapy Advisory Board member, dominated the Germantown Charity Horse Show Grand Prix, placing first, second and fifth in the class.

Germantown, TN (June 14, 2011) – Grand Prix show jumper Michael Tokaruk, a Draper Equine Therapy Advisory Board member, dominated the Grand Prix ring at the Germantown Charity Horse Show in Germantown, Tennessee. In the $25,000 Grand Prix, Tokaruk placed first on Roger Rabbit owned by Castle Point Farm LLC, second on his own horse Lord Byron and fifth on Gama Righter Z, owned by Peggy Jones of Germantown.

“This is the second time I have won the Germantown Charity Horse Show Grand Prix,” Tokaruk said. “The first time was on Lord Byron in 2005. Germantown has always been a fun event and a highlight on the local calendar.”

Tokaruk added that the excitement of the Germantown Grand Prix was topped off by unpredictable weather. “The weather was very hot all week and severe storms rolled through just in time for the jump-off to begin,” he said. “The rain started when I was on my second jump-off horse, Roger Rabbit, and really opened up for my last horse Lord Byron. We didn’t let it faze us, however, and the weather provided a very dramatic ending. The horses were all fantastic and I am thrilled to have a nice string of mounts to show in the grand prix right now.”

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Aiken Fall Festival I

Roger Rabbit and Michael Tokaruk. All photos by Shawn McMillen.

Sunday, September 12th – Aiken, SC – The first week of the third annual Aiken Fall Festival Horse Show series wrapped up today.  The show, a USEF A rated event and Jumper 3, took place September 9-12 at Highfields in Aiken, SC.  Equus Event’s Inc. and JP Godard handled the managing duties for the event.

The show started on Thursday with the professional hunter divisions kicking off in the hunter rings.  Action in the jumper ring also began with classes taking place out on the grass field.  The day ended with the $5,000 Welcome Stake at 5 pm as well as an Exhibitors Welcome Party sponsored by DFG Stables and Daniel and Cathy Geitner under the tent.  Harold Chopping of Southern Pines, NC and Kendra Bullington’s Patent Pending were the first of 21 competitors to navigate the course and ended up being the best to take home the blue ribbon.  Daniel Geitner and Mr. and Mrs. Charles Bostwick’s Sympa were second and Daniel also picked up third place honors on Ann Ritter’s Jumbo Jet.  Rounding out the top 4 was another local Aiken professional, Michael Tokaruk and his Roger Rabbit.

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