Jimmy Torano aboard Laskano. © Sportfot.
Wellington, FL – February 4, 2022 – The 2022 Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF) continued on Friday, February 4, with major competition in a multitude of arenas. While international jumpers competed at Equestrian Village, the hunters were featured in the International Arena. A field of 51 entries faced the “Hunt & Go” Format of the $25,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby with Jimmy Torano and Laskano, owned by Isalou, Inc., securing yet another win.
The Hunt & Go Format for the hunter derby consolidates two rounds into one round with both a classic and a handy portion of the course.
Laskano is a 10-year-old Westphalian gelding owned by Daryl Portela of Isalou, Inc., and he and Torano have been quite successful together so far, capturing a derby win in December with the start of the new show year and winning the $25,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby 2* during WEF Premiere week.
Second place in the derby with a score of 380.25 went to Mindful and Jennifer Hannan, who rode for Kensel LLC, while third place on a score of 375 went to Meaningful, owned by Emma Vandenhouten and ridden by Kelley Farmer.
Nicole Walker Wastes No Time in $37,000 Douglas Elliman Real Estate 1.45m CSI4* Win
A busy weekend of competition started promptly Friday morning with all FEI riders heading back to the Derby Field at Equestrian Village. The day was packed with action from the beginning as 49 elite entries debuted in the $37,000 Douglas Elliman Real Estate 1.45m CSI4* where Canada’s Nicole Walker stole the show.
Anderson Lima’s (BRA) first track was held as a single-round speed class at the 1.45m height with a time allowed of 80 seconds flat. A little less than half of the field managed to produce fault-free efforts while 12 entries ended on a single downed rail. Olympic team silver medalist Jessica Springsteen (USA) and Stone Hill Farm’s Volage Du Val Henry looked set to take the victory, but Walker managed to shave over a second off of the pair’s time. She and her own 12-year-old Selle Francais gelding Atout Des Trambles (Nectar Des Forets*hn x Apache D’Adriers) left no room for contest as they stepped on the gas and flew through the finish line in a time of 58.36 seconds.
For more information and results, please visit www.PBIEC.com.