Saugerties, NY - June 12, 2005—Jimmy Torano and Marcel, an eleven-year-old, 17 hand, Belgian Warmblood gelding, were the last pair to enter the HITS-on-the-Hudson grand prix arena today in the $150,000 Rolex/USEF National Show Jumping Championship. With a second place finish in Wednesday’s $20,000 Opening Match, and a win in Friday’s $30,000 Intermediate Match, Torano was coming into the $100,000 Grand Finale with zero faults and the best shot at the title of Rolex/USEF National Show Jumping Champion. He didn’t let his lead slip, riding the first round clear, and following up with a near perfect second round, only .39 of a second over the time allowed for a one-fault finish and the Championship title.

"Its great to win," said Jimmy Torano. "The competition carried a lot of prize money, and its nice that Rolex Watch sponsors the event. I won a lot of money here tonight." In fact, Torano took home the lion’s share of the $150,000 in prize money, which was spread over three classes. His total winnings amounted to $41,000.

In addition to his prize money check, Torano also received a Rolex timepiece. The watch came as a pleasant surprise to Jimmy Torano. Just before going on-field for the awards presentation, Torano had stripped his wrist of his own Rolex and handed it to his groom. "Before the class I said to my groom, 'if I win here today I will give you my Rolex.'" Torano duly handed it over before being presented with a new watch as part of his Championship award. “I had no idea I was going to receive a watch, so it was a nice surprise,” laughed Torano.

For the final leg of the Championship, course designer Steve Stephens built a 12-obstacle first round course. Five riders mastered the course. Going into the second round Jimmy Torano was still in the lead position with zero faults, Jeffrey Welles and Armani had six faults, and Amy Momrow and Summer Storm had six faults.

The second round course was a shorter 9-obstacle course that included a triple combination, fence no. 3, a tall vertical, fence no. 5, and a double combination, fence no. 7. The triple and the vertical proved to be the biggest tests.

The rider with the most faults was first in the order. Michael Walton, winner of the $20,000 Opening Match, was the first to go posting a clear round with Free People Onze Fonze. Rails came down for each successive rider, and the next clear round didn’t come until Jeffrey Welles and Armani, the second to last in the order. Welles finished with a total of six faults, as Jimmy Torano prepared to take his trip. Even with his zero fault lead there was still not much room for mistakes--two knockdowns would rob Jimmy Torano of the title.

Torano took it steady and rode the course beautifully. He pumped the air in victory after breaking the beam in 74.39 seconds with all the rails in place. “In the first round the time was tight, but in the second round I knew that going over would just cost me one fault for up to four seconds under the F.E.I rules, so time wasn’t a big deal.“

When asked how he guided Marcel through the triple combination, the obstacle that seemed to be the biggest test of the course, Torano replied, “He rubbed a rail on B and that woke him up and made him pay attention, but I didn’t see the triple as the biggest challenge. There were two tall verticles and I had to be careful to place him just right so as not to dive off the ground.” Jimmy Torano’s wife, Danielle, had ridden earlier and Jimmy had coached her before her round. “We talked it out and decided seven strides to no. 5, but it was too aggressive." Torano learned from his wife's mistake and took eight strides to clear no. 5.

The day proved to be a tremendous success for the Toranos. Jimmy Torano was crowned Rolex/USEF National Show Jumping Champion. Danielle Torano took fourth place in the Championship, and also won the $10,000 Junior/Amateur-Owner Jumper High Classic.

Jeffrey Welles and Armani took second place in the Championship. Amy Momrow and Summer Storm took third place in the Championship.