Louis Jacobs and Kachina won the $10,000 Escada & Giorgio Armani Open Welcome Stake, Presented by Manchester Designer Outlets, on Friday, July 24, at the Vermont Summer Festival in East Dorset, VT. Photo Credit - David Mullinix Photography

July 24, 2009 – East Dorset, Vermont – Louis Jacobs of East Aurora, NY, and Kachina won the $10,000 Escada & Giorgio Armani Open Welcome Stake, Presented by Manchester Designer Outlets, on Friday, July 24, at the Vermont Summer Festival in East Dorset, VT.

Jacobs has been knocking on the door for a win in Vermont for the past two weeks, attempting to repeat his win from last year when he and Kachina claimed the $30,000 Otter Creek Grand Prix. Last week, the pair placed fourth in the $10,000 Hickey Freeman & Bobby Jones Welcome Stake before finishing 12th in the $30,000 Otter Creek Grand Prix.

The course set by Kenny Krome of Westminster, MD, featured some very difficult elements, including a very airy and tight combination heading toward the in-gate that would prove to be the downfall of more than half the entries.

Jacobs and Kachina, an 11-year-old selle francais mare owned by Jacobs’ Deeridge Farms, was the first of seven horse and rider combinations to post a clear round and advance to the jump-off. In the jump-off, Kachina cantered around the ring, clearing each of the obstacles with room to spare. Although they did not appear to be fast, their final time of 31.69 seconds would hold up for the win.

For his victory, Jacobs was awarded his share of the prize money as well a gift bag from sponsor Escada. Jacobs was happily relieved to find four envelops which each contained a $250 gift card.

“This means that everybody is happy,” said Jacobs. “Kachina’s groom has been asking about this for days!”

Ken Berkley of Flemington, NJ, had two horses qualify for the jump-off. Carlos Boy did everything that Berkley asked in their pursuit of victory, but even though the big grey made every turn and left the jumps intact, their time of 32.97 seconds was not quite fast enough and they had to settle for second. Berkley’s second mount, Amore Mio, also fell short, finishing fault-free but in a much slower time of 34.73 seconds to place fourth.

With his ability to ride precisely at incredible speed, Jimmy Torano of Fort Lauderdale, FL, can never be discounted in a jump-off. Torano qualified with Heechhiem’s Tampa, on whom he won the $30,000 Vermont Summer Special Grand Prix during the first of six weeks of competition at the Vermont Summer Festival. Torano and the gangly nine-year-old chestnut gelding negotiated the course in a time of 33.56 seconds, leaving every obstacle standing to finish in third place.

Fifth place went to Sally Hinkle Russell of Gales Ferry, CT, with her horse, Fair Winds. Russell completed the first round fault-free and was ecstatic to move forward to the jump-off in her first big class with Fair Winds. She piloted the horse through the course perfectly until the last fence when she opted to do a direct six strides and had the rail down.

Hugh Mutch of Mill Neck, NY, and PF Twister II also contested the jump-off but, after knocking down a rail at the second fence, Mutch slowed the horse and completed the remainder of the course fault free with a time of 40.21 to take home the sixth place.

Sloane Coles of The Plains, VA, and Chalvino Z proceeded to the jump-off course and were doing a very handy job of clearing the fences but a bit of disobedience turning the corner to the double combination forced a circle followed by another rail down and time penalties to place seventh.

The Vermont Summer Festival continues with the fourth week of competition, the Valley Classic Horse Show, highlighted by the $30,000 Mount Equinox Grand Prix, Presented by Hand Motors, on Sunday, July 26.

Running through to August 9, 2009, the six-week Vermont Summer Festival is the largest “AA” rated Running through to August 9, 2009, the six-week Vermont Summer Festival is the largest “AA” rated hunter/jumper horse show in New England, as well as the richest sporting event based on purse in the state of Vermont, offering more than $750,000 in prize money. For more information about the Vermont Summer Festival, please e-mail: info@vt-summerfestival.com or visit www.vt-summerfestival.com.

Rider Hometown Horse Faults Time
1. Louis Jacobs East Aurora, NY Kachina 0:0 31.69
2. Ken Berkley Flemington, NJ Carlos Boy 0:0 32.97
3. Jimmy Torano Fort Lauderdale, FL Heechhiem’s Tampa 0:0 33.56
4. Ken Berkley Flemington, NJ Amore Mio 0:0 34.73
5. Sally Hinkle Russell Gales Ferry, CT Fair Winds 0:4 33.85
6. Hugh Mutch Mill Neck, NY PF Twister II 0:4 40.21
7. Sloane Coles The Plains, VA Chalvino Z 0:16
8. Sarah Wayda Southampton, NJ Faroukh 4