Mill Spring, North Carolina, United States – May 10, 2025 – Capping off the second week of competition in the Tryon Spring Series presented by Fields Auto Group, BMW Asheville, Mercedes Asheville and Defender, JJ Torano (USA) and JET Show Stable’s Vitus K (Verdi TN x Evita) depart from Tryon International with a $30,000 Earl Scruggs Music Festival Grand Prix win under their belts.

The fourteen-year-old Torano challenged the Oscar Soberon (PUR) course on three horses, with two making the cut to the jump off.  

“He’s a horse that I got just over a year ago,” Grand Prix victor JJ Torano said of Vitus K, the 2010 Hanoverian gelding. “Kent Farrington came to my dad and me with the opportunity, and we really couldn’t find a better horse than him. He’s a little bit on the older side, but he loves his job. He comes out, gives 110 percent, and wants to win every single time.”

The winners set the pace early as the first to see the jump off track, and couldn’t be caught as Torano and Vitus K clocked in a 35.66 second short round.“We know each other very well, and we have a strong bond and connection. I went in [the jump off] first, so I had really nothing to lose,” Torano said, recounting his bold jump off performance with Vitus K. “I put it all out there, and I knew we could count on each other. Obviously, in the end, it worked out, and I can’t thank my horse enough.”

Emily Dehoff (USA) took The Sporty Game,’s Manou de Muze (Arko x Juno de Muze) to the second place spot on the podium. Dehoff and the 2012 Belgian Warmblood mare stopped jump off timers at 37.72 seconds.

Rounding out the top three, JJ Torano then rode Chewbacca HCC (Clarimo x Wanda VII) to a double clear effort, taking third on 45.63 seconds with the 2012 Holsteiner gelding owned by Isalou Inc. & JET Show Stable.

Making his second appearance in the jump-off with Chewbacca HCC, Torano laid down another double clear performance to make it to the podium. “I went for a smooth, slow, clear round and I ended up third, so I couldn’t be happier. [Chewbacca HCC is] my dad’s mount, and a little bit of a newer mount for me. I’m really happy with all three of my horses tonight!”

As the youngest rider in the Grand Prix, Torano detailed how he handles the pressures of competition at this level. “I just try to ride everything like it’s a new day, a new round, and I don’t try to think on the past or what I’ve won before. Just going in, counting on my team and my horses, and not overthinking is really what helps me.”

“We make this stop on our way up north for the summer,” Torano noted in his post-win interview. “We go to Devon next, but this is an annual stop on our tour. We’ll be back next year, and hopefully many years after that.

“We love this place! We’re a very laid back crew,” he shared, noting that the JET Show Stable team stays on site and enjoys Tryon’s lineup of restaurants. “Really, this is one of our favorite stops on our entire U.S. tour,” he concluded. 

Final Results – $30,000 Earl Scruggs Music Festival Grand Prix

1) JJ Torano (USA) & Vitus K – 0 / 0 – 35.666

2) Emily Dehoff (USA) & Manou de Muze – 0 / 0 – 37.727

3) JJ Torano (USA) & Chewbacca HCC – 0 / 0 – 45.639

Source: Press Release by Rette Solomon for Tryon International

Photo: © TIEC / Leyla Caynak & Bailey Beck for Natalie Suto Photography

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