HARRISBURG, Pa.--Tori Corts on Semi Automatic won the $30,000 1.40m Welcome on Thursday evening, October 16, at the Pennsylvania National Horse Show. 

Tori Corts on Semi Automatc (Photo by Andrew Ryback)He actually hit the first jump, which is very unlike him, and then he touched the second jump as well,” Corts said of her first round. “So, then I was like, ‘All right, it’s fine, he’ll get into it.’ Then I came around, and I had a really bad distance, but then he started jumping really, really well.”

“There was an inside turn from fence one to two, and I didn’t really want to take the option,” said Corts after the jump-off. “I saw that when Laura Chapot went in, she actually didn’t do it. So, I was like, ‘Okay, maybe I won’t have to do it.’ Then, my brother-in-law’s cousin told me, ‘Just commit to it. Just do it.’”

Corts did it, and it paid off as she finished in a winning 40.26 seconds.

Second in 42.60 seconds was Seth Vallhonrat on Lordy-P, and Chapot on Ginola was third in 42.73 seconds.

Corts bred Semi Automatic and also competed the gelding’s mother, Rockstar, in the junior jumpers.

“Their canter is really similar,” Corts said. “On Rockstar, I always felt like I could see my distance through the turn. I feel the same way about him. He’s super careful and really wants to win.”

“Obviously all my horses I’ve had throughout my career – I love them all, but he’s a little extra special, I have to say,” Corts said.

 

IN THE $20,000 1.30m Welcome, Chapot won the class on Tyson’s Fury for the second night, and Chapot’s third class in a row.

Chapot finished in 30.46 seconds to win

Chapot has been bringing the 8-year-old Irish Sport Horse mare up the levels over the last four years.

Finishing second in the $20,000 1.30m Welcome was Christian Coyle on Ma Pomme de Tamerville in 31.18 seconds, and Marylisa Leffler and Zaza Z was third in 32..88 seconds

Sophie Broown-Proctor on Incandescent was Amateur Owner Hunter Grand Champion. 

As a junior studying finance at Fordham University in New York City, Sophie Brown-Proctor does not have as much time as she would like to ride, but thanks to her trainers Nicole and Jenny Wright, her horse Incandescent was in top form coming to this year’s Pennsylvania National Horse Show.

Brown-Protor won the 3’6″ Amateur Owner Hunter 18-35 division championship and the Grand 3’6″ Amateur Owner Hunter Champion.

“Incandescent honestly was really the same everywhere which was a really good feeling, and everything came out of the corner really nicely for me,” said Brown-Proctor.

Marybeth McGee was the 3’6″ Amateur Owner Hunter Championship 36 and Over on Sergant Drew Wu Jof.

“I’ve never been champion at a big national horse show, and it was so emotional,” she said. “He’s the best horse ever, and he’s just been so consistent all season.”