GLADSTONE, N.J.--JJ Toraano won the USEF Show Jumping Talent Search Finals – East on Sunday, Oct. 4, at the USET Headquarters.

JJ Torano on Oak Grove's Carlyle (Photo by USEF)Torano rode Oak Grove’s Carlyle, owned by his family's JET Show Run Stable pver the two days of competition.

Following his wins in the Medal in 2024 and the Maclay in 2025, Torano has now won the three most prestigious equitation competitions, with this one concentrating more on those talents that lead towards being successful in international jumping. 

The first two phases on Saturday featured flat work and gymnastics tests.

Riders returned Sunday morning for Phase III, and a newly formatted Phase IV, both designed to test precision, effectiveness, and adherence to the classical American style of riding.

Phase III featured a technical course set at 1.15m in height, which included questions also seen at the top level of the sport, including multiple combinations and an open water jump, challenging the juniors to execute accurately and efficiently.

 

SCORES from this phase carried a multiplier of two, with the top 10 advancing to the final round.

Based on cumulative standings, the top 10 returned for a modified winning round over a shortened track, similar to a jump-off round.

They were evaluated on their ability to ride an accurate and timely round while maintaining control and demonstrating the horse’s ability to jump clear.

Scores again counted for double in Phase IV, with the highest overall total score accumulated across the four phases determining the champion.

Torano entered the final phase at the top the leaderboard after a polished and effective round in Phase III, earning him the highest score of the phase, an impressive 94.

Torano maintained his position in the top three across both days of competition, receiving a score of 94 for both the flat work and gymnastics phases.

He won the championship after a Phase IV score of 87 to finish on a winning total of 597.

"I liked the new format this year,” Torano said. “The first three phases went quite well. I’ve known ‘Carlyle’ for a while now; he took me to the win in the equitation down in Wellington, but this is our biggest win since then. I’m grateful to have him as my horse.”

The victory marks another milestone in an exceptional season for Torano, who recently celebrated international wins representing the United States in Aachen, Germany, during the CSI-Y Aachen, hosted alongside the 2026 FEI Jumping World Championships.

“This is my third time at this final,” Torano said. “It’s definitely a good feeling to walk away with the win, knowing many of the top U.S. riders who have gone on to represent the team on the biggest stages, have also won this final. I hope to make it there one day too.”

Judges Chris Kappler and Michael Tokaruk praised this year’s combinations for their adaptability and effectiveness across all four phases.

“I really enjoyed the jump-off,” said Kappler. “It was fun seeing where each rider made their choices; whether to go for it or set themselves up quieter for the next fence. There was a lot of good strategy with each athlete, and we see great potential in each one.”

“Our intention was for the flat work to set up a good gymnastics day,” said Tokaruk. “And the gymnastics to further prepare the riders for the jumping rounds today. We were really happy with the results.”

Adriana Forte of Water Mill, N.Y., on Commander Bond finished second, close behind Torano with a total score of 584.5.

“The gymnastics round really set us up to be successful on the final day,” Forte said. “I really tried my best with each forward movement and felt confident going into today knowing how successful we were yesterday.”

Baylee Rowan of Little Compton, R.I., on Watermelon was third with an overall score of 580.75. 

“It’s been a great year with ‘Melon’,” she said. “He’s got a ton of personality and he’s so special to ride. He gives me the best feeling any horse ever has. The format of the finals this year was really cool, and Melon responded well to the change.”

Along with Torano, Forte and Rowan, Elizabeth Rinehart, Eleanor Pieters, Alexa Curry , Parker Peacock, Campbell Cauthen, Kaitlyn Anne Linck and Violet Tatum were those invited back for Phase IV.

featured flat work and gymnastics tests