Wilton James Porter Is Tops In The $10,000 North American League Children's Jumper Final

Annville, PA - Last to go proved to be the best in the $10,000 North American League Children's Jumper Final held at the Pennsylvania National Horse Show in Harrisburg PA.

Wilton James Porter of Bartonville, TX was one of 16 riders to qualify for the jump-off after completing a fault free first round on his mount Benvolio. There was nothing "sleepy" about the diminutive 13 year old and his 19-year-old partner, representing the Sleepy P Ranch, as they entered the ring with a look of determination and had the entire crowd behind them with a spectacular tight turn to the Liverpool, which gave them the time advantage.  With the crowd cheering and Porter urging his mount on they crossed through the timers with 24.443 flashing on the scoreboard and all the seven elements still standing. 

Marque Cincotta, who rides out of Centennial Farm in Palmetto, FL, the leader as Porter entered the ring, had to settle for second place with Chappie in a time of 25.622 over the course."It helped that I was last in the jump-off," said Porter.  "Because I could watch, I learned how to ride the course better.  Benvolio, the name is from Romeo & Juliet, has lots of miles and is very careful.  He is very forgiving and cuts me a lot of slack, hen I make a mistake he teaches me.""I've only been riding him for a year and this is my first time at Harrisburg.  I was 7th last week at Washington.  I had the last rail down in the jump-off.  The NAL division has given me a taste of the jumpers.  I want to move up to Modified Juniors and then Juniors and maybe a little bit of equitation."

Only the top 30 horse and riders combinations, determined from points garnered in competitions held all year throughout the country are invited to compete in the NAL finals.  If today's performance is anything to go by, we will be seeing much more of this eighth grader who trains out of his family's Sleepy P Ranch outside of Dallas with Ivan Zamora, a Grand prix rider from Monterrey, Mexico.