The Torano Family: United By Horses And At Home In Wellington
By Lauren Fisher
The husband-and-wife team of Jimmy and Danielle Torano has been a staple of the Winter Equestrian Festival and the South Florida equestrian scene for decades.
Jimmy grew up in Miami, riding with his mother as a child and competing in the hunter/jumper ranks as a junior with top trainer Don Stewart. At the age of 18, he turned professional and began working as a rider and trainer at Palm Beach Polo & Country Club.
Several years later, Jimmy met Danielle Laurenzo when she came to train at the facility in her final junior year. Danielle started at a young age as well, riding with Leslie (Burr) Howard, before meeting Jimmy in 1990. While Jimmy was training Danielle, the pair also began dating. They became engaged in 1993 and married in 1995.
During this time, Jimmy decided to start his own business, and JET Show Stables found its home base at Danielle’s family farm in Fort Lauderdale. Jimmy and Danielle have since ridden at the Winter Equestrian Festival every season, making the commute from Fort Lauderdale for years, until recently moving to a new facility here in Wellington.
That makes the busy show days much easier, which is now a necessity as the couple also has two children who keep them constantly on the go.
In 2006, daughter Natalia was born, and in 2010, Jimmy Jr., or “JJ,” followed. Each child sat on the back of a pony before they could even walk, competing in the leadline division at WEF as babies, and developing an immediate love of the family sport. Now 10 years old, Natalia is showing this year in the Children’s Ponies, while JJ, at 6, hopes to move up to the Short Stirrup.
The Torano family lives right down the street from the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center in Wellington’s Equestrian Club. This December, the Toranos celebrated their 21st wedding anniversary, and the couple heads into the 2017 show season with the whole family ready to compete.
“It is so convenient when everything is right here,” Danielle said of the kids growing up at WEF. “They look forward to going to the show, and even when they are not riding, they like being around and hanging out with their friends. This is a huge part of our life, and we are thankful that it is right near our home.”
The winter season is always a busy time for the family.
“I think it is busier than it has ever been in recent years,” Danielle said. “We always look forward to the WEF circuit. At one point we did not do customers; we just had sale horses, so that was a big deal to have horses ready at that time of the year so that people could look at them. Now we do both the sale horses and customers, so WEF is definitely a focal point of our year.”
Jimmy agreed.
“Now that we have a farm here in Wellington, showing at WEF is way more convenient. We are already bursting at the seams with horses. Every day we get calls. We have a lot of new clients and new horses,” he said. “I am riding some outside horses; Danielle and I are both doing the grand prix events; and now the kids are riding, so it is going to be a very busy winter for us. I have been helping the kids at home, and I try to come and watch them and be supportive when they are showing. It is fun having them ride; they seem to be enjoying it.”
A typical day for the Torano family in Wellington is always on the move. During the week, Jimmy is at the showgrounds Tuesday through Sunday, “pretty much sunrise to sunset,” Danielle said. The busy mom is in and out during the week. She rides in the morning and shows during the day, but always tries to be done in time to pick the kids up from school. She then spends the evenings running them around to different activities, and when Jimmy is done for the day, he joins in on the fun.
“The kids are involved in so many things, so they keep us on the move,” Danielle said. “My son plays baseball and basketball, and my daughter does ice skating and ballet, so they are pretty busy. I am the chauffeur. After 2 o’clock comes, I am in the car driving them around.”
On the weekends, it is all about the horse show. With their close home location, the kids are able to ride and then come and go during the days, but when they do not have other activities, the family is at the farm and showgrounds for the duration of Saturday and Sunday.
“Normally, we have around 25 horses in our stable, and they all alternate in and out to show, and then Jimmy has some outside customers that he helps,” Danielle explained. “Then he has a lot of catch rides this time of year in the hunters and jumpers. He has had days where he has ridden more than 20 horses in one day. Don’t ask me how — I couldn’t do it!”
The couple also has fun competing together in some of the same classes and enjoys the friendly competition and support.
“I actually prefer it now when we are both competing in a class,” Danielle said. “It feels like it takes the pressure off of one of us because we kind of have two shots. There have been a couple of times Jimmy hasn’t shown, and I hate it. Then all of the pressure is on me to win some money! We have been showing together for so long. It has definitely been a journey, but we much prefer to do it together.”
While any equestrian will tell you that horses take up most of their time, and any parent will say that kids do the same, Jimmy and Danielle still find time for themselves. Danielle took up tennis four years ago, and the couple enjoys playing every Monday. They also stay in shape with cardio workouts on Mondays and Tuesdays with some fellow equestrians.
During the summers, JET Show Stables is based in Mohrsville, Pa., and the horses are trucked up there in May to compete at the top Northeast venues. Danielle stays in Wellington until the school year is over for the kids, and they join Jimmy up north for the remainder of the season.
As an equestrian family, traveling is a major part of the lifestyle, but for at least part of the year, the Torano family get to stay home in Wellington. The Winter Equestrian Festival unites the family’s love of horses, with competition for every level at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center.
