After Michael Tokaruk won the Restricted Pro 3′ Final at the American Hunter-Jumper Foundation’s Legacy Cup, the resulting response was: Who is Michael Tokaruk?

The 24-year-old from Memphis, Tenn., laughed when he recalled the post-event press conference and the resulting media attention he received following his victory during the Kentucky Spring Horse Shows, May 11-22 in Lexington.

“Not many people know who I am,” he admitted with a smile.

But it probably won’t be long before his name will roll off the tongue. Along with his show hunter prowess, Tokaruk has made his grand prix show jumping debut and earned ribbons aboard Lord Byron, Lexus and Optimistic over the past two seasons.

Tokaruk’s Legacy Cup victory was perhaps as surprising to him as it was to those who’d never heard of him. As the professional rider for trainer David Pellegrini’s Spring Mill Farm, Tokaruk ventured to Kentucky on his own with three horses.

“We decided to go at the last-minute,” he said. “Dave had prior obligations, so I hooked up with Alex Jayne, who helped me with the horses. Dave is great. He had the confidence in me and the horses to let me take care of it all myself.”

Keeping His Word

Tokaruk, a native of Canada, moved to the United States at age 15. After living in Illinois and New Jersey, his family now resides in Tennessee.

Tokaruk spent his high school years in New Jersey, where he was a working student with Ken Berkley, Gary Zook and Scott Stewart. “I always knew I wanted to do horses professionally. I took a year off [between high school and college], but I had to sign a contract,” he added, laughing. “My parents wanted me to go to college, but it turned out to be the best decision. I had a great time in college. And now I have the rest of my life to do the horses.”

Tokaruk attended Drew University (N.J.) for two years so he could continue riding and showing with Berkley and Stewart. He enjoyed the college life but believed that the experience could be more enriching. Plus, as a political science major, he wanted more action.

“Drew is small and a quaint little town, so I decided I wanted a change of scenery,” he said. “So I went off to George Washington University, where I was living six blocks from the White House.”

But his summer vacations were spent far from the beaches and relaxed locales typical of many college students. Tokaruk ventured over to the Netherlands to work in a sales barn so he could add to his equine education.

“It was a great experience and served me well in the future,” he said. “But I’ve never worked so hard for so little money! I made from $50 to $75 per week for maybe 15 to 16 hours per day. It was all about the experience, though.”

After graduating from GWU in 2003, he accepted a position with Pellegrini and has established himself as an up-and-coming rider and trainer. With Pellegrini’s barn of 60 horses, there’s plenty of room for Tokaruk to expand his education. And the hunters were a part of that.

“As a junior, I did the equitation and jumpers. And now that I’m riding with Dave I have mostly hunters because there are 60 horses in the barn and maybe 55 of them are hunters. I was forced into riding the hunters, but it’s something I always wanted to do.

“The Legacy Cup was for sure my biggest accomplishment as a hunter rider,” he added. “I hope to build on it and keep going. It’s nice to be at a show that recognizes the professionals and the different levels of riders. I’ve always admired Louise Serio, Peter Pletcher and the people who have been at the top of the sport for a decade or longer. When you’re just getting started, it’s great to compete with them, but it’s also great to be recognized among those who are in the same boat you are.”

Tokaruk’s winning performance at the Legacy Cup was aboard Mary Haley Hamm’s Polaroid, a 7-year-old Dutch Warmblood who was found in the Netherlands through Joe Norik.

Tokaruk was proud of the bay gelding for his bravery because it was their first indoor show. Polaroid, a pre-green horse, had shown four weeks on the Gulf Coast (La.) circuit and contested one two-week local show before taking on the Legacy Cup.

“I really didn’t know what to expect,” Tokaruk admitted. “But he just marched around. He had one little spook in the first go around [they placed ninth], but he was great in the final.”

In addition to winning the Restricted Pro 3′ Final, Tokaruk and Polaroid also placed ninth in the Pro 3′ Finals and earned the Restricted Pro 3′ championship.

“My goal was just to make the finals on all three horses,” said Tokaruk, who also rode Bonafide to ninth in the final and Manrin Rains’ Herzgraf to ninth in the Restricted Pro 3’6″ Final. “And when I did that I said, ‘Hey, I want to win this thing.’ “

Polaroid rose to the challenge and didn’t put a foot wrong in the final. “He’s a very impressive horse,” said Tokaruk. “He’s about 16.3 hands, with a big white star. He has a great face. He’s one of those horses that when he’s going around you have to stop and watch him. We knew when we got him he was a special horse, and I think he’ll get better and better the more he learns the American way.”

Polaroid earned his name, in part, from that presence. “We kicked around a few names, and I came up with this one,” said Tokaruk. “It just suits him. He’s very photogenic, and his owner, Mary Haley, is into photography, so it works all around.”

He’s Optimistic

Tokaruk would also like to tackle the bigger fences on a regular basis. And with three grand prix mounts to compete this season, he’s looking forward to a summer of excitement and education aboard Lord Byron, Lexus and Optimistic.

Tokaruk purchased Lord Byron after he competed the horse for owner Ann Magnus. After an injury sidelined Lord Byron, Tokaruk is now bringing him back to the ring. Their return to grand prix was during the Nashville Classic Horse Show (Tenn.) June 1-4.

“At the end of April he won a mini prix his first time back,” said Tokaruk. “It’s a great feeling that he’s recovered and is on his way back to top form.”

Tokaruk’s newest grand prix mount is Optimistic, a horse with a penchant for disguising his true talent. Tokaruk bought him in the Netherlands as a 5-year-old. He then sold the horse to a client in the barn, and they slowly ascertained Optimistic is a horse with a promising future.

“He has the most amazing personality,” said Tokaruk. “We discovered his scope because he started jumping out of his paddock. He’d trot three steps and jump out. And he’d visit the horses in that paddock and then jump into the next paddock to see those horses. When he was tired, he’d jump out completely and go back into his stall.”

Tokaruk said the neighbors were starting to complain that he was getting loose all of the time, so since then they’ve been hand walking and riding him.

“Now I realize he has more scope than I ever thought,” he said. “Before that, I taught lessons on him and thought he was a children’s/adult jumper. I used to show him in the regular working division to fill it. But since he’s not able to romp around, he’s a different horse and jumping grand prix. He got a ribbon in his first grand prix at Germantown [Tenn.] last month.”

Now that Tokaruk is becoming established, he sees himself in the sport for the long haul. “I went to Las Vegas for the World Cup Final, and it was so inspirational,” he said. “I realize I have a long way to go, and it will take a very special horse. But it’s a goal to be at that level some day.”

He hopes someday too that his younger brother, Luke Tokaruk, will join him in a business. Luke is now attending college and working for Missy Clark’s North Run, preparing horses and managing her barn on the road.

“I don’t have an endless bankroll, so hopefully things will keep happening and I’ll work my way up,” he added. “It feels good to come this far from hard work, and hopefully that will be true in the future. And the Legacy Cup was very rewarding. It’s great to be recognized when you’re moving up the ladder.”