SBS Farms' Jennifer Alfano Continues Reign in Hunter Divisions and Derbies at Chagrin Valley Hunter Jumper Horse Show
RELEASE: July 24, 2009
AUTHOR/ADMINISTRATOR: By Jennifer Wood
It was another stellar week of competition for SBS Farms and trainer/rider Jennifer Alfano of Buffalo, NY. Alfano won four professional hunter championships. She and Jersey Boy won the Grand Hunter Championship as well as the $10,000
Chronicle of the Horse/United States Hunter Jumper Association (USHJA) International Hunter Derby.
Jersey Boy, who is owned by SBS Farms, won all four jumping classes in the Regular Working Hunter division and was third in the under saddle. These great ribbons gave them the championship in the division as well as the Grand Hunter Championship. Alfano also rode Rock Star, owned by Bright Star 158, LLC, to three second-place finishes in the Regular Working Hunters.
In the $10,000 hunter derby, Jersey Boy won both rounds to take another huge prize home for this year and increased his lead in the national standings. Alfano rode Sting, owned by Helen Lenahan, to third place in the derby.
"The derby was nice, and the course was beautiful. There were a lot of bending lines and unrelated distances. They did a great job with the landscaping too. It went later in the day so that it was highlighted, and it had a pretty big crowd and a party under the tent," Alfano described. "Jersey Boy was excellent in both rounds. Sting had some little mistakes the first round, but moved up a lot in the second round for the handy."
In the First Year Green Hunters, Alfano won with Kid Rock, who is also owned by Bright Star 158. Kid Rock won the under saddle and handy hunter classes, and he placed first, second, and third in the remaining over fences classes. On Helen Lenahan's Extraordinary, Alfano picked up two more second places in the division.
"The show went really well, and all of the horses were really good," Alfano said. "We had a great week. We won a lot, and it was nice. Kid Rock has been really great. He's matured a lot, and he's starting to get really consistent. He keeps getting better and better, so I'm pretty excited about him."
Alfano was also the champion of the Green Conformation Hunters on South Beach, owned by Bright Star 158. They won the model, the under saddle, and an over fences class and were second, third, and third in the other jumping classes.
Her final championship of the week came in the Second Year Green Hunters on The Specialist, owned by Meredith Lipke Bartolone. They won four classes in the division and were third in the remaining class.
Bartolone took over the ride on The Specialist in the Amateur-Owner Over 35 Hunter division. They won the handy hunter and two other jumping classes and picked up second and third places for the championship. On her other horse, Once and Again, Bartolone won a class and was third, fifth, and fifth in the division.
A full contingent of riders from SBS Farms showed in Chagrin. Madison Brayman placed second in the ASPCA Maclay class and was third in the USEF Junior Medal and WIHS Equitation jumper phase. She rode Peter Pan for Wonderland Farm, LLC, to two seconds, and a third, fourth, and fifth in the Large Junior 15 & Under Hunters.
Alicia Heberle was also successful in the equitation classes. She placed third in the hunter phase and fourth in the jumper phase to finish third overall in the WIHS Equitation. She was also fourth in the USEF Show Jumping Talent Search and fifth in the USEF Junior Medal.
Caroline Schutte placed third in the THIS Children's Medal and was third as well in the Children's 14 & Under Hunters on Spartacus, owned by the Buffalo Therapeutic Riding Center (BTRC). Sara Rimmer piloted the BTRC's Bravado and Bronwyn Andersen's Cover Charge to top ribbons in the Children's Hunters and was sixth in the THIS Children's Medal. Kathleen Kozlowski rode Mick O' Angelo to good ribbons in the Children's Jumpers.
"It was nice to have a bunch of people there. A lot of kids that didn't go to Florida and haven't done a lot we