New York, N.Y. – Sept. 27, 2017 – In 2015, SBS Farms, Inc.’s head trainer Jennifer Alfano and Miss Lucy made history at the Rolex Central Park Horse Show by claiming the inaugural $50,000 Duchossois Cup, presented by the Gochman family and held in memory of Bruce Duchossois.
After spending most of 2016 recovering from a knee injury and only just making a comeback to the show ring earlier this year, Alfano returned to the iconic Wollman Rink once again with the talented 15-year-old Dutch Warmblood mare, owned by Sharon O’Neill, to take second place honors in the U.S. Open $50,000 Duchossois Cup, presented by the Gochman family and Dr. Betsee Parker, on Saturday at the 2017 Rolex Central Park Horse Show.
Thirteen riders competed over Bobby Murphy’s first round course, while the top 12 combinations were invited back to contend over a second round.
Coming off of their ninth place finish in this year’s USHJA International Hunter Derby Championship in August, Alfano and long-standing partner Miss Lucy were the final pair to enter the ring in the first round and impressed the panel of judges to earn the high score of 88 to take the lead heading into the second round. The pair executed another flawless performance in round two, staying consistent and scoring 88 once again for a final tally of 176. In the end, half a point separated Alfano and Miss Lucy from the blue ribbon, which went to Liza Boyd and O’Ryan. Hunt Tosh and Patriot rounded out the top three.
“Miss Lucy was great,” said Alfano. “She loves it here. She loves this kind of atmosphere. We’ve been together for a long time so I’m comfortable on her and I thought she was great. The course rode really well and you got to see good horses go really well.”
SBS Farms’ Kristy Herrera, who rode Miss Lucy to the 2016 USHJA International Hunter Derby Championship while Alfano was recovering from her knee injury, and Emily Cherney’s Kensi also competed in Saturday’s U.S. Open $50,000 Duchossois Cup. The pair finished ninth overall with a final score of 158.
“It was nice because Jennifer and Liza are such close friends and they were both cheering for each other,” said SBS Farms owner Susan Schoellkopf. “Jennifer and Miss Lucy have been at the top of their game for a long time and it’s nice to see them back together. We’re excited to see what’s to come for them next year as well as continuing to develop our babies and creating our next group of champions.”
The SBS Farms team will continue on with their fall competition schedule, which includes the Capital Challenge Horse Show Sept. 29–Oct. 8 and the Pennsylvania National Horse Show Oct. 12–21.
SBS Farms, Inc. continues the proud tradition of the Buffalo Saddle and Bridle Club as one of the top show stables in the Northeast. Located in Buffalo, New York, Susan Schoellkopf is the executive director of the Buffalo Therapeutic Riding Center, which houses both the Buffalo Equestrian Center as well as SBS Farms. Built in 1922, the 160-stall facility is a historical landmark, with its unique English Tudor and Gothic-style architecture.
For more information on SBS Farms, please visit www.sbsfarms.com. For more information on the Buffalo Therapeutic Riding Center, please visit www.thebtrc.org.
