Buffalo, Ny. – April 3, 2017 – Having just recently returned from a lengthy hiatus following a knee injury, Jennifer Alfano is back in full form, winning the $15,000 USHJA National Hunter Derby again aboard famed mount Jersey Boy during week two. Just last year Alfano won the same class riding The Exchange and took the $30,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby aboard Dutch Warmblood Miss Lucy the following day.
“It’s amazing to be back on Lewis (Jersey Boy) and to have him go like that after so long was really cool,” exclaimed Alfano.
“It was a nice course today,” she said. “There were tight turns and places you could gallop, which made for a good course overall.”
Jersey Boy, a 15-year-old Hanoverian gelding, is legendary in the Hunter show ring as three-time USEF Horse of the Year (2009-2011) and winner of the 2012 USHJA International Hunter Derby Championship.
Alfano credits her SBS Farms team for their support following her injury in May 2016 at Devon until she was able to return to competition on Day No. 1 of Pin Oak.
“My girls at the barn, Alicia Heberle and Abby Strohmeyer, have been amazing through this whole thing and not just with Lewis but with everything,” she said. “Everybody has gone out of their way to make this OK for me, and that really means a lot.”
Kristy Herrera also had success with Helen Lenahan’s Miss Lucy, placing fourth this year aboard the Dutch Warmblood.
Coming in as reserve champion of the 3’6 Green Hunter Division was Peter Pletcher aboard Girl Crush, an 8-year-old Holsteiner mare. Pletcher ribboned in fourth place in both the Over Fences and Under Saddle classes and won the blue in the Handy Round to secure the championship title.
Kathy Chiaf rode her own Sweetwater, an 8-year-old Mecklenburg, to victory to claim reserve champion in the Adult Amateur 50 & Over Hunter Division. The pair placed first and third in the Over Fences portion, second in the Handy Over Fences, and second in the Stake Over Fences. Chiaf also placed well with mount Silver Lining, ribboning five times throughout the division classes.
Expertly navigating the courses, Peter Pletcher and Kathy Chiaf’s Kindred also dominated across classes for SBS Farms. The winning combination collected three blue ribbons for top honors in the 3’ Green Hunter Stake OF*, the Texas Super Stake, and the USHJA Green Incentive.
Back north in Buffalo, SBS Farm’s riders were busy making their mark on the Buffalo Showtime Spring Classic. Emma Walters and Crisp claimed the Children’s Hunter Championship on day one and the Reserve Championship on day two and finished as Circuit Champions with help from trainer Hannah Duffy.
Zoe Schaab and Luck Charm brought home the Children’s Pony Championship two days in a row and brought home another circuit championship for SBS Farms.
Amanda Calistro and Serato placed first in two jumper classes while Emma Walters piloted Serato to two more wins in the jumper ring on day one.
SBS Farm’s riders will take to the ring for one final week down south at the upcoming Spring Gathering Horse Show and are sure to continue the success that they have had all winter season.
SBS Farms, Inc. continues the proud tradition of the Saddle and Bridle Club as one of the top show stables in the Northeast. Susan Schoellkopf is also the executive director of the Buffalo Therapeutic Riding Center, which houses both the Buffalo Equestrian Center as well as SBS Farms, Inc. Built in 1922, the 160-stall facility is a historical landmark, with its unique English Tudor and Gothic-style architecture.
