Articles: Horse News
Jennifer Alfano and SBS Farms' Jersey Boy Top The $25,000 Chronicle of the
Horse/USHJA International Hunter Derby
Contact:
Jessica Nemzoff for Phelps Media Group, Inc.
at (561) 753-3389 or at pmginfo@phelpsmediagroup.com
Buffalo, New York - June 8, 2010 - Topping off a successful week at the
Devon Horse Show and Country Fair, SBS Farms added one more victory to their
list of accolades as Jersey Boy and Jennifer Alfano captured the win in the
$25,000 Chronicle of the Horse/USHJA International Hunter Derby on June 6,
2010.
Alfano and Jersey Boy were the only duo to break a 400 point score overall
after they earned 198 points in round one and 202.5 points in the handy for
a two round total of 400.5 points. After returning to the second round with
the highest first round score of 198, the duo secured their win with a hand
gallop to the last jump in the second round that was flawlessly executed,
and rewarded accordingly with the 202.5 points they needed to top the 29
horse field.
The United States Hunter Jumper Association (USHJA) developed the
International Hunter Derbies to create a Grand Prix for show hunters,
allowing horses and riders to demonstrate their athleticism and style over a
course of more challenging obstacles than would typically be seen in the
hunter ring.
Those challenges are what make the derbies so well suited to Jersey Boy, who
Alfano described as "kind of like that really talented, really smart kid in
school, who is always goofing off," but explained, "that is why he is so
much fun, and also why he is so good at the derbies, he needs those
challenges to make him focus on the task at hand."
SBS Farms trainer and director Susie Schoellkopf agreed, saying "He found
his niche, he started in the 5 & 6 Year Old Jumpers, and then moved on to
the Second Year Green Hunters and ended up being champion at Harrisburg and
Devon that year. His focus is definitely on the derbies, he's a little bit
of a comedian, but he also knows when it is important. For instance, this
Devon derby win - It was hard for me to not be able to be there as I had to
be in Buffalo to care for my mother, who is not in good health. Jen is
amazing, and Jersey Boy just kind of knew, somehow, that it was an important
day to pull that class off, and he did, he came out and gave it his all."
Alfano was happy to be able to win the class for Schoellkopf, and said "It
was really nice to be able to have this win for her, I was glad to be able
to give her something to cheer her up a little bit."
The $25,000 Chronicle of the Horse/USHJA International Hunter Derby at Devon
was the last derby of the 2009-2010 qualifying season. Alfano and Jersey Boy
topped off another incredible season earning the high score award overall
and remaining at the top of the standings, where they have stood since the
derbies inception two years ago. Schoellkopf commented on the victory
concluding another outstanding derby year, saying, "To clench the high score
award overall for the second year in the row, without even doing that many
derbies, really says something about Jersey Boy and about Jen, who has
created so many derby horses and done so well with all of them."
Jersey Boy was not Alfano's only ride in the ribbons, she also captured
fifth place aboard Meredith Lipke's The Specialist. "The Specialist has been
knocking at the door," said Schoellkopf, "and to be fifth in such a big
class was great for him." Earlier in the week, The Specialist and owner
Meredith Lipke rode to second place honors in the Amateur-Owner Hunter 36 &
Over stake class at the Devon Horse Show after earning an impressive score
of 88 points in a field of tough competitors.
SBS Farms looks forward to the summer months as they head to prestigious
horse shows such as Saratoga and Lake Placid. Come September, Alfano will
take center stage in the Hunter Derby Demonstration at the 2010 Alltech FEI
World Equestrian Games in Lexington, KY. Chronicle of the Horse Show Hunter
Horsewoman of the Year, Alfano, recently received one of only two initial
bys to participate in this unprecedented display of the show hunter
discipline on the world stage as she and Jersey Boy have led the derby
standings as long as they have been in existence.
For more information on SBS Farms, please visit www.thebtrc.org
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