WORCESTER, MA - September 24, 2004 - After two days of competition at the five-day 2004 Marshall & Sterling League National Indoor Finals in Worcester, Massachusetts, Jennifer Alfano of Buffalo, New York, has earned a slew of awards - Regular Working Hunter Champion, Green Working Hunter Reserve Champion, Leading Hunter Rider, and two Horse of the Year awards. "It's great," said Alfano, who successfully defended her title as the reigning Leading Hunter Rider of the 2003 Marshall & Sterling Finals. "I'm very lucky because I have a fabulous group of horses and owners that support me and send their horses with me. The owners and the horses get all the credit really." Produced by Horse Shows In The Sun (HITS), the Marshall & Sterling League National Indoor Finals runs from September 22-26 at the Worcester's Centrum Centre.

Only 700 qualified riders - professionals, juniors, and amateurs - are invited to compete at the Marshall & Sterling League National Indoor Finals, and only 19 can emerge as champions. Alfano has already claimed one of those championships, successfully garnering the Regular Working Hunter National Championship Award riding GG Valentine for owner Barbara Kearney. "She's my perfect angel," said Alfano of the 16.1-hand, nine-year-old, bay Mecklenberg mare. "I can always count on her in the Working. Nothing fazes her, she loves new places, and she jumps great." Alfano has had the ride on GG Valentine for four years, starting her off as a First Year Horse.

Alfano claimed the Green Working Hunter Reserve Championship aboard Gandolf owned by Helen Lenehan. "It's always a little harder, obviously, for a First Year Horse doing this indoors, but he was very good," said Alfano. "He stayed very consistent. He was a little star-struck in the first class but he still went in and jumped great and did his job. He didn't let it fluster him." Alfano has been riding the 16.2-hand, 10-year-old, Oldenburg, dark bay gelding for two years, competing him in the Pre-Green Division last year. At the 2003 Marshall & Sterling League Finals, Alfano and Gandolf claimed the Pre-Green Hunter Championship.

Based on points earned for each division, Alfano racked up the numbers to earn the 2004 Marshall & Sterling League Leading Hunter Rider, claiming that honor for the second consecutive year. "It really is a tribute to my horses," said Alfano. "They were all so good and it's really because of them."

Topping off her ribbon roundup so far at the show, Alfano claimed the Marshall & Sterling League Horse of the Year title for the Working Hunters with GG Valentine. She also captured the Horse of the Year title with her Second Year horse Enough owned by SBS Farms. Enough is a 10-year-old, bay warmblood gelding that Alfano has been riding for two years.

Alfano is based out of SBS Farms in Buffalo, New York. Owner and trainer Susan B. Schoellkopf is the Director of SBS Farms. "We have a great group of horses this year," said Schoellkopf. "GG Valentine has already proven what a great hunter she is and she continues to go jump the four-foot beautifully." Schoellkopf was equally complimentary about Alfano. "Jen is such a hard worker. She's not like most professionals, she does it all - the training, the riding, the management of the barn, everything. Jen's the one that gets up at three in the morning and rides them in the ring. She just does a great job." Schoellkopf also credited SBS Farms team members Annie Adler and Kelly Ellison. "The horses peaked at the right time," said Schoellkopf. "When Jennifer won, she absolutely won it. The horses went beautifully."

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