Jennifer Alfano and the remarkable 13-year-old Dutch Warmblood mare, Miss Lucy, finished with impressive performances during the $25,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby at this year’s Devon Horse Show. The consistent pair worked their way up one spot from the Classic Round, where they claimed third place, after a daring Handy Round that impressed the judges.
Alfano and Miss Lucy were awarded an 87-point base score from the first judging panel; however, their high option points and handy points added up to a 99. The second judging panel was consistent in their scoring, rewarding the pair for their handiness with a base score of 86, four high-option points and an additional 7 handy points. They would take the top score of the Handy Round with the high-scoring total of 196 points.
Miss Lucy and Jennifer Alfano in the Performance Working Hunters
“Miss Lucy is so reliable; you can always count on her to give 110 percent,” said Alfano with a smile. “She is actually a little more reliable than Jersey Boy, because you never have to wonder. With him, he has his moments. She's one of those horses that tries to do everything right all the time.”
Alfano and Jersey Boy, who is often regarded as the “quintessential Derby horse,” earned a final score of 358 points, placing fourth overall in the class. Alfano rode the chestnut, owned by SBS Farms, Inc., to 12th place in the first round but navigated a smooth, effortless Handy Hunter course to climb all the way up to fourth place.
Miramar and Jennifer Alfano
Alfano also landed a top-12 finish with her newest Derby mount Miramar.
In the High Performance section, Alfano earned numerous top ribbons aboard her mounts, including Billie Steffee’s Maggie May and Helen Lenahan’s Miss Lucy.
Based out of Buffalo, New York, SBS Farms' Susie Schoellkopf and Jennifer Alfano run one of the foremost show hunter training operations in the country, and travel nationwide to compete in the nation's most prestigious horse shows.
SBS Farms, Inc. continues the proud tradition of the Saddle and Bridle Club as one of the top show stables in the Northeast. Schoellkopf is also 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 visit www.thebtrc.org.
Special thanks to Phelps Media Group Inc., for the press release.