SBS Farms enjoyed a fun and successful time in June with Stephen's Fun Day and the Buffalo Showtime III Horse Show taking center stage.
Alicia Heberle, assistant trainer at SBS Farms, Inc., coached the farm's riders to success at the recent Buffalo Showtime III, held at the Fairgrounds Showplex in Hamburg, New York. SBS Farms' riders brought home several blue and championship ribbons, adding to the top show barn's expansive collection.
Addison Basile outshone the field in the Walk-Trot Crossrail Hunters, earning the division championship with Muffin Man. Success for SBS Farms continued into the Small/Medium Children's Pony Hunters where Zoe Schaab rode Brightside to the multiple blues, eventually claiming the division championship. Andrea Bello and Churchill racked up the points to earn the Pre-Adult Hunter division championship.
In the Junior Hunters, it was young talent Alex Trolli atop Del Piero who took the top spot in the Junior Hunter Classic, also capturing the Junior Hunter division championship.
In the jumper ring, Amanda Callistro and Cennzington jumped to the top of the leaderboard in two classes, while Emma Walters and Dream Team also had successful finishes and blue ribbons for their clean efforts and speedy times.
Outside of the ring, the Buffalo Therapeutic Riding Center (BTRC) hosted the Stephen's Fun Day, sponsored by The Stephen Comunale Cancer Foundation. Fifty young cancer patients from Carly's Club at Roswell Park Cancer Institute and Woman and Children's Hospital experienced horse and pony rides, enjoyed creating arts and crafts, painted horses, played games and participated in a horseless horse show. BTRC is a therapeutic riding program for children of all socio-economic backgrounds and provides a safe and supportive environment for everyone who steps on the farm. The fun and friendly atmosphere enables children with special needs to develop both physically and emotionally.
The event was named after Stephen A. Comunale Jr. who lost his courageous battle with stomach cancer at the young age of 27. Stephen was a longtime horse lover, and his family founded the Stephen A. Comunale Jr. Family Cancer Foundation in his honor. Today, the BTRC provides relief to children that are facing similar health obstacles.
The Foundation's goal is to provide support to cancer patients and their families through the alleviation of financial burden. As a non-profit organization, it partners with social workers and other communities to improve the patient's quality of life. The Foundation always has the emotional and physical well being of the family member afflicted with cancer in mind. By providing selfless support to these children, the Foundation provides hope and light in a difficult time.
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 the Buffalo Therapeutic Riding Center, please visit www.thebtrc.org.
Special thanks to Phelps Media Group for the press release.