SBS Farms’ Alfano Scores Three Top Ten Finishes in $100,000 Hunter Classic at Queen City Classic Horse Show
Equestrian News Release

Charlotte, NC – April 12, 2006 – The horses and riders of SBS Farms traveled from Georgia to North Carolina to compete in the Queen City Classic on April 5-9, 2006. It was a successful trip as multiple horses had top finishes in classes that offered prize money up to $100,000.

The finale for the week was the $100,000 Queen City Hunter Classic. SBS Farms had a great finish in the class, as Jennifer Alfano of Buffalo, NY, rode Once and Again to third place, finished fifth with GG Valentine, and was eighth with Rock Star. “It was a good day!” Alfano said with a laugh. “It was a really nice course, and the show did a great job.”

It was a special occasion for owner Meredith Bartolone to travel to Charlotte to see her horse, Once and Again, compete in the big class. Her competitive mare did not let her down. “Once and Again has always been good at the four feet height,” Alfano explained. “She’s got a LOT of jump. It was so satisfying to have Meredith there and have her see her horse go so well. It was a fun day for everyone.”

During the awards ceremony, Alfano was also given a special honor in addition to her horses’ ribbons. The officials, exhibitors, and fellow trainers at the Queen City Classic voted and bestowed Alfano with the 2006 Sportsmanship Award.

Alfano, SBS Farms’ rider and trainer, had a new mount step up for a big win this week. Rock Star, owned by Jennifer Burger, was champion in the First Year Green Working Hunter division. “Rock Star has been trying to figure it all out this winter,” Alfano acknowledged. “I think he put it all together and went beautifully in Charlotte.” Burger is the owner of another top First Year Green Hunter, Breitling. Alfano mentioned that it does not matter that the horses show against each other, because Burger “is so excited about owning two horses.”

The famous GG Valentine, owned by Barbara Kearney, showed her usual winning form and was awarded with the reserve championship in the Regular Working Hunters. Meredith Bartolone’s Once and Again with Alfano in the irons also won a Regular Working Hunter class.

Alfano also piloted Violets Are Blue for owner Helen Lenahan to the championship in the Pre-Green Hunters. Violets Are Blue qualified for the $25,000 Pre-Green Hunter Classic, presented by Tiffany and Co., and came away with a sixth place finish in the highly competitive class. Lenahan has been a long-time supporter of Alfano and SBS Farms’ owner, Susan Schoellkopf, and is thrilled with her young horse’s success so far.

Kacey McCann of Palmyra, PA, had a successful catch ride this past week at the Queen City Classic. On Neill Sites’ Dr. Zeus, she brought home the blue ribbon in two classes. Their top placings gave them the championship in the Small Junior Hunter division.

McCann showed off her fantastic catch-riding skills as she rode Dr. Zeus on Thursday for the first time and competed the next day. “I’ve never even seen him jump, so I can’t say how he goes,” McCann said with a laugh, “but I do know that he’s a really fun horse to ride. He was really good the second day when we showed outdoors.”

“It was very unexpected,” McCann explained about her ride on Dr. Zeus. “This is the first time that I’ve ridden a horse for Jack Towell. I had a great time.”

SBS Farms will travel next to the Kentucky Spring Horse Show in Lexington, KY, on May 10-14. Their homebase at the Buffalo Therapeutic Riding Center will also host a show in their year-long series on April 22-23 and another show on May 20-21.

For more information on SBS Farms and the horse show series at the Buffalo Therapeutic Riding Center, please visit their website at: http://www.thebtrc.com.

Photo Credit: Once and Again and Jennifer Alfano, third place finishers in the $100,000 Queen City Hunter Classic. Photo by Flashpoint Photography.