October 6, 2010 — SBS Farm’s Jennifer Alfano and Jersey Boy were selected as one of the top horse and rider combinations in the country to showcase the power and beauty of hunters at the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian GamesT (WEG). Held for the first time in the United States, Lexington’s Kentucky Horse Park is hosting the international event with USHJA International Hunter Derby demonstrations held each day of October 4-10.
Alfano and Jersey Boy received one of only two initial bys to participate in the monumental WEG demonstrations that are spotlighting show hunters on a world stage for the very first time. The demonstration now includes five of the country’s very best horse and rider combination’s to showcase the discipline each day. Other participants include Peter Pletcher and Argentum, Liza Towell Boyd and Brunello, Louise Serio and Rockstar, and Tammy Provost and Peridot. Each of these pairs has been very successful in the hunter derby competitions, but none more than Jennifer Alfano and Jersey Boy. The pair has led the hunter derby series since its inception two years ago and continues to win the challenging classes on a regular basis.
Everyday the participants show over a small derby course with each pair jumping a classic hunter course and then returning to demonstrate a handy hunter round. Each rider also gets a day to serve as Chef d’Equip of the team during the one hour daily demonstrations. The demonstrations are followed by meeting and greeting of the fans and autograph signing for the riders.
“We have had so much fun and I think this is just great,” Jennifer Alfano smiled. “I guess I am pleasantly surprised that there have been a ton of people coming to watch. Yesterday was great because there were a ton of kids and they were just screaming and yelling. It is great to have that many people here getting excited and it is so much fun.”
“I have enjoyed signing autographs and the kids were fun yesterday because they wanted us to sign their arms and one of them even asked Liza to sign her forehead,” Alfano laughed. “Today was a little bit of an older crowd but they are all so nice and so happy to be here, so it is really great.”
As some of the top competitors in the country, these horses and riders are used to frequent competition, so it is nice for them to ride together outside of the competitive setting. “It is nice to go out there and have fun and not be seriously competing,” Alfano stated. “I think it is really great for all of us to be able to do it for fun and not worry about mistakes. I think it is great to get what we do out in front of as many people as we can get to watch.”
SBS Farms’ Director Susie Schoellkopf has also enjoyed the demonstrations, and commented, “It has been so much fun and the riders are having a great time. It is fantastic to have so much exposure for the sport.”
