Buffalo, NY – September 19, 2016 –  Emma Seving had a fantastic weekend at the 70th Annual Buffalo International Horse Show. The $5,000 Johnson Horse Transportation USHJA National Hunter Derby was the highlight of Saturday evening at BIHS with a large field of top competitors vying for the honors. It was Seving and Inside Scoop who stole the spotlight by winning the two round derby event with beautiful efforts, continuing their weekend winning streak and earning  the Leading Rider trophy, given in memory of Russell Frey. Lara McHale and Mine finished second in the derby, while Jennifer Gurney and Gianni rounded out the top three.

Seving, of Newtown Square Pennsylvania, not only captured the derby win, but she took the top spot in the $1,000 Up the Creek Farm Junior Hunter 3’3”/3’6” Hunter Classic. She also clinched the classic win in the Junior 3’3” Hunters aboard her own Inside Scoop, a 13-year-old Westphalian gelding, capping off her successful weekend.

Hunter Highlights

Kristy Herrera claimed the First Year Green Working Hunter division championship aboard SBS Farms Inc’s The Exchange, an 8-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding. The pair took home the top spots in the over fences classes as well as the under saddle and handy class. Herrera has had a successful summer after taking over the reins for Jen Alfano, who is recovering from an injury. Marguerite Heberle and Eastwood, a 7-year-old Hanoverian gelding owned by Hallie Heggeness brought home the reserve championship. Herrera and The Exchange also brought home the Roses Are Red Grand Hunter Challenge Trophy.

With one championship already in hand, Herrera continued to capture the tricolors throughout the day. In the High Performance Hunter division, she and Billie Steffee’s Maggie May, a 10-year-old Brandenberger mare, topped the class in the over fences classes and the handy round to earn a second championship for the day. Close behind her was Alicia Heberle and Jennifer Alfano’s Miramar, a 7-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding, taking home the reserve championship.

In the Low Hunter division, it was Heberle’s chance to shine. She took home both the tricolor champion ribbon with BTRC’s Crisp,a 10-year-old warmblood gelding, and she earned the reserve championship with another BTRC owned gelding, Whispering, who is 13-years-old.

To finish out strong, Kristy Herrera brought home her third tricolor in the Pre-Green Hunter division aboard Helen Lenehan’s 7-year-old Holsteiner mare Girl Crush. The duo finished first in the over fences classes and the handy round. The pair has had a successful summer culminating in a fifth place finish in the 2016 USHJA Pre-Green Incentive Championship. Sarah T. Barge and Sydney DeGrazia’s Danturano, captured the reserve championship. Hannah Duffy took home the top prize in the $1,000 Ravenswood Groom’s Class.

Sarah T. Barge and Marvelous, owned by Christine R. Steer, topped the field in thePerformance 3’3” Hunter division, winning both over fences classes as well as the handy class to clinch the division championship. Lydia M. Ulrich and her own Sansouci, earned the reserve rosette.

In the Adult Amateur 18-35 Hunter division Lydia M. Ulrich and Sansouci and Erika Lipke aboard Amnesty were trading out the top spot finishing one-two to each other in both of the over fences classes. The two were also one-two in the division championship with Lipke taking home the tricolor and Ulrich the reserve. Angela M. Nealer and her own All For Scho, an 11-year-old Trakehner gleding was the champion in the Adult Amateur 36 and Over Hunter division while Alexis Mierzwa and Whispering were the reserve champions.

The Junior 3’6” Hunters concluded on Sunday after two days of stiff competition. Laura McHale rode her own Griffin and Mine to the Junior 3’6” Hunter Championship and Reserve Championship, respectively. Her success did not stop there as she was also awarded the Best Junior Rider award.

In the Children’s Hunter Horse Division, Emma Walters and BTRC’s Crisp took home the championship honors. Walters and Crisp earned a blue ribbon, two second-place ribbons and a third to round out the day, collecting enough points combined with yesterday’s efforts to take home the tricolor.

In the Children’s Hunter Pony division, Sadie Rutkowski and her own 8-year-old Welsh Pony Cross mare Mapleside Voila took home the championship. Rutkowski and Voila won all three of the division’s classes on Sunday and won the previous day’s over fences classes. The division’s reserve honors went to Zoe Schaab, who rode BTRC’s Lucky Charm. Schaab and Lucky Charm were the runners-up in each class, taking home three red ribbons and the reserve tricolor.

Andrea Bello and BTRC’s Churchill bested the field in the Pre-Adult 2’6” Hunters, where they earned two blue ribbons and a red ribbon to secure the championship. Taking home the reserve championship was Roseann Deni and her own On Island Time.
The Pre-Children’s 2’6” Hunter also concluded on Sunday, where Linnea Garrison won the championship aboard the BTRC’s Zenith. The reserve honors were awarded to Eliza Gurney and Gianni, who also captured the third place during Saturday night’s USHJA International Hunter Derby.

Jumper Highlights

Friday night saw the jumpers get their turn to take to the ring. Paige Kouimanis and her own Lexus, a 12-year-old Swedish Warmblood gelding had an excellent evening. The pair placed first in the Children’s/Adult Jumper 1.10m jump-off class and second in the speed class behind Emma Seving and Sweet Oak Farm’s Mahogony, a 13-year-old Dutch Warmblood mare.

Saturday evening also saw the awarding of championship prizes in the jumper divisions. In the Children’s/Adult 1.10m division it was Paige Kouimanis and her own Lexus who brought home both the tricolor ribbon and the overall Grand Jumper Champion Ford Roy Trophy. The pair also topped the class in the $2,500 S.A. Comunale NAL Children’s/Adult Jumper Classic.

During the $1,500 S.A. Comunale Low Children’s/Adult Jumper Classic, Kelly Waples and her own Ever Sinful finished in the top spot. Finishing in second place was Alexis Mierzwa and Jessica Sciarra’s Caspian, a 14-year-old Holsteiner gelding. Mierzwa also brought home the championship in the 1.0m Low Children’s/Adult Jumpers.

BIHS is the largest fundraiser for the Buffalo Therapeutic Riding Center’s students—most of whom are financially supported by this show. The generous support of donations, as well as the help of sponsors and exhibitors are only a few of the ways the BTRC raises money to fund the therapeutic riding program.

The BIHS is held each year as a benefit for the Buffalo Therapeutic Riding Center and had another fantastic week of competition thanks to the many exhibitors and all those involved. For more information regarding the 70th Annual Buffalo International Horse Show and the Buffalo Therapeutic Riding Center, please visitwww.thebtrc.org.