Wellington, FL – February 16, 2016 – SBS Farms, Inc. is no newcomer to the winner’s circle, and during the HITS IV* Ocala Winter Classic, their success only continued. With riders in both Ocala and Wellington, Florida, SBS Farms is turning heads and collecting tricolors across both Florida winter circuits.
Unfortunately, leading up to the fourth week of HITS Ocala, professional hunter rider and trainer Jennifer Alfano took a fall that kept her out of the saddle for the week of competition. Alfano’s friends stepped up to the plate to compete her mounts during the HITS IV* Ocala Winter Classic. It was seasoned pro, Hunt Tosh, who piloted Jennifer Alfano’s Candid to a champion rosette in the Regular Conformation Hunters, sweeping four of the six classes among a large field of top-notch competitors.
Daniel Geitner then rode Miramar on Alfano’s behalf in the High Performance Hunters where they won a class and garnered other respectable ribbons.
Tosh returned to the ring during the High Performance Working Hunter division aboard Miss Lucy, owned by Helen Lenahan. They took several good ribbons, earning the reserve championship.
Chloe Karl and Michelle Shaulinski’s striking paint gelding, Fantabulous, performed in the Modified Children’s Hunters and HITS Children’s Hunters among stiff company and were third place in the under saddle class.
Dr. Alexis Mierzwa and Kathy Chiaf’s Stillwater took home the prize in a Medium Adult Jumper class despite the tough competition and high number of class entries.
Young riders, Molly Gfroerer and Addison Basile, took home ribbons in the Short Stirrup Hunter and Equitation classes on their ponies, Top Hat and Muffin Man.
In Wellington, Paige Kouimanis commanded the jumper ring during week 5 of the Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF) by sweeping the $1,500 Adult Jumper division sponsored by Rosenbaum Mollengarden PLLC. Besting more than 50 world-class entries, Kouimanis delivered speedy and clean rounds aboard her mare Lexus and took home the championship ribbon for SBS Farms.
Additionally, Jessica Sciarra and Caspian represented SBS Farms in Wellington, receiving solid placings in the $1,500 Children’s Jumper 15-17 division sponsored by Equis, while the rest of the SBS team tried their luck in Ocala. Kouimanis and Sciarra were trained by Jimmy Torano and his JET Show Stables team.
Based out of Buffalo, New York, SBS Farms, Inc.’s Susie Schoellkopf and Jennifer Alfano run one of the foremost show hunter training operations in the country, and travel nationwide to compete in the 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, Inc. 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 www.thebtrc.org.