|
|
 |
|
All about Alfano! Jennifer Alfano Wins the $10,000 Devoucoux Hunter Derby at HITS Ocala © ESI Photography. Jennifer Alfano and Fantabulous on course in Sunday's $10,000 Devoucoux Hunter Derby at HITS Ocala. OCALA, FL (March 9, 2010) — Jennifer Alfano was both fantastic and fabulous on Fantabulous, as they beat out 51 other horse-and-rider pairs to win the $10,000 Devoucoux Hunter Derby on Sunday at HITS Post Time Farm in Ocala, Florida. “We’re thrilled!” exclaimed Alfano, of Buffalo, New York, who stood next to Fantabulous’ owner, Michelle Shaulinski. Fantabulous, a nine-year-old Dutch warm blood with the nickname “Fred”, is a First Year horse. “This was Fred’s first Derby,” said Alfano. “It was a really nice course and he handled it perfectly – even with jumping outside the ring he did really great and I’m very excited for him.” On the course designed by Jamie Alder, Alfano and Fantabulous had the highest score in the first round with an 89. Second place winner Callan Solem and Barbara Scott’s Cinderella followed closely with a first-round score of 88. “This was a lot of fun and it’s something a little different for me,” said Solem, who won the $50,000 Ring Power Grand Prix, presented by Pfizer Animal Health, aboard Quiet Winter Farm/BJ Maghan’s Allison immediately after the Derby. “I think it’s a really good class for the horses and riders, especially the younger riders.” The second round saw the top 12 riders with the highest scores from the first round return, as Solem was the first to show with a second round score of 85, for a combined score of 173. “The handy round left a lot of places to have some harder turns and jumping outside the ring – it’s certainly been a fun class that people look forward to each week,” said Solem. Next to show was Chase Boggio, who had three horses in the second round and has been consistently outstanding each week in the $10,000 Devoucoux Hunter Derby. This time around, Boggio placed third aboard Massimo with a combined score of 169.5 and fifth aboard Graphiq with 168. Boggio has placed in the money in every Devoucoux Derby offered during the rated circuit at HITS Ocala. Alfano returned for the second round looking for the win. She scored an 87 for a combined score of 176, which earned her the blue. Rounding out the top five in the class was Megan Edrick riding Don Stewart’s War Eagle in fourth with 169 points.  © ESI Photography. Jennifer Alfano is congratulated for her win in the $10,000 Devoucoux Hunter Derby aboard Michelle Shaulinski's Fantabulous. Joe Calcagno of HITS presents the award. This year, the all-new Devoucoux Hunter Derby will be a featured event at both the HITS Ocala Winter Circuit and the HITS Desert Circuit in Thermal, California, and represents the 13th division to count for points in the Marshall & Sterling League. In addition to the $10,000 classes at HITS winter shows in Ocala and Thermal, qualifying classes for the Devoucoux Hunter Derby will also be offered at the HITS Culpeper and HITS Saugerties shows this spring and summer. HITS has also invited a select number of additional horse shows in the Northeast to add the Devoucoux Hunter Derby to their show schedules in order to facilitate the growth of the class and to provide further qualifying opportunities for the Marshall & Sterling League National Finals. The Devoucoux Hunter Derby Finals will be offered at the 2010 Marshall & Sterling League National Finals on September 16-19 in Saugerties, New York. For a complete list of horse shows offering the Devoucoux Hunter Derby for Marshall & Sterling points, please click here. Show jumping at HITS Post Time Farm continues this week with the Ocala Winter Finals from March 9 – 14, featuring a full lineup of exciting classes and two more qualifying Grand Prix classes for the Pfizer $1 Million Grand Prix, including Thursday’s $25,000 HITS Grand Prix, presented by Pfizer Animal Health, and Sunday’s $50,000 Purina Mills Grand Prix, presented by Pfizer Animal Health. It also will be an exciting week for hunters as well, with the $10,000 USHJA Hunter Derby under the lights on Saturday night and the return of the $5,000 Pony Commotion on Sunday. In order to qualify for the Pfizer $1 Million Grand Prix, a rider must compete in eight or more HITS Grand Prix classes. The top 40 riders, based on money won by horse/rider combination, will be eligible to ride for the Pfizer Million. For more detailed information on the Pfizer $1 Million Grand Prix, please visit our website at www.HitsShows.com. HITS, Inc. produces high-quality, international-level hunter/jumper horse shows. Based in upstate New York in the village of Saugerties, HITS has been producing shows since 1982 and is now a nationwide company with world-class circuits in California, Florida, Arizona, New York and Virginia. In 2010, HITS will take the industry to new heights when it hosts the Pfizer $1 Million Grand Prix in Saugerties on September 12. For more information and a complete schedule of classes and events, visit www.HitsShows.com. Media should contact the HITS Media Team at 845.246.8833 or e-mail Media_Info@HitsShows.com. $10,000 Devoucoux Hunter Derby
HITS, Inc. • 319 Main Street • Saugerties, NY 12477-1330 No comments yet. Leave a comment |
