Francesca Takes the Blue Ribbon in Eight Classes for Opening Day of 126th National Horse Show

Syracuse, NY – October 28, 2009 – The 126th National Horse Show opened up competition today at the Syracuse Invitational Sporthorse Tournament in Syracuse, NY. The National Horse Show holds classes for hunters through Friday, October 30, and their highlight event, the ASPCA Maclay National Championship, will be held on Saturday, October 31. The Syracuse Invitational Sporthorse Tournament holds jumpers classes through Sunday, November 1 in the War Memorial at the Oncenter Complex.

“We are very excited to start competition for the 126th National Horse Show,” said National Horse Show Association of America President, Mason Phelps Jr. “We have a fantastic roster of top hunters here this year, and we look forward to watching the rest of the week.”

Francesca, owned by Pony Lane Farm of Bluffdale, UT, was the big winner today in the hunter classes. Francesca and Maggie Jayne of Our Day Farm in Elgin, IL, won seven classes, including the Green Conformation and Regular Conformation Model, under saddle, and over fences classes, and were presented with the “Yvonne Schulthess” Memorial Challenge Trophy, donated by Miss Lynn Schulthess and Mrs. Lane Schultess Douglas for the over fences class and the “Eleanora R. Sears” Memorial Challenge Trophy, donated by Madame Marie V. Gendron.

For their win in the Regular Conformation Model, they were presented with the “Stocking Stuffer” Challenge Trophy, donated by the late Mr. August A. Busch, Jr. They also led the jog in the Regular Conformation Handy Hunter class. The Regular Conformation Hunter division is presented by Kenneth Wheeler and Family. With junior rider Samantha Schaefer, Francesca was second over fences and won the under saddle in the Large Junior 15 & Under Hunters. Jayne won the remaining Green Conformation Hunter Handy class on Early Applause, another Pony Lane Farm entry.

Other winners in the professional hunter divisions include Bright Star 158 LLC’s Kid Rock and Jennifer Alfano, who triumphed in both Green Working Hunter over fences classes in the division presented by Kermit and Jenny Sutton and Neopolitan Holding. Alfano also won both Regular Working Hunter over fences classes in the division presented by Brookway Stables: the first class on Rock Star, who won the “Captain Flash” Challenge Trophy, donated by Mr. E.S. Kardon and the late Mrs. Kardon. She won the Regular Working handy class on Jersey Boy, owned by SBS Farms, and was presented with the “Edyth B. Lindner” Challenge Trophy, donated by Craig and Frances Lindner. Chapman, ridden by Peter Lombardo and owned by Jane Fraze, won the Regular Working Hunter under saddle and was presented with the “Bararia” Challenge Trophy, donated by Stoney Hill.

In the Amateur-Owner 18-35 Hunters, presented in part by Virginia Fout in honor of Paul and Eve Fout, Nijinski and Darby Toben were victorious over fences, and Lauren Vogel on Fidelity won the under saddle.

In a repeat from last year, Ellen Toon and Invincible won the Amateur-Owner Over 35 Hunter jumping class in the division presented by Mr. and Mrs. Ernest M. Oare. Their top performance earned them the “Automation-Model Cadet” Memorial Perpetual Trophy, donated by Mrs. Stephen C. Clark, Jr. and the late Mr. Clark, Jr.

Ferngully and Taylor Ann Adams won the over fences and Shawn Casady on Epic took the blue ribbon under saddle in the Small Junior 15 & Under Hunters. In the Small Junior 16-17 Hunters, Danielle Cooper with Amalfi topped the over fences class, while Amber Henter and Pringle won the under saddle. In the Large Junior 16-17 Hunters, presented by Suzanne Marquard, Jennifer Waxman and Vida Blue won over fences, while Laura King with Pharrell captured the blue under saddle.

The four professional hunter divisions will finish competition tomorrow with their stake classes and will be awarded championships, while the junior and amateur-owner hunters continue competition and finish on Friday.

For more information on the National Horse Show, please visit www.nhs.org . For more information on the Syracuse Invitational Sporthorse tournament, please visit www.syracuseinvitational.com .