“Wow, this feels really good. I think I am still in shock,” said a proud Sandy Ferrell of Bernville, PA, after negotiating Sarah Chovnick’s Late Entry to win the 2006 AHJF Hunter Classic Spectacular at the Winter Equestrian Festival in Wellington, FL, on Saturday evening, February 18. A record crowd witnessed the 38-year-old professional negotiate the seven-year-old bay Hanoverian gelding to their first Hunter Classic victory. Started in 1997, the Hunter Classic was celebrating its 10th anniversary.

In the first round, Ferrell was “a little conservative” to the first jump but when “he felt great” she knew they were “good to go and it felt really good after that.” Their first round score of 86.687 put them fourth behind Socrates, ridden by Addison Phillips (87.5); Pamela Polk on Fiyero (87.5) and defending champion Louise Serio aboard Costello (87.062).

After Ferrell negotiated a second round "that felt fabulous," Ferrell knew that Late Entry who “has all the talent in the world was on it tonight.” That talent showed through when the judges awarded them a second round score of 87 seconds that only Take Away, ridden by Jack Hardin Towell, Jr., could surpass (87.5). Their two round total of 173.687 put them at the head of the class. Costello was second (172.812), Take Away and Towell stood third (171.5).

For their victory, Ferrell and Late Entry won $12,000, and after that was subtracted from the total purse of $45,200 the money was split between the remaining 11 riders and the top four professional riders. Ferrell also won a CM Hadfield’s H20B Saddle from Hadfield’s Saddlery, the Dark Continent Perpetual Trophy courtesy of Jim Green, a custom jacket by Personalized Products and a cooler donated by Grazing Field’s Farm, Inc.

The Competition
The starting field of 33 horses each jumped at their respective showing heights of 3’6,”, 3’9” and 4’. The horses were judged by four teams of two judges. Each team of judges gave one score and then the four scores were averaged for a final round total. The eight horses with the highest points then returned for a second round, which was then added to the first for a final tally.

In addition to the class winners, a number of special awards were given out during the evening as a result of accomplishments achieved by the riders throughout the week. The Marylon Alexander Memorial Award went to WCHR Adult Amateur High Score Rider (89) Christina Serio. High Score honors went to Holly Orlando (95) in the Professional division, Teri Kessler and Sheila Motley (90) in the Amateur Owners and Junior rider Addison Phillips (95). The Leading Hunter Riders were Phillips and Orlando. The Mia Palambella Grooms Award went to Will Guy. The Grand Junior Champion for the Lyrick Trophy went to Who’s On First, ridden by Phillips.

For information about the Hunter Classic, the AHJF or its programs, contact the AHJF at 335 Lancaster Street, West Boylston, MA 01583-0369, call (508) 835-8813, fax (508) 835-6125 or e-mail [email protected].


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