There aren’t many championship accolades and leading hunter rider titles that Jennifer Alfano doesn’t have on her resume. From championships at fall indoor circuit—including at Madison Square Garden (New York)—and the Devon Horse Show (Pennsylvania), hitting the $1 million mark for lifetime hunter rider earnings along the way, she’s no stranger to success. In 2012, she topped the USHJA International Derby Championships with Susie Schoellkopf and SBS Farms’ Jersey Boy, and went on to be named the U.S. Equestrian Federation’s Equestrian of the Year and National Show Hunter Hall of Fame’s Hunter Rider of the Year, while Jersey Boy took similar equine honors. 

This summer, Alfano is on her way back to the Platinum Performance/USHJA International Hunter Derby Championship, taking place Aug. 16-17 in Lexington, Kentucky, fueled by a hot streak at HITS Chicago. With Megan Odozynski’s By The Way, a 9-year-old Belgian Warmblood gelding (Big Star—Loletta SCF), bred by Spy Coast Farm in the United States, she’s won two consecutive $25,000 USHJA international hunters derbies, on July 20 during Lamplight Summertime III and Aug. 3 during Equifest II. (“Carlos” also earned champion and reserve tricolors with Odozynski in the 3’3” amateur owner hunter division.) Alfano is now headed to Lexington with him and her own Ivy League, a 7-year-old warmblood gelding (Cumytime Z—Ibiza-S), who also qualified for derby finals, and ready to be back in the ring “and not just standing there to watch,” after sitting out last year’s edition with a broken collarbone. 

“I don’t typically feel a lot of pressure to win derby finals again, because I feel like I managed to win it once and I’m lucky for that,” Alfano said. “Anything else is icing on the cake for me. The horses I’ve done in recent years at derby finals had never done it before, so for me, it’s just about having fun on horses that I’m producing.” 

After her own successful junior riding career, Alfano put riding on hold to groom for Olympic show jumper Greg Best and Gem Twist for 2 1/2 years. She travelled with them to the Pan American Games, the Olympic Games, and two FEI World Cup Finals. 

The horsemanship knowledge she gained there she applied when she teamed up with Schoellkopf in 1990 when she went to work for SBS Farms, a place she stayed for nearly three decades. Alfano started her own business in 2018, the aptly named Next Chapter LLC, which these days is evenly split between client-owned and sales horses.

“I’ve started trying to do a lot of sales—that has gotten really big for me, bigger than when I started,” said Alfano, 55. “We do a lot of young horses that I bring along through the ranks, 4- and 5-year olds that we keep for a year and then resell to junior and amateur riders. I’ve always loved bringing along the young horses—I love seeing the ‘a-ha’ moment when you know they finally understand something.”

She feels the same about the young people she employs, and leads by example, working hands-on with her horses every day, helping to care for each one. 

“I was with Susie for 28 years, and that’s what I learned from her, and I always credit her with that,” Alfano said. “If I’m not the best rider, I’m one of the best caretakers.”

We caught up with Alfano between HITS Chicago and derby finals to find out more about her life these days, and how—while she still loves to show—her focus has shifted more toward developing for the future of the industry, both in terms of equine and human talent.

What have been some of the challenges you’ve dealt with since opening your own business in Ocala, Florida?

Anything that’s new is a challenge in one way or another, and honestly at first, everything is a challenge. Last summer, I finally bought a 10-acre farm in Ocala. It’s a little scary—it’s scary to go out on your own and make the commitment to the farm. But it’s been great so far; it’s very manageable. I have a huge grass field that we ride in, which is great; I love that part for me and my horses. 

Do you have any other animals at your farm in addition to the show horses?

We have a mini horse that travels everywhere with us. His name is Ozzy; he’s like my child. We have a donkey, too, his name is Astro and he stays at home. When we’re traveling, he goes to my friend’s house. But while we’re at home, Astro is loose all day on the farm and he just goes everywhere. Sometimes he wanders through the jump field when you’re out there riding. He’s quite old. It’s pretty funny sometimes.

What is one piece of advice that you would offer to an up-and-coming professional who wants to branch out on their own or create their own training business?

Be careful what you wish for—it’s great, but it’s hard. It’s hard to put all of the things together: the right horses, the right clients, and then finding a team to put together in the barn, etc. It’s also financially hard. It’s very rewarding, but it’s a lot of hard work. 

I really think that the younger people [in our industry] don’t have a firm sense of horsemanship anymore, and they don’t know how to manage horses well. I try to instill that in the young girls who work for me now, so there are some young professionals who do know about horse care and horse management. There are a lot of great young riders, but can they buy a 4-year old and bring him up the ranks to the derby level? That’s what people are lacking now; they’re so crazy about showing that they forget about everything else. 

In the show industry, finding consistent grooming or assistant help is growing increasingly difficult these days. People are starting to worry about what our professionals will look like in five or 10 years. How many people do you currently have on your team, and how do you keep them incentivized to keep going in our industry? 

We’re an all-girl team; I have three full-time girls that work for and travel with me. Our industry is lacking in well-rounded, young, up-and-coming professionals. But my girls are dying to learn, which I know those types of people are few and far between [right now]. But I think it’s important for me to give back to the industry by teaching good horsemanship skills. My girls do everything, from mucking stalls to riding; I’m giving them a good foundation to go any way in this sport.

What, in your opinion, are qualities that you look for in a good employee?

The most important quality is, they have to love horses. Ultimately, the people who just do this for a paycheck will not work out in the long-term. You have to love horses to do this day in and day out. I also believe they have to want to learn the correct way to do things and not take shortcuts. 

You and By The Way paired up at the beginning of this year after he had already spent time in the jumper and equitation rings. What is it about him that makes the hunter ring a good fit for him?

He has a beautiful jump and he has ridiculous scope—he jumps the height of the standards sometimes. He’s a fun, easy horse, and he’s a special horse to do both divisions. 

What makes By The Way a horse that can do the professional divisions with you and the amateur owners with his owner, Megan Odozynski?

Carlos is funny; he has a really chill personality. He’s a sweet, sweet horse who aims to please no matter what he’s doing. He knows when I’m on him, and he knows when his mom is on him. He will do whatever you ask of him. 

You’re one of a growing number of hunter/jumper riders who have elected to wear a protective vest in the ring. Talk about this decision.

A year ago in Lamplight—right around this time of year—I broke my collarbone. It happens to the best of us! Then last fall, I fell off again, cracked some ribs and hurt my back. I went and got a Tipperary protective vest to help protect my healing ribs. Honestly, I just got in the habit of wearing one, and it stuck. I thought I would just wear it for the broken ribs, but it’s kind of just become a habit. I’m older now—I feel like if I’m going to fall off, I want a small chance of not breaking things.

You’ve won at Madison Square Garden, won derby finals, been grand hunter champion at Devon, and won multiple championships at indoors. What are your goals these days, and do you have anything left on your bucket list?

I think I’m so lucky to have won everything that I did, and those are moments I’ll hang onto forever. With all the sales horses that I have right now, all of that may not be in the cards for me at this moment. Right now, I’m just focused on producing nice horses and bringing them up through the ranks. But if the opportunity came along to do any of those things again, I would do them in a heartbeat!

Where would you like to see yourself in 10 years?

Hopefully in the same place I am right now. I’m hoping I’m still going strong and doing what I love to do! I really love riding and being with the horses.