Bainbridge Farm Adult Amateur Hunter Champions Honored at the 122nd National Horse Show and Family Festival

Wellington, FL - December 3, 2005 - The Bainbridge Farm Adult Amateur Hunters concluded today in the Rost Arena with an under saddle and an over fences stake. Richard Schechter of Bainbridge Farm, located in Wellington, Fla., is president of The Bainbridge Companies LLC. As sponsor of the class, Schechter joined other members of the National Horse Show Gentlemen’s Committee in the awards ceremony that followed the final round.

After a stellar win in yesterday’s class, Holly Caristo piloted Indian Summer to the lead in today’s Adult Amateur 36 and Over Hunter Stake with a score of 90.670. Caristo’s double blue performance earned the division championship and the ‘Seymour Cohn’ Perpetual Memorial Trophy. This honor is awarded to the horse and rider who receive the highest scores in the Adult Amateur Hunters.

If won three times by the same horse with the same ownership or four times by the same owner, this division championship trophy is retired by the winner for permanent possession. Last year’s winner, Samantha J. Hallman, donated this year’s trophy after retiring the Lisa A.H. Cudahy Trophy.

Caristo was all smiles after her round today. “We’re friends of the Hallman’s, and it was really special to win this award,” related Caristo. “I was champion here last year, but I wasn’t grand champion. So it’s always nice to add a little from the year before. It’s exciting.”

“I think the course rode great today and was a lot of fun. It was really nicely set up, and the striding was good,” she added. Caristo and her husband Ralph reside in Wellington, Fla. during the winter and Saugerties, NY in the summer. “My wife rode beautifully, as usual,” reported Ralph Caristo. “The horse was just outstanding. I knew it right from the schooling area that he was going to have a nice trip.”

Ellen Toon of South Salem, NY and My Disguise earned the tricolor reserve champion award after her second place finish today and yesterday’s blue.

In the Adult Amateur 18-35 division, Alexandra Cherubini and Sapphire succeeded to win the championship after yesterday’s win and her placings today. “My horse felt great today,” said Cherubini. “It’s an honor to be champion here at this show; it’s been a great ending to a great year.” Cherubini, who owns Equifit, Inc., resides in Boston, Mass. and trains with Jimmy Toon. Her company sells a line of jumping boots that conform and mold to all contours and bone structures of the horse’s legs. Equifit, Inc. also markets the riding posture correction garment, ShouldersBack.

A tie for reserve champion in the Adult Amateur 18-35 Hunters pinned an even finish for Stephanie Riggio and her mount Aspen and Jennifer Reid aboard Bonafide. Reid’s mount is owned by Richard Schechter and Bainbridge Farm.