Scott Hofstetter and Alena Capture Second Year Green Championship at Winter Equestrian Festival in Tampa

Tampa, FL- March 30, 2005 - The final week of the Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF) is underway and the hunters were awarded the first championships of the week today. The Tournament of Champions week is essential for many who are want to stay ahead of the pack for a circuit championship. The 33rd annual WEF will end this Saturday, April 2. Those who won circuit championships will be honored in a special presentation before the Budweiser American Invitational on Saturday night at the Raymond James Stadium.

Although Scott Hofstetter is not in the running for a circuit championship, he and Alena had no problem competing against horses that showed all winter in Palm Beach. Hofstetter, who spends the winter at the Ocala Winter Circuit, came away easily with the Second Year Green Working Hunter championship this week in Tampa.

Hofstetter enjoys coming to Tampa and competing against new faces. He clarified, “I did Ocala with Alena, so it was nice to come against the competition from Palm Beach. They all come together and there are a lot of the good ones, actually. Even though it’s the end of the circuit, the good ones are here because they’re chasing for that circuit award. So it was nice to see her come up and be competitive in that group.”

Alena won the under saddle class yesterday and was fifth and third over fences. Today, Anne Koch’s big chestnut mare won both over fences classes for the championship over High Cotton and Ken Smith, who rode for Christy Russo.

Alena is starting to make a name for herself. She was successful in the First Year Green Hunters at the National Horse Show in Wellington, but Hofstetter feels the mare is excelling over the higher jumps in the Second Year division. “She’s scopey and a big mare, so the higher jumps are actually better for her, because there are less horses that can do it as easily as she can,” Hofstetter explained. “In the First Years last year, there were so many fancy ones. She does the 3’9” really easily. It’s almost easier to win with her this year than last year.”

Another Scott won the Green Conformation Hunter division today, but this time it was Scott Stewart. Stewart swept the division on Granted and handily won the circuit championship. Granted received the tricolor over Nancy Breedlove’s Game Plan and Penny Lombardo.

Granted won all six classes in the division, and his success was special for Stewart, who has owned the beautiful bay gelding since he was two years old. However, Stewart revealed, “He’s actually the greenest horse I have. He only showed three times last year.”

Stewart bought Granted as a two year old in Europe to keep as stallion, owing to his impeccable bloodlines and his flawless conformation. Stewart said with a smile, “Well, he wasn’t the best behaved stallion, so I collected him and gelded him and brought him over here.” Stewart is planning on producing Granted babies in the future and explained, “He’s quiet and easygoing and has a big stride. He pretty much has it all, and to cross him with a thoroughbred mare will be ideal. He actually looks like a thoroughbred, so I think if I cross him with a TB mare, they’ll be nice. I think he can add something to the hunter industry with his offspring.”

Scott Hofstetter will be competing again as the championships for the Regular Conformation and the Regular Working Hunters are decided, but Scott Stewart is finished showing at the Winter Equestrian Festival. The Amateur-Owner 36 & Over hunters will also begin competition tomorrow.

PHOTO CREDIT: Alena and Scott Hofstetter, champions in the Second Year Green Hunters at the Tournament of Champions. Photo by Randi Muster.