With just one horse left to return in the handy round of the $35,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby at the Genesee Country Village & Museum, Amanda Steege and Jennifer Alfano waited on standby prepared to jump-off for the win. The two riders sat tied at the top of the class, with the outcome all up to the final pair: Kelley Farmer and Dalliance. But as Farmer and Dalliance cleared the final fence on Sunday afternoon, it quickly became apparent that a jump-off to determine the winner would not be necessary. Farmer and Dalliance had turned in a seamless handy round – one that would clinch them the victory in front of the crowd. “He fits in the league with Grappa [Mindful] and with all of the players,” Farmer’s partner at Lane Change Farm, Larry Glefke, said of Dalliance. “I’m going to look like a prophet because on Facebook about four days ago I said, ‘Believe me. He’s a sitting on a win.’ He’s one of a kind.” The 12-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding, owned by Avatar Real Estate LLC, is a relatively new mount for Farmer, but he has already been knocking on the door for a win with her in the saddle, coming close in classes such as the $50,000 WCHR Open Hunter Classic in Tryon where he finished second. The top 12 returned in reverse order for the handy round, which included numerous options for slick inside turns, handy approaches and high and low option fences. Farmer was the first to return aboard Mindful, which gave her the perfect opportunity to test how just how handy she could be while still maneuvering the round successfully.
