by Carol Hodes, for the SBOA of New Jersey

Manalapan, NJ — The 18th annual SBOANJ golf outing raised funds to benefit horsemen and produced a fun day on July 8 at Gambler Ridge Golf Course in Cream Ridge, N.J.

More than 100 golfers and guests feasted on a prime rib dinner with desserts sponsored by the Berman, Gara and Rutsky Group of UBS Financial Services.

Numerous door prizes were distributed along with honors for golfing.

For the second straight year, the best foursome award went to Gary McCandless, George Green, Mike Green and Kevin Darlington. The “most honest” was the LaFerla Group of Tom Cordovano, John Macri, Warren Zergebel and John Griffin.

Frank Matassa and Ellie Sarama won the longest drive contests. Closest to the pin honors went to Mike Green.

The putting contest winner, Kevin Hunt of New Jersey Community Bank, donated his $205 prize back to the SBOANJ’s benevolent fund.

Joie De Vie Farm won the drawing for a Track Trainer jog cart, which was donated by Allen Eggert of Pennsbury Enterprises.

The 50-50 winner, SBOANJ’s landscaper Gary Federico, collected $705.

Additional fundraising was accomplished through a silent auction of Yankees game tickets donated by Bob Boni of Northwood Bloodstock, Mitchel Skolnick of Bluestone Farms and Peter Roselle of Meadowbrook Industries as well as equine feed donated by Reynolds Hay & Straw Inc. and Tribute Equine Nutrition, and Rick’s Saddle Shop.

Sponsorships, key to the fund raising effort which benefits New Jersey’s Standardbred horsemen in need, were provided at several levels. Platinum Level sponsorship was provided by the SBOANJ’s health benefits consultant Shay Cowan of Katz/Pierz Inc. of Marlton.

At the Gold Level, the donors were the Meadowlands Racetrack, the accounting firm of Drucker, Math & Whitman CPAs, and the LaFerla Group-UBS.

At the Silver Level, the donors were Showplace Farms, Gaitway Farms, AJ Sabath’s Advocacy & Management Group, Federico’s Landscape Design, Santoro & Santoro (Dennis Dowd), Walnridge Equine Clinic, Valley High Stables, Newport Graphics Inc., New Jersey Community Bank, Freehold Raceway, Joie De Vie Farm, Eposimato Stable, Mark Ford Training Stable, Berman, Gara & Rutsky Group, Nick Salenetri’s Funny Farm Racing, Reynolds & Tribute, Gateway Pine Shavings and Rick’s Saddle Shop.

The SBOANJ golf outing is co-chaired by directors Ed Razzetti and Bob Baggitt Sr.