by Jessica Schroeder, USTA Outreach & Membership Enrichment Coordinator

Columbus, OH — More than 200 people attended the Standardbred Pleasure Horse Organization of New Jersey awards banquet Sunday (Feb. 17) at the Holiday Inn in East Windsor, N.J.

Suzanne D’Ambrose and her 12-year-old Conway Hall gelding Independent Act took top honors in the In Hand and Showmanship categories. The gelding made more than $61,000 on the track and took a mark at four of 1:55.4.

Vicki Wright photo

Laura Harbour received one of her many awards from Rob Pennington.

Big Bikkies, who won more than $200,000 on the track and has a lifetime mark of 1:52.1, won the Two Gait Pleasure and Hunter categories. Maria Andersson showed the Windsong’s Legacy gelding throughout 2012 of which she exclaimed “…and I was in Canada for half the summer!”

Caroline Green showed Glissade in Three Gait Pleasure, Jessie Santana competed with World Class Guy in Equitation, Amanda Lee Keynton jumped Hit A Home Run and Helene Gregory drove JB to top honors in those respective divisions.

SPHO-NJ also gave out national awards and the big winner was Laura Harbour from Kentucky who showed her 3-year-old chestnut Heavymetal Thunder. They took home top honors in In Hand, Showmanship, Pleasure Horse, Equitation and Hunter. Harbour got the unraced Real Artist gelding in December 2011 as a 2-year-old from New Jersey trainer Stacy Chiodo and keeps a blog to showcase what the horse is up to.

For more information about the SPHO-NJ, visit their website at www.standardbredpleasurehorse.org.

Since 1996, the Standardbred Equine Program has worked with off-the-track Standardbreds and their owners to educate the general public on the many disciplines at which Standardbreds excel once they are retired from racing. For more information about the SEP at the USTA, visit standardbreds.ustrotting.com, or send e-mail inquiries to sep@ustrotting.com.