WELLINGTON, Fla.--Having just been named last year's Leading Rider, McLain Ward started off this year just where he left off last year by winning the first big jumper class at WEF, and Laura Chapot, who has been WEF's Leading Open Jumper Rider for eight of the past 10 years, also started this year with major wins.

McLain Ward on Bellefleur (Photo by Sportfot)Olympic gold medalist McLain Ward won the opening class of the circuit on Wednesday, Jan. 10, the Douglas Elliman Real Estate 1.45m Jumpers, in the International Arena over a speed course designed by Eric Hasbrouck.

He rode Hija van Strokapelleken, an 11-year-old BWP mare to a clean and fast round in the time of 69.938 seconds for victory.

Second place went to Kevin Babington of Gwynedd Valley, Pa.,, last year’s winner of this class, riding Double O Seven 7, owned by Babington and Katznelson Jumpers LLC, who finished in 71.070 seconds.

Laura Chapot and Out of Ireland won over a field of 91 entries to win the $6,000 Bainbridge 1.40m Speed Challenge on Friday., Jan. 12.

Of the 91 entries, 16 jumped Hasbrouck's course clean, but, despite Chapot's having to go early, no one was able to catch her.

Laura Chapot on Out of Ireland (Photo by Sportfot)Chapot and the 11-year-old Anglo European mare went 19th in the order, tripping the timers in 64.681 seconds and setting a time to beat that would go untouched for the remainder of the class.

Chapot also finished in fourth with a time of 67.114 seconds aboard Zealous, owned by Mary Chapot.

“Eric Hasbrouck set a great track today,” said Chapot. “You can’t just go for broke. You have to find your rhythm and be smooth and tight. My horse has a huge stride, so you never feel like you’re really going super-fast with her; she’s just naturally a quick horse. So for her, my plan was just to keep a nice rhythm and keep going from jump to jump, not wasting too much time that way.”

 

THAT PLAN proved to be a good one for Out of Ireland, giving the mare the start to the winter season that Chapot was hoping for.

“She’s been gradually moving up the ranks." said Chapot, who has had Out of Ireland for five years since she got the mare from Cian O’Connor.. "She won a few smaller grand prix last fall, and she’s just gotten really, really consistent in the last year. We decided to start her out here in the 1.40m because she’s usually very excited to start after a break. She can be a little bit fresh and ready to go, so I was very pleased with her today. She was confident and smooth in the ring and really on her game. She put her mind to business and did her job.”

And then, Ward began the second week of WEF competition on Jan. 17 by again winning the first class of the week.

 Ward won the $8,000 1.45m Jumpers, repeating his first week win, but this time riding Bellefleur PS Z for Susan Heller and Lilly Ward.

There were 15 entries in the 1.45m Jumper class, which was held in a speed format over a course designed by Oscar Soberon of Mexico.

Nine of the 15 entries were clear, but it was Ward and Bellefleur PS Z, an eight-year-old Zangersheide mare, who were fastest around the course in 60.497 seconds.

Chapot took the next two spots, with Chandon Blue, owned by Mary Chapot, close behind in 60.606 seconds, and Out of Ireland, owned by The Edge, in 60.925 seconds.

Ward has been developing Bellefleur PS Z since she was 6 years old, and owns the mare with his godmother, Susan Heller.

“Well actually, Lilly owns her with Susan,” Ward said. “The deal was Lilly had to be my owner so that I wouldn’t sell her. She’s a phenomenal mare. She’s super careful, brave, really game, and she’s stepping up the levels nicely.

“She’s kind of suited to everything,” said Ward. “She’s naturally fast, and she’s very careful. It’ll be interesting to see how far she goes because she’s very game, and everything we ask her to do, she seems to do really well.”

Ward plans to keep building up Bellefleur’s experience, with the goal of competing in the 1.50m classes.

“It was a nice galloping course which was nice for the opening day,” said Ward. “I thought she handled it really well. They had difficult double verticals at the end, which probably last season would have been a challenge for her, but she handled it beautifully today.”

 

IT CERTAINLY was bitter cold the first few weeks of January in the north, but Florida also suffered from, for Florida, bitterly cold weather.

The schedule at WEF on jan. 17 was changed due to the expected cold temperatures and wind chill of 34 degrees on Wednesday night into Thursday morning, so the start time of all competition arenas, was pushed back to allow some warming from the sun.

Chapot, in the second week at WEF, on Friday, Jan. 19, again an incredible job In the $6,000 Bainbridge 1.40m Speed Challenge.

In a class with 79 entries, she placed both first and second, winning with Zealous and placing second on Quointreau Un Prince.

Most riders, in a class that big, would be thrilled to be either first or second, but to take both the win and the runner-up spot is truly amazing.

His father Michael was a top grand prix rider before turning to training race horses, and it appears Robert Matz of Coatesville, Pa., might be following in his footsteps.

Matz rode Venturesome to the championship in Modified Children’s Jumpers.

In the circuit’s first nighttime grand prix, on Jan, 20, three-time Olympian Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum of Germany rode Calle 67 to win the $70,000 Marshall & Sterling Grand Prix CSI 2*.

Ward placed eighth on Hija Von Strokapelleken, and Jessica Springsteen of Colts Neck, N.J., placed ninth on RMF Zecilie.

 

CLEMENTINA BROWN of Kennett Square, Pa., won numerous ribbons both weeks in Amateur Owner, over 35, on Eagle, but she had a particularly good show the second week, just missing the reserve championship.

"Eagle was great," said Brown. "He was almost reserve, but he was only beaten by Horse of the Year Catch Me (ridden by Becky Gochman) and Derby winner Cuba."

"He would have done even better, but in the second class a huge telescopic lens spooked him," said Brown.

Brown, who trains with Louise Serio, also of Kennet Square, bought a new horse over Christmas, Monarch, who is now showing pre-green with Serio.

"I'll show him when he's ready," said Brown. "He's a beautiful horse and a great mover. I didn't even ride him before I bought him. I just took Louise's word that I should get him."

"We have a new schedule this year," said Brown. "I'll show for two weeks and then taake two weeks off, so I'll be back showing weeks five and six. I have a beautiful string of horses now."