HARRISBURG, Pa--Laura Chapot of Neshanic Station, N.J.,, placed first and second in the first open jumper class, the 1.30m Two Phase, and then won the second class, too, the 1.40m Twp Phase, on Wednesday, Oct. 15 at the Pennsylvania National Horse Show.
Laura Chapot on Tyson Fury (Photo by Andrew Ryback Photogaphy)Chapot won the $10,000 1.30m Two Phase on Tyson Fury, clean in 26.39, and placed second on Calafornia, clean in 27.14, and she won the $10,000 1.40m Twp Phase on C&C Wlllow,clean in 25.63.
Steven Bluman was third in the 1.40m on Cachemire De Braize in 27.53 seconds.
A regular at the Pennsylvania National, Chapot had three horses in the 1.30m class, and Tyson was the second of her three rides.
“She is a pretty competitive horse,” said Chapot of the Irish Sport Horse mare. “In fact, she’s probably more difficult to slow down than to go forward. So, for her, I wanted her to just have a good experience, and for sure she could be competitive to win the class, but also just a positive, forward experience, because as I said, her biggest fault might be that she jumps too high, and she’s a little bit difficult in between the jumps if you try and slow her down too much. So just trying to keep it smooth and keep her focused on the fences, and then she gives it her all every time.”
CHAPOT has had the 8-year-old mare since the end of her 4-year-old year, gradually bringing her up the levels and will stick to the 1.30m classes this week as competing indoors is a new experience for the mare.
Laaura Chapot on C&C Willow (Photo by Andrew Ryback Photography“She’s just a very quick horse, and she wastes no time,” Chapot said. “She’s quick across the ground, and even though she sometimes jumps a little bit big, she’s quick in the air and gets right to the next fence. So, they say sometimes it’s easier to go faster than slower with her."
In the 1.40m on C&C Willow, Chapot was clean in 25.63 seconds to win over Carly Campbell Cooper on Katcha HD, clean in 26.24 seconds., and Evan Coluccio on Contario 8 finished third in 28.44 seconds.
“It’s nice that it’s a power-and-speed because you don’t have to go fast the whole way around,” Chapot said. “And the jump-off, basically there were a couple inside turns you could make, so I just wanted to be smooth and prompt and not too crazy.”
Chapot got the 10-year-old mare, owned by Mary Chapot, at the end of Willow’s 7-year-old year from Irish show jumper Christian Coyle, and Laura credited Coyle with giving the mare a good foundation.
“With her, it doesn’t hurt to keep her motivated and keep her into it,” she said. “I don’t think I necessarily need to hold her back, that it affects her too much down the line. In fact, I think sometimes it makes her a little bit more game and more ready for the next class. So, I thought that she had a good shot at this class, so we never turned down that opportunity.”
