WELLINGTON, Fla.--The Chapots have won circuit end championships for many years, for so long that neither can remember how many years, and their skein of victories continued his year with Laura winning the Overall Jumper Rider title and Mary taking the Overall Jumper Trainer title.

Laura Chapot on Chandon winning the Saturday Nites Grand Prix (Photo by Blue Sportfot)Other circuit champions from the Delaware Valley included Jimmy Torano and Scott Stewart, while Lucy Matz was high in circuit awards, Alex Matz won top ribbons in grand prix and Andrew Philbrick's and Laura Chapot's students did exceptionally well in individual classes.

Gideon and Shooting Star, trained by Mary and ridden by Laura, were champion and reserve champion  in 1.35m, Calafornia was champion and Thornhill Kate was sixth in 1.40m, Tyson Fury was champion 5-Year-Old Developing Jumper and Chandon Blue was Overall Jumper Style winner and also won two grand prix.

"We got Gideon from Cian O'Connor," said Mary. "He was a little bit of a spook, so we started him in the 1.35m until he got used to the fences, and then we moved him up. At first, he was very diligent about checking out every fence to make sure it wouldn't hurt him. He's only 10, so we're hopeful for the future with him."

"Shooting Star is the old man of the ship," said Mary. "He's 21. He dropped down from doing the 1.40 last year, so he was very comfortable doing the 1.35m this year."

 

"CALAFORNIA is a good soul," said Mary. "We got him from Cian, too. He's very fast, and he enjoys his game a lot. But I'm not sure he has the scope to jump in the five stars. They didn't offer as many 1.45m classes this year, and that's really his niche. He was very good and very consistent."

Laura Chapot on Thornhill Kate (Photo by Sportfot)"Thornhill Kate started out like gang busters," said Mary. "But then she got ulcers, and by the time she was ready to show again it was time to go home."

Cian O'Connor is a top Irish grand prix rider who also trains horses for sale in Ireland.

"Cian sent Tyson Fury over to us right before we left for Florida," said Mary. "We normally wouldn't take a 5-year-old to Florida, but WEF has a very good deal for 5-year-old classes. If you jump clean, you get part of your entry fee back. We didn't know her very well, so we took he with us. She took all the Florida excitement in her stride. We showed her in about half of the 5-year-old classes."

Chandon Blue is 16, and he loves the game," she said. "He knows when it's game day, and he comes prancing up to the ring. He has personality plus. His barn name is Charlie, and everybody loves Charlie. He gets so many mints when he comes out of the ring."

"We have one up-and-coming horse, Diarado's Flying Dutchman," said Mary. "Fingers crossed, he'll take Chandon Blue's place in a couple of years."

Laura said that the class that stood out the most for her was Chandon Blue winning the first Saturday night grand prix.

"The course came together perfectly," she said. "It felt like he was right there for me. I wouldn't have changed a thing. It was a nice win for the whole team, a real boost for everyone."

"All these horses have special characteristics about them," said Laura. "I like a horse that's a tryer, that goes in and tries to win. I am very proud of all of them."

"The 5-year-old is incredibly brave," said Laura. "The 5-year-old classes seemed almost too easy for her. We had to restrain ourselves not to do too much. She walked right into the international ring and didn't blink."

Laura had three students who also did well at WEF.

Barbara Rochford has been with Laura for man years and has often placed very high in the circuit standings in the Masters section for riders over 50.

"Barbara has a new horse in the Masters this year, Kilimanjaro," said Laura. "The horse is really young, so she showed him only about six times, but he was clear every time. He's a horse for the future."

"Michael Rothpletz rode Untouched in Low Amateur Jumpers," said Laura. "I showed Untouched last year. Michael won good ribbons in Low Amateur, so for the last two weeks he moved up to Medium Amateur. That was a nice move up."

"My vet leased one of my customer's horses for WEF," said Laura. "Dr. Annie Grove showed Fine Girl, and she won several Low Amateur Jumpers between her vet work. It was fun for her to be able to get in the ring."

ANDREW PHILBRICK, who runs a series of horse shows at his show grounds near Princeton, N.J., that are highly praised by exhibitors, took a number of students to WEF with good results.

"Debby Purowitz rode Super G in the Masters," said Philbrick. "She went clean in every qualifying class and was in the top five in ribbons in every final she went in."

"Maggie Westergaard has a paint horse named Win, and she won tons of ribbons in .80m and .90m Children's classes, Francesca Thomas  on Perle won ribbons in Low Children's Jumpers, and Charlotte Parkes rode DaVinci to get ribbons in Children's Hunters," said Philbrick. "Sarah Wayda got top ribbons  in 1.35m Jumpers with Phantom and Elriki.'

ALEX AND LUCY MATZ were both successful, with Lucy finishing sixth on Baily !V in Medium Amateur Jumpers.

Alex,who is now a professional, won ribbons on a number of horses, including Flash in 1.30m, VDL Nikita Van de Leeuwerk and Ikigai in 1.45m, he won a number of good ribbons in Grand Prix on Erdente Van de Leeuwerk and top ribbons on Cashew CR including a third in the featured 1.50m Jumper Classic on the grass field.

JIMMY TORANO of Mohrsville, Pa., rode Isalou, Inc.'s Laskano to win several Hunter Derbys, and Laskano was name Overall Hunter Style Winner.

Laskano was Overall Green Hunter 3'9" Champion.

SCOTT STEWART of Flemington, N.J., was Reserve Champion Overall Hunter Rider to Victoria Colvin and rode Regent to win the Overall Green Hunter 3'6" Championship.

Other winners of note included McLain Ward riding Catoki to win the Overall 1.45M Jumpers and Margie Engle winning the Leading Lady rider Award.