DEVON, Pa.--Mimi Gochman on Gigi's Girl BH won Saturday night’s $20,000 Show Jumping Hall of Fame Junior Jumper Classic.and with that win also won the Junior Jumper Championship.

Mimi Gochman on Gigi's Girl BH (Photo by Jessica Brighenti for Phelps Sports)From a starting field of 24 junior, eight were clean over Olaf Peterson Jr.’s 14-fence first round course.

Bailey McKeever, first in the jump-off, was clean in 40.328 seconds, but Gochman immediately took over the top spot on Gigi’s Girl BH, clean in 38.504 seconds.

The remaining six couldn't catch her, but second place went to Zayna Rizvi on Chaplin W, clean in 39.554 seconds, and third was Alexa Elle Lignelli on Billy Kiara, clean in 40.293 seconds.

Gochman was also the Leading Junior Jumper Rider and was recognized by the judges as best exemplifying the American style of riding and the respectful, dignified, courteous and workmanlike manner of a true sportsman, giving her the Junior Jumper Style of Riding Award.

 

“SO I HAVE two very long strided, scopey animals, Gigi’s Girl BH and Celina BH, and it was pretty fun to jump off with both of them since there were a lot of long runs," said Gochman. "I know Gigi well, I’ve been working on trying to use her scope and talent a little bit and I really worked on that. Fence one to two was just as fast as you can go, and then there is a little bit of a tighter turn and I saw it on the angle a little bit and I was like, ‘Just go for it,’ and then Gigi really saved my butt. I came a little bit on the angle and she came up with it of course and she’s incredible. And then a lot of us tried to do the leave out stride in five strides in the outside line and it worked out really well. Then tight back, I tried to show her before I went to it because it is a little bit on an angle and sometimes those will catch them by surprise, but she is a veteran she knows what she’s doing so I let her jump it and then I literally raced to the last jump with all my might. She was like ‘Where are we going? Which jump?,’ and then she saw it. She’s so smart, she knew where the distance was and she was on it. She got her legs out of the way and she was really ready for it. I sort of had the same plan for both of my horses I would say.”

“The way Gigi goes is very lopey, so a lot of it is trying to support her and let her use her strength because she’s such a strong animal and she’s very short, but she’s very mighty," she said. "I think that with her you just have to keep her balance the way she needs it so that she can jump, because she can do it all on her own. I don’t even need to be there but i think the one thing for her really specifically is just keeping her balance in a good spot so she can get up because she’s built a little downhill. Just keeping her in balance and letting her do what she does best is really the key.”

“It’s very much a group effort with everyone," said Gochman. "I’d just like to thank my team, Amanda Derbyshire, Ken Berkley, my parents, Ghita Ziani, Kate Bacon and everyone at home. Thank you to Georgie, Gustavo and Luis, all the grooms – I think they are imperative to the way this goes and everything that comes along with it. Of course, my horses obviously are the foremost, but I think the team really makes it so that they are comfortable, healthy, strong and that they are ready to go. A big thank you to everyone and my two girls, Celina and Gigi, that always give me their hearts. Also thank you to Devon for allowing me to come back – it’s been a pleasure and I love it here!”

“I’ve been coming since I was in leadline," said Gochman. "I did leadline when I was very very young with my sister Sophie, and I’ve been coming forever. It’s always such a special place. ‘Where champions meet’ is the slogan and I think it’s true and I try to hold onto that. I was second place in this class in 2019 and I came in tonight and thought, “I’ve really gotta try to win this one!” And I think that I have grown as a rider and been able to get stronger as I’ve gone. I love it here! I think the horses love it, and Gigi knows there is a big crowd and she wants to please. Celina knows the lights mean something special, and I think that they really rise to the occasion and both of them want to win just as much as I do. They see the atmosphere and they think, ‘It’s my time.’”

“This year we are staying in the U.S. for the summer," she said. "I am going to Upperville next, and then I am actually going to Aachen, but just myself, for the Junior Olympics. I am going to go myself for 10 days and work with the senior team and then ride in the junior olympic competition. After that we go to Michigan for two weeks and then we stay at home and do some Princeton shows. I’ve got some new younger horses. Celina and Gigi are my older, well known horses, so I’ve got some newer horses that are a little inexperienced and younger and I’m trying to learn them a little better. We will try to go to some of the Princeton shows and HITS shows, and then our final destination will be the Quebec show, Bromont, and then we settle down at home for a few weeks and then the Hamptons. I’m so excited. I have a few new 9-year-olds and I’m really really excited to see what I can do. As I grow as a rider, I think it’s important to be able to ride experienced ones like Gigi and Celina who have been around, but also ride some younger ones. It’s good for my own growth and learning the real connection between horse and human.”

“I think I am a mare person," said Gochman. "When you find a really good mare that will give you her whole heart and is brave and wants to win as much as you do, you can’t find a better horse. Celina and Gigi are really my heart horses, I’ve known them for quite a bit and they really want to win. They love me and I love them a lot, and I feel like when you get that mare that knows what they are doing and they want you just as much as you want them you can’t get a better horse. Mares are intuitive, they are smart, they know what they are doing in order to let you do what you’re doing. I think I will never find two horses that are as in-tune with me as they are and I’m really grateful for both of them because I think they are smarter than me honestly. I think when you find a really good one you have to cherish it.”

 

KAT FUQUA won the Junior Hunter Grand Championship on her own Grand Remo.

Ka tFuqua on Grand Remo (Photo by KIND Media)Fuqua scored 92 in the $4,000 15 & Under Large Junior Hunter Stake and also placed second in the $4,000 Large Junior Hunter Handy 15 & Under with a score of 88.

Combined with her success during Friday’s competition, Fuqua and Grand Remo was the Large Junior Hunter 15 & Under division champion, and the Overall Large Junior Hunter Champion with a total 36 points from the two days of the division.

Babylon, ridden by Ariana Marnell, was the Devon Grand Junior Hunter Reserve Champion.

Trained by Jimmy Torano, Fuqua is no stranger to the winner’s circle as she has claimed top placings across multiple disciplines, including hunter, equitation and dressage.

In 2021, Fuqua rode Grand Remo to the Junior Hunter National Championship – East Coast Overall Grand 3’6” Champion.

Fuqua also was named the Best Child Rider on a Horse.

Stella Wasserman was second, with Arianna Marnell third and Mimi Gochman fourth.

Babylon was named the Junior Hunter horse who, in the opinion of the judges, best exemplified classic hunter horse movement.

“His barn name is Remo and I’ve had him for about three years now, so coming into this show I was really really excited because I know him well and we trust each other," said Fuqua. "We’ve had a successful time together. It was actually funny because about this time last year we were grand champion at Junior Hunter Finals in this exact same ring, so it was really exciting to come back here!”

“After the first round, which I got an 89 in, it just set the bar for me," said Fuqua. "I think Remo remembered Junior Hunter Finals, so he was super confident and I was super confident, so I think that just kinda went through all of the rounds to make them super consistent. I was really happy with his performance.”

“That was actually really unexpected for me! I’ve never gotten a “Best Child Rider” at a championship show so I was really excited,” she said.

“It’s been a while since I was at Devon," said Fuqua. "I didn’t realize how much I missed it! Not just the show, but the people that come here. Everyone is excited to be here, the fair is fun, I’m happy to be back and so grateful that it’s happening this year!”