DEVON, Pa.--Carlee McCutcheon on Coco Mercedes won the $20,000 Junior Jumpers in a nine horse jump-off and, with the points from that class Coco Mercedes was Junior Jumper Champion and McCutcheon was Leading Junior Jumper Rider at the Devon Horse Show and Country Fair on Saturday, May 27.

Carlee McCutcheon on Coco MercedesZayna Rizvi on Exit of Ice Z was Reserve Champion.

This was McCutceon's second win in the division, having won the first class on MTM Unexpected, and she also tied for the Equitation Championship on Friday.

McCutcheon, 17 of Aubrey, Texas, comes from a famous equestrian family, but a family not famous for show jumping but for reining.

Carlee's father is Tom McCutcheon, who has two individual and team gold medals in reining in World Championships, and her brother is also an accomplished reining competitor.

"My grandmother on my mother's side was a show jumper, and Mom did both until she was married, when she concentrated on reining," said McCutcheon. "I grew up doing both reining and jumping, but since last year I just do jumping."

 

McCUTCHEON trains with Max Amaya, but Coco Mercedes is owned by McLain Ward, so he also gives her advice.

Wendy Chapot Nunn on Cache on her way to the championship last year (Photo by Allyson Lagiovane for Phelps Sports)"McLain has been helping me with her," said McCutcheon."She's the most incredible partner I've ever had in the jumper ring. She makes me so brave. She's incredibly fast, so I knew this would be a good jump-off for her."

"McLain has allowed me to show this horse since last winter," said McCutcheon. "I have no idea why he chose me, but I feel honored to ride for a man I think is the best at this sport."

"Coco Mercedes is 10," said McCutcheon. "She's very hot. I've never ridden a horse as hot as she is. I just try to stay out of her way. She's very quick across the ground."

"This is my second Devon," she said. "I got a few top ribbons in equitation last year. This year went better than I'd expected. It means a lot as I'm in my final junior year. After I age out, hopefully I'll turn pro.My family is very supportive."

Aver Glynn of Petaluma, Calif., who had tied for the Equitation Championship, was named Best Child Rider on a Horse.

Consent, ridden by Kat Fuqua, was Overall Small Junior Hunter Champion and Grand Junior Hunter Champion.

Lily Epstein of Miami, Fla., was Best Child Rider on a Pony, and Royalist, ridden by Vivian Gold was Large Pony Champion and Grand Hunter Pony Champion.

Wendy Chapot Nunn of Madison, N.J., opened Adult week Sunday morning with a win in the Adult Jumper speed class on Cashe.

"I went first in the class on General Thompson, but he was a little too playful and had a fence down, but I got an idea of the course," said Nunn.

"Cache was very nervous," Nunn said. "She was nervous about the new gate, so we had to coax her in with treats."

Devon has a handsome new side gate, a big edifice with Devon emblazoned between two large pillars.

"We got off to a slow start, but she's very fast, so even if we did some adds, she was fast," said Nunn.

Nunn was champion last year in Adult Jumper on Cache, so she has started the defense of her title on top.

"I put a lot of pressure on myself,"said Nunn. "I'm trying to just enjoy being at Devon. She's a wonderful horse,"

The Chapots said the change in the time schedule made life very difficult for the adult jumpers.

"Because juniors were still competing and in stalls, we weren't given stalls until Sunday, to we had to drive here early Sunday morning," said Mary Chapot. "We left at 5 am to get here, but first we couldn't get into exhibitors' parking. They said we had to have a pass, and I said I had to park to go in to get an exhibitor's pass, but they said no, but luckily Wendy and I were together, so Wendy drove around while I went in to get a pass."

"Then when Laura arrived driving the van, they said the stalls were still being cleaned, so we couldn't get horses into stalls until 8 am. That's when the Children's Jumper went, and our class was at 9. The change  in schedule was horrible. They had those two classes, and then nothing for spectators but open schooling until 1 o'clock."

"Trailers and vans were lined up miles back along the side roads," said Nunn.