LAKE PLACID, N.Y.--Laura Chapot on Chandon Blue won the $75,000 Richard M. Feldman Grand Prix to cap a very successful two weeks at the 55th annual Lake Placid Horse Shows.
Laura Chapot on Chandon Blue (Photo by KindMedia)This was the last time the jumper classes will be competed on the big grass field as Lake Placid’s Grand Prix Ring will be converted to an all-weather surface for next year's shows.
Chapot’s win, her eighth Grand Prix win in Lake Placid over the years, seemed fitting for the horse show’s final class on the grass.
When Chapot, last to go in the 16 fence, first round course designed by Nick Granat, entered the ring, the only clean round had been turned by 18-year-old Mia Bagnato on Ballyoskill Big Bucks.
Chapot forced the jump-off by going clean on her 19-year-old mount.
Bagnato on Ballyoskill Big Bucks went clean again in the jump-off, finishing in 36.581 seconds.
Chapot followed on Chandon Blue and blazed to a clean round in 34.286 seconds to win.
“WITH ONLY one clean, being the last one to go is not really the best position to be in because you put a little extra pressure on yourself to go clean,” Chapot said. “I just tried to focus and put in the best round I could.
“My horse is a little tired after two weeks up here, but he tried his heart out. He really wanted to win this class. This is the last time we’re out here on the grass which makes me really sad. He loves the grass field, we love the grass field and to win this means a little extra because of that.”
Coupled with her second place finish in the first week’s $75,000 Grand Prix of Lake Placid, Chapot won the Richard & Diana Feldman Perpetual Trophy for Excellence, given to the rider with the best combined performances in Lake Placid’s two Grand Prix events, for a record fifth time.
Chapot, riding Chandon Blue, Ginola and Gideon, and Bagnato, riding Cordiamo and Florida N, had dominated the eight days of the two Lake Placid shows, between them winning nine of the 11 featured jumper classes.
Chapot won five of the 1.35m and 1.40 featured classes, while Bagnato, who trains with Stella Manship at Old Salem Farm, won four classes, incredibly also beating speed queen Chapot twice in speed classes.
Chapot also placed second in featured classes four times, while Bagnato, who is still a junior, won multiple Junior/Amateur-owner classes over the two weeks as well as equitation classes..
Only two riders broke this domination, as Brain Moggre on MTM Vivre Le Reve won the Grand Prix in Lake Placid's first week, and Christian Coyle also won one featured class.
Prior to the Grand Prix on the final Sunday, Bagnato won both the 1.35m Junior/Amateur Jumper Classic and the 1.45m Junior/Amateur Jumper Classic, a member event of the Show Jumping Hall of Fame Jumper Classic Series and placed third in the Equitation Classic in a field of 10 finalists who earned their way into the Classic based on their finishes in equitation classes over the horse shows’ two weeks.
Bagnato rode Ariso to win the 1.35m Classic, finishing with two clean rounds and the fastest jump-off time of 34.087 seconds.
Brian Sweeney placed second on Zappa, with third going to Corinne Sweeney on Tara M.
In the 1.45m Classic, Bagnato had the only clean round in the jump-off to win on Florida N, while also placing second with Cordiamo.
On Florida N, Bragnato was clean in the jump-off with a time of 39.381 seconds, and she had four faults and a time of 35.387 seconds on Cordiamo.
Third went to Michael Rothpletz who had the only other clean first round on Untouched and finished the jump-off with four faults and a time of 40.209 seconds.
