Laura Chapot Rides Road To Victory at Vermont Summer Festival

East Dorset, VT – 2007 Pan American Games team bronze medalist Laura Chapot of Neshanic Station, NJ, had the fastest clean round to win the $10,000 Tumi/Anichini Open Welcome Stake, Presented by Manchester Design Outlets, held Friday, August 15, at the Vermont Summer Festival in East Dorset, VT.

Pierre Jolicoeur’s course was fast and technical and Chapot had to set the bar high to prevail.

“He was really fresh since he hasn’t shown in two weeks,” Chapot said of Church Road, owned by Sarah Becker and B&B Saddlery. And it worked to her advantage. “When he’s in the game, he’s a very careful horse and very bold,” she noted.

Timothy Hooker of Wellington, FL, and Sirius 127 posted the first double clear of the 24-entry class in 29.60 seconds. Holly Orlando of West Palm Beach, FL, gave it her best shot a few trips later by stopping the clock in 30.37 seconds riding Pugnax to eventually finish fifth.

Chapot and Church Road posted the third double-clear ride of the day in 28.14 seconds, and could not be caught. Nick Dello Joio of Wellington, FL, came the closest to catching Chapot, finishing clear in 28.54 seconds riding Draco. Bill Lowery of North Scituate, RI, followed just behind in 29.75 seconds riding Rio Corde.

“He’s very quick off the ground and doesn’t spend much time in the air,” Chapot said of the 12-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding who was originally bred to be a three-day event horse. “I don’t feel like I have to fire up the engines for the jump-off because he’s always fast.”

Formerly shown by Max Amaya of Argentina, Chapot picked up Church Road’s reins in early January. Under Amaya, Church Road competed with the Argentinean team at the 2006 World Equestrian Games in Aachen, Germany, and at the 2007 Pan American Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. When Chapot and Church Road came together as a partnership, their immediate bond was undeniable.

“It was a match made in heaven from the start,” Chapot said. The pair spent this winter showing at the Winter Equestrian Festival circuit in Florida and won several grand prix classes.

This was Chapot’s first time showing at the Vermont Summer Festival. “It’s been great since I got here,” she said. “Everybody has been nice and the organizers and management do a great job.”

Frank Chapot, Laura’s father and legendary six-time Olympic rider, expressed great interest in returning to the Vermont Summer Festival next year.

Chapot said she hopes to repeat her victory in Sunday’s $50,000 Vermont Summer Celebration Grand Prix, scheduled to begin at 2:00 p.m. Vermont Governor Douglas plans to attend the series finale event.

Competition at the Vermont Summer Festival is held daily Wednesday through Sunday, beginning at 8 a.m. and running until approximately 4 p.m. Admission is $5 for adults and $3 for children Wednesday through Saturday. On ‘Grand Prix Sunday’, admission is $7 for adults and $5 for children. All gate proceeds are donated to the Friends Foundation for MEMS, benefiting programs in the local Elementary & Middle Schools.

New England’s largest “AA” rated hunter/jumper horse show, the Vermont Summer Festival offers over $750,000 in prize money, making it the richest sporting event in the state of Vermont. For more information on the 2008 Vermont Summer Festival please visit www.vt-summerfestival.com or e-mail info@vt-summerfestival.com.

$10,000 Tumi/Anichini Open Welcome Stake, Presented by Manchester Designer Outlets
Rider - Hometown - Horse - Faults - Time
1     Laura Chapot     Neshanic Station, NJ     Church Road     0:0     28.14
2     Nick Dello Joio     Wellington, FL     Draco     0:0     28.54
3     Timothy Hooker     Wellington, FL     Sirius 127     0:0     29.60
4     Bill Lowery     North Scituate, RI     Rio Corde     0:0     29.75
5     Holly Orlando     West Palm Beach, FL     Pugnax     0:0     30.37
6     Holly Orlando     West Palm Beach, FL     Great Pleasure     0:0     30.89
7     James Billington     England     Crème Brule     0:4     30.37
8     Hillary Dobbs     Sussex, NJ     Marlo     0:4     30.60

PHOTOGRAPH: Laura Chapot and Church Road won the $10,000 Tumi/Anichini Open Welcome Stake, Presented by Manchester Design Outlets, on Friday, August 15, at the Vermont Summer Festival. Photo credit – David Mullinix