News

Laura Chapot takes another HITS win

Jul 28, 2012

Just five days after an exciting win in last week’s $50,000 HITS Grand Prix Laura Chapot found herself holding another blue ribbon thanks to an impressive victory in today’s $25,000 SmartPak Grand Prix.

In the first round, it was Jeffery Welles of Brewster, New York and Noel Love Gross’ Merlin who posted the first clear ride. Two trips later, Olympian Anne Kursinski of Frenchtown, New Jersey followed with a clear round of her own aboard Karen Polle’s UDonnay Z; however, a single time fault kept them from advancing to the short course. Kursinski was one of four riders to be sidelined as a result of time faults, including 12th place finisher Michael Dorman of Wellington, Florid and his own Seventh Fee.

Five trips later, Callan Solem of Glenmoore, Pennsylvania and Torlando Group’s VDL Torlando guaranteed a jump-off when they left all the rails up to the delight of the crowd. The next big applause came when Leah DeMartini of Bronxville, New York and Elm Rock, LLC’s True Love went clear to make it three in the jump-off.

In the second round, Hernandez introduced five new fences. Welles and Merlin were first up and had a rail at the second-to-last fence, which earned them the seventh-place ribbon at the end of the class. Solem and VDL Torlando followed and crossed the timers in 48.361 seconds to set the Great American Time to Beat for the lead. Two trips later, they were edged out of first by Danielle Cooper of Syosset, New York aboard Fidelity Farms, Inc.’s Calantus with a time of 47.071 seconds.

The lead changed hands two more times with Ronan McGuigan of Far Hills, New Jersey riding his own Capall Zidane to a third-place finish in 44.189 seconds and Ireland’s Darragh Kerrins, now of Wellington, Florida, riding his own Hot Wheels to a second-place finish in 44.186 seconds. With three trips left and her father, mother, sister and twin nieces watching from the sidelines, Chapot and Umberto entered the ring focused and ready for the task at hand. The pair blazed through the timers in 43.512 seconds to secure the lead.

Candice King of Wellington, Florida was next to go and managed a clear ride aboard Hyperion Stud, LLC’s Imothep HS in 45.884 seconds, which earned them the fourth-place ribbon. Junior rider Mattias Tromp of North Salem, New York was last to go aboard Beyaert Farm, Inc.’s Casey and hoped to take advantage of his position, but fell short when the A element of the double combination came down, giving the team four faults and the ninth-place ribbon.

Source: press release from HITS