Chapot finishes first and second

Laura Chapot of Neshanic Station, N.J., riding Bradberry, won the $10,000 Open Jumper, Hit and Hurry class Wednesday at the Devon Horse Show and Country Fair. She also placed second on Valentia.

"Bradberry is an especially fast horse," Chapot said. "I took a risk leaving out a stride from fence one to fence two, but after that I could just do what everyone else did and his natural speed carried him."

Chapot, who has been Leading Open Jumper Rider for three of the last five years, has won two of the four Open classes, both on Bradberry.

Chapot also won the $1,500 Six-Year-Old Jumper class on Zealous.

Scott Stewart of Flemington, N.J., captured the Leading Hunter Rider title for the eighth year in a row.

Stewart rode Way Cool to the Second-Year Green Hunter Championship, and he also rode Fashion Farm's Summer Place to the Working Hunter Championship and to the reserve title in First-Year Green Hunters.

It was a tight fight to the finish this year, though, as Kelley Farmer was only one point behind Stewart for the overall title.

Farmer rode Nancy S. Amling's Taken to the First-Year Green championship and finished as reserve champion in Second-Year Green with Julie Curtin's Bases Loaded, in Regular Conformation with Richard Prender's Timber Ridge, and in Regular Working Hunter with Mr. and Mrs. Ernest M. Oare's Rosalynn.

Maggie Jayne rode Pony Lane Farm's Francesca to the Leading Mare in the Hunter Division title, and Ken Berkley rode Gina Day's Premier to the Devon Grand Hunter Championship.

"Winning at Devon never gets old," Stewart said. "I thought this was one of the best Devons ever."

Christine McCrea rode Romantovich Take One to the title in the $10,000 Open Jumper, Time First Jump-off during the afternoon session, jumping clean in 39.29 to beat Sloane Coles on Annie (41.017).

McCrea said she would show him in Thursday's $100,000 Grand Prix of Devon.