Young Horse Finals were featured on the closing day of the 12-week CN Winter Equestrian Festival, presented by Zimmerman Advertising, at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center.

As she had done throughout the circuit, Laura Chapot of Neshanic Station, NJ, continued to dominate the young jumper division. The $20,000 Seven- and Eight-Year-Old Young Jumper Final was the featured class in the International Arena on Sunday, April 6, attracting a total of 48 entries. From the original starting field, 17 horses jumped clear to advance to the jump-off over the shortened track set by Canadian course designer David Ballard.

When it was all said and done, Chapot and Capri, owned by her mother Mary Chapot, had claimed the class with a double-clear effort in a time of 35.99 seconds to narrowly edge Sarah Segal of New York, NY, who had stopped the clock in 36.03 seconds riding Atlanta.

"I knew that Sarah Segal was winning, and she has been consistent throughout the circuit with Atlanta, sometimes beating us," explained Chapot, who purchased Capri, an eight-year-old bay German-bred mare, during last year's Winter Equestrian Festival from Ireland's Cian O'Connor. "I tried to do the best I could with my horse. She might not have as big of a stride as Sarah's horse, but she is really agile."

While Segal, a Princeton graduate, settled for second with Atlanta, it was Canada's Ainsley Vince of Milton, Ontario, who took third and fourth places in the final results. With KMA Group's Frieda, a seven-year-old chestnut Sachsen-Anhaltiner mare by For Future, Vince stopped the timers in 36.83 seconds. With Nosco de Blondel, a seven-year-old bay selle francais gelding owned by Iron Horse Farm, Vince clocked in at 37.15 seconds. Rounding out the top five was Candice King of Wellington, FL, and the Skara Glen Stables entry of Skara Glen's Chinita, who were clear in the jump-off in a time of 38.15 seconds. King had the distinction of riding the most horses in the $20,000 Seven and Eight-Year-Old Young Jumper Final with a total of seven.

Winning the $20,000 Seven- and Eight-Year-Old Young Jumper Final was the final victory in what proved to be a very successful season for Chapot. She claimed the Seven and Eight-Year-Old Circuit Championship with Little Big Mama as well as the reserve circuit championship with Capri. Riding Skye, a chestnut mare by Carolous out of Isis, Chapot also took home the Six-Year-Old Circuit Championship.

In addition, Chapot was named the 1.35m Circuit Champion with Chili Pepper and was reserve champion with Bradberry, as well as placing third overall in the standings with Face Value. In the 1.30m division, Chapot won the circuit championship with Redford while Bradberry was again the reserve champion.

"We had a great circuit!" exclaimed Chapot, a member of the 2007 Pan American Games Team in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. "We were counting, and I think we won 72 blue ribbons, which is unbelievable in the jumpers."

Throughout the 2008 CN Winter Equestrian Festival, presented by Zimmerman Advertising, a total of 25,756 entries competed at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center, compared to 18,665 in 2007. The 2008 CN Winter Equestrian Festival, presented by Zimmerman Advertising, attracted the best horses and riders from around the world to Wellington, FL, and offered more than $5 million in prize money. For more information, please visit www.equestriansport.com.