A sold-out crowd of more than 15,000 people watched as Laura Chapot guided her mount of seven years, Little Big Man, to victory at the $80,000 New Albany Classic Invitational in New Albany, Ohio, Oct. 8.

Chapot, of Neshanic Station, N.J., turned in a speedy, fault-free round in a time of 39.78 seconds, well within the time allowed. Little Big Man, an 11-year-old, chestnut gelding who measures 15.2 hands, was the smallest horse competing on the field. While the duo had earned three ribbons in each of their past performances at the Classic, this marked their first win.

“We have a great rapport,” Chapot said. “I’ve had him since he was 4 years old–he’s grown up with me. I’m glad we came [to the Classic]; we couldn’t decide last week. He was feeling under the weather and wasn’t himself.”

The chemistry between them paid off as they turned on the heat in apparently effortless, fault-free rides. Little Big Man glided over the fences with strength, grace and unmatched speed.

“It’s great to have such an enthusiastic crowd; it makes him go better!” Chapot said.

Fifth in order of go from the starting lineup, Chapot was the first rider to qualify for the jump-off, setting the time to beat for the final round. There were three more clean rides of the 19 horse-and-rider combinations, but none were a match for her speed in either round.

“I wanted to go as fast as I could [in the jump-off],” said Chapot. “The riders going behind me are very fast, and you never know what’s going to happen so I wanted to give it a shot.”

Chapot and Little Big Man produced the only clean ride of the jump-off. Jeffery Welles, of New Canaan, Conn., and Medici M, owned by Shamrock Ventures LLC, finished second (4/41.54), and Erynn Ballard, of Hornby, Ont., landed in third aboard Looking Back Farm’s Rio’s Rhapsody (4/47.43).

While tornado spottings and downpours of rain scattered the New Albany area earlier in the week, multiple helicopters were flown in to dry the field, which has a state-of-the-art underground drainage system. The footing ultimately caused no problems for the riders. To ensure the horses’ safety, competition was halted halfway through the lineup in order to re-surface the field for the remaining riders.

“The issue with so much rain required that the course be more straight forward so the footing stays up for all of the horses,” course designer Richard Jeffery said. “We have great riders here, and there are six to eight of them who could easily win this class.”

Jeffery lived up to his reputation for designing a first-class and lavishly beautiful course. An in-and-out combination at obstacle 12 proved to be the bogey fence, as 11 out of the 19 horses dropped a rail there. Jeffery said, “The first half of the riders jumped it fine, then I think it became a problem for the second half in the riders’ minds.”

“I think the committee did a great job with the field and made a tremendous effort to get it in shape,” Chapot said. “Round 1 was a good, fair test with no disasters, and it ended up being a good track.”

In addition to her portion of the $80,000 purse, Chapot also won a two-year lease on a Mercedes-Benz ML350. When handed the keys and offered her first ride in the SUV, Chapot motioned for her father, the renowned show jumping Olympic veteran Frank Chapot, to drive the victory lap.

The Classic, which is now a three-star CSI competition, is an extraordinary community event as well as a top international grand prix. Abigail and Les Wexner host the event on their front lawn, and an entire community rallies to support the Classic and its cause. The Classic, presented by JP Morgan Chase, donates all proceeds to the Columbus Coalition Against Family Violence.

“The Coalition has been able to move people to change their thinking and to break the cycle of violence throughout central Ohio–in homes, at businesses, in schools, faith communities and neighborhoods. Thanks to the community’s support of The New Albany Classic, more than $11 million has been raised and distributed to date to support the Coalition’s work,” said Coalition Founder and Board Chairman Abigail Wexner.

Founded in 1998, the Coalition has now partnered with The Ohio State University, kicking off a campaign of relationship violence awareness as well as awareness of available resources and an anti-violence initiative in six Columbus-area elementary schools and two middle schools.


Jacquie Mazziotta