Laura Chapot and Ginola Gain Speed in $32,000 Chrome Horse Tequila CSI2* Qualifier
Laura Chapot (USA) and Ginola didn’t have a stride out of place to take top honors in the $32,000 Chrome Horse Tequila CSI2* Qualifier Friday afternoon during Week 5 at the 2026 Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF). Hosting 12 weeks of international competition, WEF runs through March 29 at Wellington International in Wellington, FL.
Stopping the clock at 40.52 seconds across Paris Olympic course designer Gregory Bodo’s (FRA) track, Chapot made her way to the top of the podium with her 10-year-old French-bred Otangelo x Chacco-Blue gelding.
“He was super rideable today, which is something he struggles with sometimes,” said Chapot. “He likes to go for it—slowing down isn’t his favorite—but he was with me every step of the way through the whole course.”
Right behind Chapot (USA) at 40.95 seconds was Canadian Chris Pratt riding Paulien Dwerse Hagen, an 11-year-old Belgian Warmblood mare by Cornet Obolensky for owners Take The High Road. Rounding out the podium finishers was Chris Ewanouski aboard Polojump’s New Jersey Van De Noordheuvel, a 13-year-old Belgian Warmblood mare by Spartacus TN at 41.23 seconds.
“He’s been phenomenal for me the whole way along—bringing him up the ranks through the seven, eight-year-olds, and he’s stepped into these two-stars this year down here,” said Chapot, a New Jersey native. “He was sixth the last time he went in the grand prix, and he’s been really consistent and starting to grow up and do some real things.”
Chapot and Ginola’s relationship has been growing ever since she bought him in the middle of his six-year-old year. She figured that with his bloodline tracing back to Chacco-Blue and clean jumping record, he would do well for himself.
“We bought him from Belgium, and his previous owner thought [Ginola] might be a nice amateur horse, and I thought he might be a nice horse for me. He’s got the bloodline I really love, and it’s the first reason I got him,” explained Chapot of the gelding related to her recently retired horse, Chandon Bleu.
Placing an emphasis on keeping the pressure off her horses, Chapot has plans to let her mount tell her what he wants to do. “He’s been starting to get consistent at this level, so we’ll keep doing this and see where he goes from there.”
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