Monmouth County Horse Show to Honor Legendary New Jersey Equestrian Frank Chapot

Wellington, FL – August 10, 2005 - The 110th Annual Monmouth County Horse Show, New Jersey’s longest running and most prestigious equestrian competition, will be recognizing one of New Jersey’s finest equestrians. The show, held at East Freehold Park, in Freehold, New Jersey, runs from August 17th through August 21, 2005.

Renowned equestrian Frank Chapot, of Neshanic Station, New Jersey, will be honored during very special ceremonies prior to Sunday’s featured event, the $30,000 Stillwell-Hansen Grand Prix. Ceremonies are scheduled for shortly after 12 noon and many of Chapot’s friends, associates, pupils and fans are expected to be in attendance.

Frank Chapot has completed five decades as a key member of the United States Equestrian Team, first as a rider and just recently, retiring as the Show Jumping Chef d’Equipe. Chapot first joined the United States Equestrian team as the youngest member of the 1956 Olympic Show Jumping team, while still on active duty with the U.S. Air Force.

During the next twenty years, Chapot compiled an amazing record of success with the United States Equestrian Team, including five additional Olympic appearances following 1956, participation on a record 46 winning Nations' Cup teams, two Olympic Silver Medals, an Individual Bronze Medal in the 1974 World Championships, and victories in such prestigious events as the President's Cup, the Grand Prix of New York and London's King George V Gold Cup.

As one of the nation’s finest junior riders, Chapot won the coveted ASPCA Maclay National Championship in 1947. After his riding career, Chapot became Show Jumping Chef d’Equipe for the United States of America.

Under his guidance, the United States Equestrian Team won its first-ever Team Gold Medals in the Olympic Games (1984) and the World Championships (1986). In the 1988 Olympic Games, his Silver Medal Team was anchored by Greg Best, who was also a pupil and the Individual Silver Medalist, riding Gem Twist, a horse of Chapot’s own breeding. Chapot added another Olympic medal in 1996, when as Chef d’Equipe, he guided the USET to the Team Silver Medal at the Centennial Olympic Games in Atlanta.

Following his 1996 Olympic success, Chapot guided the USET to another milestone in 1997, as the U.S. won the FEI Nations Cup World Series Championship. It marked the first time the United States had won the title since 1968, when Chapot was a key contributor as a rider. His long string of successes continued in 2003, when he led the USET to Team Gold and Individual Silver and Bronze medals at the Pan American Games in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.

In all, through Chapot’s leadership, the United States Show Jumping riders have claimed eight Olympic medals and nine Pan American Games medals.

Chapot is married to the former Mary Mairs, who was his Olympic teammate in 1964 and 1968. They have two daughters, Wendy and Laura, both of whom have achieved success in the horse show ring. Daughter Laura, with four wins so far during the 2005 season, is battling for the AGA Rider of the Year title.

PHOTO CREDIT: Frank Chapot. Photo by Randi Muster