Coco Fath Tops Friday Junior Jumpers at Devon Horse Show

Coco Fath and Huckleberry (Photo:Sassy Strides Photography)

Under the Friday Night Lights in the Blue Oval of Devon, 16-year-old Coco Fath of Fairfield, Connecticut, captured the win in the second round of the Junior Jumper championship aboard Hillside Farm LLC’s Huckleberry.

Twenty-one junior riders returned after Thursday’s Junior Jumper Speed Stake to compete once again in the electric and packed Dixon arena for an unforgettable jumper experience.

Only seven were able to clear Kelvin Bywater’s first round track to advance to the jump-off. Taylor St. Jacques, who has had a stand-out Junior Weekend at Devon thus far, and her own Qantar Des Etisses were first to return for the jump-off, setting the standard to beat at 4 faults in a time of 34.914 seconds, which would garner them third place as the fastest of the 4-faulters in the final standings.

Jorja Rose Jones and Diane Master’s Light Show produced a double-clear effort a few rounds later, stopping the clock in 42.081 seconds. Yet their time would earn them second place honors in the end as Fath and the 10-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding jumped clear and bested their time by four seconds in 38.906 seconds for the win.

FROM THE WINNER’S CIRCLE

Coco Fath and Huckleberry. PC: Sassy Strides Photography

 Coco Fath

On Huckleberry:
“I got Huckleberry a little over a year ago and we’ve been competing in the highs and some of the U25 classes. This is my first Devon with him.”

On the course:
“Yesterday we were a little fresh and then today he was settled just right on it. I thought both rounds were really nice and competitive. They were able to keep the right amount of people in the jump-off for the amount of people they had. The jump-off was nice and short but a little demanding. The last jump was a little bit of a buggy jump. I wasn’t the fastest time but I was going for a nicer, clear round.”

On her plan for Saturday night’s final Junior Jumper class:
“I’m definitely going to go faster in the jump-off and be a little more competitive in tomorrownight’s class. I’m hoping he’s going to be the same way he was tonight so we can just have a really nice clear round and be a little faster.”

On the Devon Horse Show:
“It’s such a classic show. It has been around for so long. I really look forward to it. It’s at the end of the school year and it’s a great kick-off to summer. I’ve had some good years here. It’s one of my favorite shows for sure.”

Coco Fath and Huckleberry (Photo: The Book LLC)