46^th Annual Hampton Classic Horse Show

August 28, 2022 – The 46th annual Hampton Classic Horse Show opened Sunday to beautiful, breezy weather and unveiled its new Grand Prix Arena to kick off a weeklong schedule full of world-class equestrian competition. First to enter the new ring were the smallest of the week’s competitors as leadline riders in age groups of 2-4 and 5-7 took the stage. 

The Hampton Classic runs Sunday, August 28 – Sunday, September 4
8:00 am – 5:00 pm (Except Monday, August 29 starts at 10:00 a.m.)  240 Snake Hollow Road, Bridgehampton, NY 11932

The Hampton Classic, is one of the world’s most prestigious horse shows, featuring competitors at every level from young children in leadline to Olympic, World, and World Cup Champions. The Classic also has competitions for riders with disabilities.  All Grand Prix Arena competitors have the opportunity throughout the week to ride on the new state-of-the-art all-weather footing installed by Travis Gould and his JTWG, Inc., under the guidance of iEquitek’s Bill Hawe and in consultation with Oliver Hoberg. It is engineered using the same processes used for the footing in the International Arena at Wellington International (FL) and Tryon Stadium (NC), both of which have received rave reviews, as well as the upcoming 2023 LONGINES FEI Jumping World Cup™ Finals in Omaha.

The Hampton Classic is famous not only for its world-class equestrian competition, but also for its celebrity sightings throughout the week. Among those who have attended in recent years are many A-listers including Jennifer Lopez, Bruce Springsteen and Patti Scialfa, Billy Joel, Jon Bon Jovi, Jimmy Fallon, Jerry Seinfeld, Mariska Hargitay, Bobby Flay, Brooke Shields, Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos, Sofia Vergara, Ashley and Mary-Kate Olsen, Julianne Moore and Michael Bloomberg. Opening Day – Sunday, August 28, features Leadline classes with children aged 2-7 dressed like Grand Prix riders and mounted on horses or ponies. The leadline classes, judged by three-time Olympic medalist Joe Fargis, are followed by Opening Day Ceremonies, the $30,000 Jumper Challenge and $10,000 Marders Local Hunter Derby. Local hunter classes, including the Miller & Associates Local Junior hunter division, Guaranteed Rate Local Hunter Non-Professional division and Health Rover Local Amateur-Owner division take place as well as Children’s (including the Knox School High Children’s Equitation) and Adult Equitation classes.

Nearly 80 entries in the Leadline division were among the first to ride on this new surface during Sunday’s Opening Day festivities. These well-dressed young riders and mounts were judged carefully by Olympic double gold medalist and Show Jumping Hall of Famer Joe Fargis of Middleburg, VA, who never gets tired of supporting this annual class.  “For the first time in history, I couldn’t decide which rider to pick,” Fargis said of the tie in one of the Leadline 2-4 sections. “I think it’s nice. It was something different, and it was interesting. There wasn’t a clear-cut winner; there was a clear-cut tie. I love all these groups year after year after year. I love that they’re all polite, the ponies and the leaders are turned out so beautifully, and they’re all good sports. It’s the best.” Section Champions of Leadline 2-4 years:1. Sienna Pepa of Sag Harbor, NY, riding Flanders Equine LLC’s Leon1*. Aine Bykov of Patchogue, NY, riding Mackenzie Rose Rocco’s Oopsie Daisy1*. Evie Rohn Wolffer of Sag Harbor, NY, riding Caitlin Wood’s Shenandoah Jack Be Nimble1. Charlotte Kim of Amagansett, NY, riding Stony Hill Stables’ Ohh Darla*Tied for their section Section Champions of Leadline 5-7 years: 1. Antonia Falco of New York, NY, riding Amanda Topping’s Sugar Baby1. Carolina Hsu of Bridgehampton, NY, riding Cheryl Amaral-McKee’s Glenhaven Salvador Dali1. Ekaterina Jean-Gilles of Southampton, NY, riding Heidi Earle’s Magic Carousel1. Gemma Klein of New York, NY, riding Maria Long’s Highwinds Delightful 1. Addie Wellington of East Hampton, NY, riding Cheryl Amaral-McKee’s Winn Dixie

The official Opening Day ceremonies followed in the afternoon with the introduction of officials and special guests before moving into the afternoon’s highlight class, the $30,000 Hampton Classic 1.40m Jumper Challenge.  Shanette Barth Cohen, the Executive Director of the Hampton Classic, welcomed President Robert Chaloner of the Stony Brook Southampton Hospital to the field. Partnered with the Hampton Classic since the show’s inception in 1976, Stony Brook Southampton Hospital has received more than $2 million in contributions from the show during that time.  Chuck Rocco of Flanders, NY, received the 15th annual Long Island Sportsmanship Award for his many contributions to the Long Island equestrian community. Rocco has been a part of the community for many years serving as the trainer at Rocky Hill Farm in Riverhead. Described as an incredible horseman who leads by example, Rocco has helped everyone at a show who needed it, regardless of whether they were his student. With a focus on the importance of sportsmanship and the safety and health of horse and rider, he always celebrates how well his students ride and improve, no matter the ribbons they win. Rocco also received a Hampton Classic tote bag along with the Old Field Farm Trophy marking this prestigious award.  Other festivities included an exhibition of the horses and hounds of the Smithtown Hunt, whose history on Long Island is as vast as the traffic on the Long Island Expressway. The Hunt was founded in 1900 and has been recognized by the Master of the Foxhounds Association since 1906. Their mission statement is simple: “Conservation, Education & Preservation.” A tight-knit family of members, neighbors and friends, the Smithtown Hunt is a 501(c)(3) organization that has aided in successfully conserving land and protecting wildlife habitats on Long Island.

For live show results, visit ShowNet.biz.  Each year approximately 50,000 people come to watch the nation’s best equestrian athletes compete at the Hampton Classic. The Classic is rated USEF ‘Premier-6’ for both hunters and jumpers with FEI 2* and 5* classes. Ireland’s Alan Wade serves as Grand Prix Ring course designer. The Hampton Classic features more than 200 competitions in six spectacular show rings, the Agneta Currey Boutique Garden with more than 70 vendors, and a wide selection of dining options, all on its world-class 60-acre show grounds. Offering more than $1 million in prize money, the Classic is highlighted by the $410,000 Hampton Classic 5* Grand Prix on Sunday, September 4. The Hampton Classic’s FEI competition begins Thursday, September 1, with the $10,000 Citarella Open Jumper CSI2* and $37,000 Hampton Classic 5* Speed Stake and continues throughout the weekend with seven 2* and 5* classes. FEI competition also includes Friday’s $37,000 Wölffer Estate 2* Jumper Classic and $74,000 Douglas Elliman 5* Grand Prix Qualifier, Saturday’s $74,000 Hampton Classic 2* Grand Prixand $74,000 5* LONGINES Cup and the culminating $410,000 Hampton Classic 5* Grand Prix on Sunday, September 4. The Hampton Classic continues to support several charitable organizations including Stony Brook Southampton Hospital, the Kevin Babington Foundation and Sag Harbor Food Pantry. Everyone who comes to the Classic on Tuesday and Wednesday with three or more non-perishable food items for the Sag Harbor Food Pantry will have their entire car admitted free.  Daily admission to the Classic is $20 per carload (cash at the gate only). Admission is free on Monday; seniors and military are also admitted free on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. Grandstand tickets for the $410,000 Hampton Classic Grand Prix on Sunday, September 4, are $55 per person for reserved bucket seating. Grandstand tickets are electronic only; E-Tickets are provided thanks to support from Green is the New Blue. The Hampton Classic is pleased to continue its relationship with ShowNet by offering its services FREE to all exhibitors. Services include: Orders of Go; Live Ring Status; and Live Results.  For those who can’t make it to the show grounds, complimentary live webcasts of all Grand Prix ring competitions air on the Hampton Classic website, produced by ClipMyHorseTV and courtesy of LONGINES. ClipMyHorseTV is also producing a live webcast of all Anne Aspinall ring competitions, available for free on the Hampton Classic website, thanks to Pacaso. In addition, WVVH-TV, Hamptons Television, broadcasts up to five hours of competition and highlights each day during the Classic. These broadcasts can also be seen online at www.wvvh.tv.  For more information on the Hampton Classic Horse Show, please visit the Hampton Classic website at www.hamptonclassic.com or call 631-537-3177. Hampton Classic Horse Show, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) charitable corporation.

Photography: Barry Gordin