Horse Illustrated Magazine

The biggest and brightest stars in the world of Show Jumping are are at the Hampton Classic Horse Show this week, which takes place in Bridgehampton, NY, August 29 through September 5, 2010.

Twenty-five of the top fifty riders on the Rolex/USEF Show Jumping Ranking List have filed entries to compete at the Hampton Classic including number one ranked, two-time Olympic Gold Medalist McLain Ward.  Ward’s 2009 season saw him win 18 grand prix events including the three biggest events of the Winter Equestrian Festival in Wellington, FL, and then place second by the narrowest of margins in the most dramatic finish in the 31-year history of the World Cup Finals.  He went on to big wins at the Hampton Classic and the Spruce Meadows Masters leading to his mare, Sapphire, being named Show Jumping Horse of the Year.  His week at the 2009 Hampton Classic was truly historic as he rode to a Grand Prix win on three consecutive days including a record-setting fourth win in the Classic’s main event, the $250,000 FTI Grand Prix.  Ward and Sapphire have been selected for the 2010 World Equestrian Games Show Jumping Long List

Ward will be joined by his two-time Olympic teammate Beezie Madden. Madden was the first woman—and the first U.S rider—to ever reach the Top Three in the Show Jumping World Ranking list and she was the first woman to pass the $1 million mark in career earnings. She is the second leading money winner in history at Canada’s famed Spruce Meadows.

Other U.S. Olympic veterans set to compete at the Hampton Classic include Norman Dello Joio (1992 individual Bronze medalist), Margie Engle (2000), Joe Fargis (1984 double Gold medalist and 1988 team Silver medalist), Leslie Burr Howard (1984 team Gold medalist and 1996 team Silver medalist), and Chris Kappler (2004 team Gold and individual Silver medalist).   Mario Deslauriers, an Olympic veteran for his native Canada before becoming a U.S. citizen in 2009, and Federico Stzyrle, an Olympic veteran for Argentina, are also entered.

Former Hampton Classic Champions set to compete include Hillary Dobbs, Engle, Fargis, Darragh Kerins, Madden, Katie Monhan Prudent, Ward and Jeffery Welles.

The Hampton Classic hosts exciting competition from junior levels up to the pinnacle of the sport, grand prix show jumping, culminating with the $250,000 FTI Grand Prix and FEI World Cup™ Qualifier on Sunday afternoon, September 5.

Those unable to attend the Hampton Classic will have ample opportunity to see it on television. WVVH-TV, the official Long Island television station of the Hampton Classic, will broadcast 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.

Watch the jump-off from last year’s FTI Grand Prix at the Hampton Classic.