THE HISTORY OF THE 33-YEAR-OLD HAMPTON CLASSIC
Here in the Hamptons, horses and riding are enjoying unprecedented popularity. Since the revival in 1971 of the Southampton Horse Show, and the growth of its successor, the Hampton Classic, the area has seen the return of an equestrian tradition dating back to the turn of the century.
When first organized in the early 1900s, the annual Horse Show in Southampton took place on the sprawling open fields beside that village's First Neck Lane, overlooking Lake Agawam. With the outbreak of the First World War the show was discontinued, to be revived again with the advent of the Roaring Twenties. During the next decade, riding and the Horse Show flourished in the Hamptons; a group of enthusiasts formed the Southampton Riding and Hunt Club in 1922. Construction of the Club began that year on 20 acres of land just off Major's Path on the outskirts of town. The stables and other buildings were made with the finest of materials, and were finally completed after six years. When it opened in 1928, the Club was a showcase for the entire eastern seaboard.
Patronized by wealthy equestrians, the Club hosted the Horse Show through the Depression until the outbreak of World War II. The War and the death of the Club's founder led to the end of the Horse Show, and eventually the Club disbanded; the clubhouse, stables, and horses were sold. The Show was revived in 1952 and was held through 1958, but the glamour and enthusiasm that had distinguished the event in pre-War years were largely absent. Then in 1959, Mrs. Morris Scott Wadley helped to reorganize the Show as a fundraiser for Southampton's Parrish Art Museum, leading to the formal incorporation of the Southampton Horse Show. For several years, the Southampton Horse Show, held at the Stanley Howard Estate in North Sea, and the Horse Show Ball were major social events of the summer.
A bitter legal dispute among Board Members led to the Parrish Art Museum's disenchantment, and in 1964 it cut itself off from the show. For several years, the show was dormant, and it seemed that the sixty-year tradition had died.
In the late sixties, horses and riding in the area were again rising in popularity, and those who remembered the colorful days of the Horse Show and Hunt Club in the twenties and the elegant revival of the Show in the early sixties felt that it would be a shame to let the tradition slip away.
Mrs. Edwin M. Schwenk, Jr. managed to revive the show in 1971, and for several years it was held at the Topping Riding Club in Sagaponack as a fundraiser for the Hampton Day School. At this point the modern-day Hampton Classic was about to have its genesis.
Through the early years, exhibitors at the Horse Show, as at most shows throughout the country, were made up of wealthy members of high society. Athletic competition was most often of secondary concern to those who had turned out to see and be seen. Horse Shows in those days were primarily social gatherings. Judging was a very informal affair. Through the sixties and seventies, shows became more competitive in nature, riding became more sophisticated, and show jumping was growing in popularity. In 1976 it was suggested by Marie-Christophe de Menil that the Southampton Horse Show be expanded from a local show to a five-day "A" rated event that would include show jumping and attract the top riders and horses in the country. The spacious Dune Alpin Farm in East Hampton was chosen as the site for the newly upgraded Southampton Horse Show. Stabling tents were erected to house horses and equipment, show rings and grandstands were readied. Horses began to arrive two days before the show was to begin--and then, disaster struck in the form of a hurricane the night before the show was to open. Hundreds of horses were evacuated from the tents, many to take shelter in temporary stabling constructed in the aisle ways and indoor rings of local barns. In the wake of the hurricane, all the stabling tents had blown down. Undaunted, horse show workers, tent crews, and volunteers all pitched in to resurrect the show--it opened only one and a half days behind schedule. The 1976 Southampton Horse Show has been remembered ever since as the horse show that survived the hurricane, and another tradition was begun--that of violent, meteorological visitations upon the show.
In 1977, the Hampton Classic formally incorporated the Southampton Horse Show, and was run as a benefit for the Southampton Hospital, with Ms. DeMenil to guarantee the hospital its contribution, even in the event that the horse show operated at a loss. A Grand Prix with a $10,000 purse was offered. The winners of that inaugural Hampton Classic Grand Prix were Bernie Traurig and the great "Southside." Since that time the Hampton Classic has grown to be one of the largest hunter/jumper shows in America, with more than 1400 horses competing annually in over 170 events. The United States Equestrian Team was made an additional beneficiary in 1981, and team officials have worked closely with Hampton Classic management to achieve and maintain the highest standards of competition. In 1981, the Federation Equestre Internationale (FEI) designated the Hampton Classic's Grand Prix as the first of a select number of Qualifying Events for the following year's World Cup finals. This designation was repeated each year through 1987. The 1986 Hampton Classic Grand Prix winners, Katharine Burdsall and "The Natural" went on to win the 1987 World Cup Final in Paris, France.
In 1982, the show was moved to its present location, the 60-acre Hampton Classic showgrounds on Snake Hollow Road in Bridgehampton. That same year, after the tents were raised, disastrous weather struck the Classic once again; a freak tornado ripped through the stabling, destroying several tents with only seven days left before showtime. Replacements had to be flown in, crews labored overtime, and the show was able to begin on time.
In 1984, a day was added to the schedule to provide a full seven days of competition. On Grand Prix Day of that year the Olympic show jumping riders of the United States Equestrian Team, just returning from a Gold Medal victory at Los Angeles, were honored in a special ceremony. In 1985, bad weather returned with a vengeance. That year is remembered as the "Year of the Mud." One day before the show was to start, a torrential rainstorm deluged the showgrounds as exhibitors arrived from all over the country. Eighteen-wheeled transports and small cars alike became mired in the stabling area; parking fields had to be closed to spectators for two days. Just as the showgrounds began to dry on Friday, the heavens opened again; tornadoes touched down in Southampton, Water Mill and East Hampton, but miraculously missed the horse show. Heavy rains, with rivers and lakes appearing out of nowhere transformed the grounds. Incredibly, the show grounds were dried out in time for Grand Prix Sunday, and the sun shone on a record crowd of onlookers.
In 1986 the schedule was revised so that Opening Day would take place on a Sunday, enabling Hampton Classic festivities to span two weekends and in 1987 the Grand Prix was telecast on ESPN for the first time.
In 1988 the show was chosen as the final selection trial for the Olympics. The show’s dates were moved up from the end of August to the end of July to facilitate the lengthy mandatory quarantine of Team horses destined for Seoul.
The following year, 1989, was a very special, almost magical year, for show jumping competition. Riders Michael Matz and D. D. Alexander (now husband and wife) had survived the tragic Sioux City plane crash just a week before the start of the Classic. Uninjured, they both came directly to the Hampton Classic and began competing early in the week. Alexander went on to be the winner in the $10,000 Warner Communications Jumper Classic on Saturday. To everyone's joy, Matz put in a stunning performance the next day aboard "Schnapps," winning the $75,000 Grand Prix class in a field of very strong competitors. Matz's repeat win in 1990, this time aboard "Heisman," cemented his popularity with the Classic's spectators.
As if a magnet to weather-related disasters, the Hampton Classic was hit in 1991 by Hurricane Bob, packing 80-mph winds, just days before the horses arrived. Acres of canvas tenting were dropped and lashed down to prevent harm and the showgrounds sustained only minor damage. The big Pepsi scoreboard and a few little tents were destroyed by the winds but the showgrounds were remarkably unscathed and with a Herculean effort on the part of the crew, the show was up and ready when the first horse van rolled in that Saturday. Following a week of perfect weather, a record crowd turned out to watch Joe Fargis, Southampton's own Olympic gold medalist, ride "Mill Pearl" to victory in the $100,000 Grand Prix.
In 1992, the crowd was on its feet cheering Joe on to a possible first-time triumph in the $75,000 Miller's Challenge, but a rail down gave victory to Jeff Welles and "Serengeti." In 1993 Beezie Patton of Cazenovia, NY, etched her name as the fifth female rider in the 17-year history of the grand prix to win this event.
In 1994 Welles again claimed the victory, on a new mount, “Irish”, the horse that had taken Norman Dello Joio to an individual Bronze Medal in the 1992 Olympics. That same year a new all-weather schooling ring was added, to offer the riders good schooling conditions no matter what Mother Nature has in store. This is also the year when a new program with circus acts and entertainment geared towards kids was initiated. Kids Day, as it is called, admits children under 12 free of charge and free pony rides are offered that day.
In 1995, another female, Debbie Dolan-Sweeney, claimed the victory in the Grand Prix. This was also the year the new Corporate Chalet Tent was added adjacent to the Grand Prix Arena. In honor of the enormous impact the Hampton Classic has on Long Island and the local community the Hampton Classic was honored with three proclamations. Congressman Mike Forbes entered a Proclamation in the Congressional Record congratulating the Hampton Classic on its contributions to the community and proclaiming August “Hampton Classic Month,” as did the Southampton Council and Suffolk County Executive Robert Gaffney.
Olympic veteran Tim Grubb rode Elan Denizen to victory in 1996.
1997 once again saw Mother Nature wreaking havoc just three days before the show began when hurricane like winds blew down the grand prix tent and uprooted some of the smaller tents. However, the tent crew rallied their efforts and the horse show was ready to roll on opening day. The year included the first ever “Classic Wedding,” which was televised nationally on the Discovery Channel’s “The Wedding Story.” It was a case of déjà vu for Debbie Dolan-Sweeney with her second victory in the $100,000 Crown Royal Grand Prix presented by David Yurman this time about her mount “Itziweeni.”
In 1998, McLain Ward of Brewster New York, aboard “Twist du Valon” rode to victory for the first time, narrowly defeating Leslie Burr Howard in an exciting finish that kept the spectators in their seats up to the last second. In 1999, Ward rode Twist Du Valon to a blue-ribbon finish in the $125,000 Crown Royal Grand Prix, presented by David Yurman for his second consecutive Hampton Classic win.
In 2000, Margie Goldstein-Engle of Wellington, Florida, riding Hidden Creek’s Laurel, rode to victory in the $150,000 Crown Royal Grand Prix, presented by David Yurman just days before she boarded a plane for Sydney Australia where she would represent our country in the 2000 Olympic Games. The first-ever Senior’s Day premiered in 2000 with a special “Senior-Surfing” program within the Classic’s new Internet Café, designed to introduce the Internet to seniors in a relaxed and friendly setting.
In 2001, Engle rode Hidden Creek’s Laurel to her second straight victory in the $150,000 Prudential Financial Grand Prix at the Hampton Classic Horse Show. Fiesta Day, the Hampton Classic’s salute to Latino participants and the growing Hispanic community on Long Island, also premiered in 2001.
In 2002, Engle made history as she became the first rider to win the $150,000 Prudential Financial Grand Prix three consecutive years. Despite muddy conditions from four days of on-again, off-again rain, Engle topped a five-horse jump-off and proved why she is one of the highest-ranked female riders in the world. Engle claimed the winner’s share of $45,000 for the victory aboard Hidden Creek’s Perin, her Sydney Olympic mount.
In 2003, McLain Ward became only the third rider in history to win the Hampton Classic Grand Prix three times when he rode Hurricane to victory.
In 2004, Darragh Kerins of Ireland rode Nabucco to victory in the $150,000 Prudential Financial Grand Prix to close the 29th annual Hampton Classic Horse Show. Kerins’s victory before an enthusiastic crowd of more than 10,000 was a fitting climax to a highly successful Hampton Classic. Good weather, clear skies, exciting competitions, innovations such as the new Loaves & Fishes Cookshop Demonstration Kitchen, and traditional activities like the World of the Horse made the week one to remember.
In 2005, culminating a week that celebrated 30 years of Hampton Classic history and the careers of retiring executive directors Tony Hitchcock and Jean Lindgren, Joe Fargis, a rider who holds his own place in show jumping history, put an exclamation point on this year’s horse show with a ride that all who were there will talk about for many years to come. Fargis, the three-time Olympic medalist from Southampton, NY and Middleburg, VA, thrilled a crowd of 12,000 with an electrifying dash to the finish line to win the week’s main event, the $100,000 Prudential Douglas Elliman Real Estate Grand Prix, by 13 one-hundredths of a second over his 1988 Silver Medal Olympic teammate, Anne Kursinski.
In April 2006, Shanette Barth Cohen took the reins as the new Executive Director of the Hampton Classic. Despite week-long rains that forced the cancellation of some classes, the horse show ended on a very positive note when three-time Olympic veteran Anne Kursinski rode Roxanna 112 to victory in the $150,000 Prudential Financial Grand Prix.
In 2007, following the week-long rains that hampered the 2006 horse show, the Hampton Classic invested about $250,000 to renovate and upgrade the stabling areas, focusing on new and enhanced drainage. Horse show competition was highlighted by a thrilling win by Eliza Shuford on Larentino in one of the most exciting Grand Prix classes the Classic has ever seen.
With a star-studded field of Olympic medalists and top Grand Prix riders from six countries, it was 20-year-old Hillary Dobbs of Sussex, NJ who dominated the competition in 2008. Dobbs became the youngest rider to win the $200,000 FTI Grand Prix and FEI World Cup™ Qualifier, and she also won the VOX Rider Challenge, a new award sponsored by VOX Hamptons Magazine that gave $30,000 to the top four riders in the Classic’s Open Jumper classes. Dobbs also won the Classic’s International and National Open Jumper Championships.