Hampton Classic Weekend Features Kids Day, Grand Prix
The Hampton Classic Horse Show continues through Sunday, August 31, with some of the show’s most highly anticipated events—including the Horseless Horse Show, Optimum Kids Day, the $40,000 Longines Cup and Grand Prix Sunday—occurring this weekend.
Friday’s Horseless Horse Show allows more than 100 “horseless” youngsters to race against the clock on foot over the miniature jump course. Approximately 1,000 attendees are expected to cheer on the young participants and future generations of equestrian sport. The event benefits JustWorld International, which seeks to raise funds for children in impoverished communities around the globe. The nonprofit is the Hampton Classic’s charity partner for the eighth year. Money will also be raised at a silent auction during the exhibitors’ party.
Saturday brings one of the Classic’s most popular attractions, Optimum Kids Day, with activities for kids of all ages. Children under 12 receive free pony rides, face painting by Ruby, airbrush tattoos by Fancy Faces and crafts with Children’s Museum of the East End.
There will also be magic tricks with The Amazing Zola, and performances by The Bellini Family Circus & Friends. Animals from Long Island Livestock Co. will be visiting, along with the birds of prey from the Wildlife Rescue Center of the Hamptons, which will be giving demonstrations while Jarrell Entertainment provides the music.
The Hampton Classic attracts some of the best riders from around the world who have their sights set on winning the highlighted class, the $250,000 Hampton Classic Grand Prix & FEI World Cup Qualifier, presented by Land Rover, which is held on Sunday, the Classic’s final day.
As an FEI World Cup Qualifier, the Hampton Classic Grand Prix serves as a qualifying event for the 2015 Longines FEI World Cup Jumping Final, which will be held in Las Vegas April 15–19, 2015. The top finishers in the Grand Prix will earn valuable points toward qualifying for Las Vegas, and the winner will be awarded $82,500 in prize money, a Longines timepiece and a jeroboam of Cristal Champagne. The groom of the winning horse will also be rewarded, and will take home a groom’s box from Beval and $500 from Aden Brook.
Sunday’s Grand Prix is the final of three straight days of FEI-recognized Grand Prix classes at the Hampton Classic. Throughout the final weekend, world-class riders will be competing in other top classes in the run-up to the culminating event. On Friday, August 29, the $50,000 Douglas Elliman Grand Prix Qualifier presented by Longines will take place at 1 p.m. On Saturday, August 30 at 2 p.m., riders will compete in the $40,000 Longines Cup. Both classes, in addition to also being FEI recognized, offer riders a chance to accumulate points toward the $30,000 Longines Rider Challenge, which awards a $30,000 cash prize and a Longines timepiece to the rider who accumulates the most points in the Open Jumper division. Presentation of the Longines Rider Challenge will immediately follow Sunday’s Grand Prix in the famed Grand Prix Field.
For those who can’t make it to the show grounds, a complimentary live webcast of all Grand Prix ring classes will air on the Hampton Classic website (hamptonclassic.com), produced by ShowNet and courtesy of Longines. In addition, WVVH-TV, the official Long Island television station of the Hampton Classic, broadcasts up to five hours of competition and highlights each day. The broadcasts can also be seen online at wvvh.tv. Most of the Classic’s other classes will also be on ShowNet.biz.