A Trot Down Memory Lane at The Hampton Classic

Bridgehampton’s Snake Hollow Road is home to the world-famous Hampton Classic. Every Labor Day weekend, top equestrians from across the globe make their way to Long Island in order to compete in one of the horse world’s top events. The sport’s centuries-long tradition has been host to a rich history full of headlines, drama, and spectacular performances.

The show’s origins date back to the early 20th century, with the South Hampton Riding and Hunt Club being founded in 1922. After six years of construction, the club was officially opened to the public in 1928. Until 1971, equestrian shows were sparsely organized at the club. That year, the first Hampton Classic, although it wasn’t officially titled that then, took place at the Topping Riding Club in Sagaponack.

In 1976, after five years of a mostly local annual competition, the show was preparing to upgrade its status to a five-day “A” rated equestrian event. However, the night before the event was set to begin, Hurricane Belle touched down in Sagaponack, threatening the ability for the competition to begin. Luckily, the show was only delayed a day and a half, commencing just thirty-six hours later.

The following year, now an “A” rated event, the Southampton Horse Show, as it was known at the time, became formally incorporated as the Hampton Classic. With this official recognition came a beneficial partnership with the Southampton Hospital. Furthermore, the new Grand Prix began offering a $10,000 purse for the victors.

The Hampton Classic was officially relocated to Snake Hollow Road, the show’s current site in Bridgehampton, in 1982. Once again, though, aggressive storms and tornadoes destroyed several tents across the grounds. Thanks to community efforts, the Classic still managed to begin on schedule. The two instances of poor weather at the show would soon become a bit of a trend.

The years 1985, 1991, and 2011 all saw storms, tornadoes, and hurricanes damage the competition grounds. Despite various levels of destruction from the poorly timed weather, organizers continuously found ways to adjust scheduling and events in order to let the show go on. These ongoing efforts by people behind the scenes have also played a key role in the Hampton Classic’s yearly success.

In 1987, they televised the event on ESPN, exploding their popularity in the coming years. Two years later, they brought in two competitors that were survivors of an infamous Sioux City plane crash. Both men emerged victorious, once again earning the Classic national media coverage.

Continued media attention led to the Hampton Classic being selected to host the final Olympic trial selections for the 1988 Seoul Olympics. The date was changed for the first time since its rebranding in order to accommodate for the horses’ travel to Seoul afterwards.

The show has found success in many facets, but perhaps none more impressive than the feats achieved by the competitors themselves over the years. Most notable is McLain Ward, the American with 2 gold and 3 silver Olympic medals spanning a near thirty year career. He first broke out at the Classic in the early 200s, and by 2009 he’d broken the show’s record by winning his fifth Grand Prix. In 2018, he received his seventh Grand Prix win, a record that still stands today.

As the years passed, the purse for the victors rose. In 2013, the Hampton Classic partnered with international watch company Longines, further boosting prize money and bringing in more competitions.

In 2009, the Classic was designated as a Heritage Competition by the United States Equestrian Federation. This was in recognition of the organizations continued significant contributions to both the local and equestrian communities.

The Hampton Classic continues to serve as one of the premier equestrian competitions around the globe. Its dedication to community, excellence, and history make it standout in the world of horse shows. Continued renovations and recognition ensure that the future of the grounds at Snake Hollow Road is full of excitement.