Last Years Hampton Hampton International Horse Show

Bridgehampton, NY - June 10, 2015 - The Hampton Classic Horse Show will host the $10,000 Sam Edelman Equitation Championship in the Classic's famed Grand Prix Ring on Saturday, August 29. In recent years, the Championship was held on Thursday, and this year's move to Saturday will put the nation's leading equitation riders on center stage in front of a large weekend crowd.

"The Sam Edelman Equitation Championship has always been a special class," said Shanette Barth Cohen, Executive Director of the Hampton Classic. "We feel that it deserves a prominent place on our schedule and we believe that this move to Saturday will be well received all
around."

The Sam Edelman Equitation Championship's format requires riders to negotiate two rounds, over two different jumper courses, in the Classic's sprawling Grand Prix Ring. The order of go in the second round is in inverse order of standing after Round One. Riders are judged subjectively as they compete over courses of 12-14 jumps.

"This class is different from all the other equitation championships because of the two rounds and the big ring," said Michael Hughes who won the championship last year. "To have won the class means an awful lot to me."

In addition to moving the Sam Edelman Equitation Championship to Saturday, the Classic has instituted some other changes for this year, including:

Grand Prix Order of Go

The start order for the $250,000 Hampton Classic Grand Prix CSI4* on Sunday will be in inverse order of final placings in Friday's $50,000 Douglas Elliman Grand Prix Qualifier CSI4* Presented by LONGINES. Both these FEI Grand Prix classes, as well as the $40,000 LONGINES Cup on Saturday, award bonus points in determining the winner of the $30,000 LONGINES Rider Challenge which awards $30,000 and a LONGINES timepiece to the rider accumulating the most points in the Open Jumper Division throughout the week.

Young Jumper Championships

All rounds of the 5- and 6-year-old divisions of the Young Jumper Championships, including the Finals, will be held in Jumper Ring 2. Previously the Finals for these divisions, as well as for the 7-year-old division, were held in the Grand Prix Ring, something that will continue for the 7-year-olds. "We got feedback that the change from Jumper Ring 2 to our big Grand Prix Ring might have been too much for some of the younger horses and that it was probably in these horses' best interest to keep them in the less imposing conditions of Jumper Ring 2," Cohen explained. "The consensus was that the 7-year-olds have enough maturity and would benefit from exposure to the Grand Prix Ring. With the change to the 5- and 6-year-old divisions' schedules we were able to arrange for the second and third rounds of the 7-year-old YJC Championship to take place in the Grand Prix Ring, rather than just the final round."

Citarella Corner

Citarella, the ultimate gourmet food market, has been a sponsor of the Hampton Classic since 2002, and is now sponsoring the new "Citarella Corner" in the international stabling area. Citarella will provide breakfast and lunch to all exhibitors, owners, trainers and grooms who have FEI access, Thursday August 27 through Sunday, August 30.

Equis Contest - Dress To Impress

Equis, a boutique for the discerning equestrian, is proud to sponsor the "Best Turned Out Horse" and "Best Turned Out Presenter" awards during the FEI jog on Thursday, August 27. A representative from Equis, along with Hampton Classic officials, will determine the recipients of these two awards. Equis will provide a prize to each winner.

Exhibitor Party

The Classic will now host their fun-filled Exhibitor's Party on Wednesday, August 26 from 5:00-8:00 p.m. in the USET Tent. All riders, owners, trainers, grooms, sponsors, and staff are invited for complimentary food, beverages and music. JustWorld International will also host a "Horseless Horse Show" benefit event during the party. It promises to be a wonderful evening!

The Hampton Classic, the prestigious culminating event of the famed Hamptons' summer season on Long Island, returns to Bridgehampton, NY, August 23-30, for its 40th year of world-class equestrian competition.
Many of the world's top jumper and hunter riders come from across the country and beyond to compete for their share of some of the richest prize money in the nation.

The Hampton Classic features six show rings, a Boutique Garden with more than 70 vendors, and a wide selection of dining options and a Farmer's Market, all on its 60-acre show grounds. With its top competition and pristine setting, The Hampton Classic is not just a place to see, it's also a place to be seen. Just in the last two years, A-list celebrities such as Jerry Seinfeld, Jennifer Lopez, Billy Joel, Jon Bon Jovi, Matt Lauer, Kelly Ripa, Julianne Moore, Sofia Vergara and Mary-Kate Olsen have been spotted enjoying the competition from the sidelines.

The Hampton Classic hosts more than 100 classes of competition for horses and riders of all ages and abilities. A wide range of hunter, jumper and equitation classes are offered from leadline classes all the way up to the grand prix level. The Classic also has classes for riders with disabilities. The Classic culminates on Sunday, August 30, "Grand Prix Sunday," with an impressive schedule of classes including three finals - the $30,000 7-Year-Old Young Jumper Championship Finals, the $25,000 Campbell Stables Show Jumping Derby, and the $250,000 Hampton Classic Grand Prix - in the Grand Prix Ring, as well as the $10,000 Hermès Hunter Classic in the Anne Aspinall Ring.

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, produced by ShowNet and courtesy of LONGINES, the official timekeeper of the Hampton Classic. 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 during the Classic. These broadcasts can also be seen on line atwww.wvvh.tv. Most of the Classic's other classes will also be available on ShowNet.biz.

Further information on the Hampton Classic Horse Show is available at the Hampton Classic website atwww.hamptonclassic.com or by calling 631-537-3177. Hampton Classic Horse Show, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) charitable corporation.

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