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2016 Hampton Classic

By Kathryn Bockino

There are only a few events each year in the Hamptons that still send chills down the spine. They are the ones people plan their social calendars around, the ones that mix nostalgia and that old time feeling of grandeur all into one bundle. The Hampton Classic is one of those events that draws in thousands of spectators, because it is the must-see show everyone wants to be at; attracting elite equestrians, Hollywood celebrities, titans of industry and locals alike. It’s not only a social gathering for friends and family, it also spreads awareness for animal welfare. Between August 28th and September 4th you want to be at this crowd-pleasing event complete with spectacular venues and world-class equestrian competition.

New Opening Day Events
This year, the Hampton Classic will feature a few new opening day events. Shanette Cohen, the Executive Director for the Hampton Classic Horse Show says, “At our Horsemen’s Advisory Committee meeting, we discussed bringing an Open Jumper competition back to our Grand Prix ring on opening day… the idea came up that our local competitors might enjoy having their own 3’3” Local Hunter Derby on opening day in our premiere hunter ring, the Anne Aspinall Ring.” Furthermore, the day will feature the NYRA Thoroughbred Incentive Bonus. This, according to Cohen, came out of conversations they had with the NYRA, “about creative ways to highlight the thoroughbred breed at hunter/jumper competitions.” There has been a lot of buzz surrounding this event, and now Long Island thoroughbred horses can truly stand out on opening day.

Community Involvement
A fact some may not realize is that the Hampton Classic is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization. This means that they can donate most of their proceeds back into the community each year. When asked about this year’s involvement, Cohen said, “the Hampton Classic has been partnering with Southampton Hospital virtually since day one of the show, and they are our official community partner.” However, the Hampton Classic works with many other organizations, and this year they have provided donations tied to around 120 charity events. One event in particular shines, and that is the ASPCA’s Adoption and Animal Welfare Day. Cohen says it “provides a platform for many dog, cat, horse, and other animal rescue organizations to raise awareness, funds, and most importantly, find forever homes for animals in need.” Another inspiring feature is their partnership with the Sag Harbor Food Pantry. After realizing that people from all over travel to the Hampton Classic, and thus rent homes for the week, stock their pantries, and then (inevitably) have food left over, they “began asking, those folks to donate such items to the Food Pantry, and that we would make it easy for them by allowing for drop-off on our show grounds,” says Cohen. These are just two amazing examples of how the Hampton Classic gives back.

A Rider’s Thoughts
Callan Solem, one of the United States’ leading grand prix show jumping riders, says that there is so much to love about the Hampton Classic. She is competing in the Grand Prix this year, and is even more excited than usual because of a great new addition. She says, “Some of the top riders have been invited to ride on behalf of an individual charity. Baseball caps signed by the riders will be sold, and the total of those proceeds will go to the charity of the rider who places highest in the first Grand Prix. This is a great opportunity for us all to give back, and I will be trying really hard for my charity, as will all of the riders.” Overall, Solem believes that the Hampton Classic offers a beautiful setting at a lovely time of year. She says, “Everyone involved in producing the horseshow does exceptional work, which is critical in creating a top event like this.”

Working with Sponsors
Looking at the list of sponsors featured on hamptonclassic.com (where you can find out more information about all of the exciting events) is astounding. When deciding whom to partner with, Shanette Cohen says that the Hampton Classic tries to work with “brands that are a good match with the Hampton Classic. In some cases, sponsorship provides exclusivity within their category (for example: automotive, time pieces, sparkling wine, etc.) and in some cases, we have multiple sponsors in the same category (for example: financial services, real estate, media, etc.).” To name a few this year, keep a lookout for Jaguar, Longines, Land Rover, Bright Side Farm, Horse Network, Douglas Elliman Real Estate, Sotheby’s International Realty and Brown Harris Stevens.

Equestrian Properties in the Hamptons
People love the beautiful  horses that compete in all skill levels at the Hampton Classic. In fact, people’s love for horses seems to only be growing. Chris Burnside at Brown Harris Stevens represents Two Trees Estates in Bridgehampton. One property that truly stands out there is 1 Two Trees Lane, a 64-acre equestrian farm. It is known for hosting the Mercedes Benz Polo Challenge, and is one of the finest world-class equestrian properties in the country. Maria Mendelsohn of Douglas Elliman also has one of the most premier private equestrian properties in the Hamptons, the remarkable Applewild Farm, which has just come on the market. Finally, Dana Trotter at Sotheby’s says, “I have a few great listings that can accommodate animals, namely an incredible estate in East Hampton with a majestic main house, guest house, cottages, and several outbuildings on 23 acres. I also have a working farm near East Hampton Village, which happens to be where I learned to ride and worked as a kid. It has a very functional design with 40+ stalls, an indoor riding arena, paddocks, riding rings, and a residential home.” Don’t miss checking out any of those beautiful properties.
At the Hampton Classic, the beautiful horses, the tense competition, and having a great excuse to wear floppy hats and your Sunday best draws you in. However, knowing that you are now a part of a tight knit community that strives to give back to those in need is the best feeling in the world.

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