The Hamptons

The 49th annual Hampton Classic Horse Show concluded Sunday with the Longines Hampton Classic 5* Grand Prix, where Rene Dittmer of Germany raced to victory with one of only two double-clear rounds. He and Corsica X stopped the clock in 37.55 seconds to close their summer on a high, earning the winner’s share of the $400,000 purse.

The Hampton Classic is one of the world’s most prestigious horse shows, featuring competitors from young children in leadline to Olympic, World, and World Cup Champions. Rated USEF Premier-6 with designated FEI 5* and 2* show jumping classes, the Classic also has competitions for riders with disabilities.

Prior to the Longines Hampton Classic 5* Grand Prix, the Hampton Classic honored eight riders who represented their countries in this summer’s Paris Olympic Games as part of the Grand Prix opening ceremonies: Daniel Bluman (ISR), Mario Deslauriers (CAN), Thaisa Erwin (AUS), Kent Farrington (USA), Darragh Kenny (IRL), Nayel Nassar (EGY), Shane Sweetnam (IRL), and McLain Ward (USA).

Forty entries representing eight countries then galloped around the technical 17-effort, 1.60m course set by Nick Granat for the Grand Prix, with eight riding clear into the jump-off. Final results came down to the wire with some faults scattered around the tiebreaker course, but Dittmer and the 11-year-old Holsteiner mare owned by Glen Haven Farm and Sportpferde Dittmer GMBH left nothing on the table as they blazed through the timers in 37.55 seconds.

“It’s just unbelievable to come here and win again,” said Dittmer, who won the $39,000 Flecha Azul 5* Speed Stake in 2023. “It really means a lot to me to win in front of this amazing crowd. My horse was unbelievable this week; she jumped five clear rounds and didn’t have a rail down all week. I’m really grateful that Mark Miness trusts me with this horse. I’m super happy and still can’t quite believe that this win happened in such a prestigious event.

“I tried to go fast without being too crazy,” Dittmer added. “I knew Jordan (Coyle) and McLain (Ward) were coming after me, so I had to do what I could to make them chase the time. It worked out because if McLain had gone clear, he would’ve been faster and won. Today went in my favor, and it really is just unbelievable.”

Along with the winner’s share of the $400,000 purse, Dittmer received a Longines timepiece and bottles of wine from Wölffer Estate. Professional groom Lily Standbridge, who cares for Corsica X, received $500 from Aden Brook for her hard work keeping the horse ready to compete.

Americans Mimi Gochman and Alex Matz joined Dittmer on the podium, finishing in second and third place, respectively. Gochman celebrated her 20th birthday with the only other double-clear round in the Longines Hampton Classic 5* Grand Prix, stopping the clock in 38.58 seconds aboard DG Sport Horse LLC’s 9-year-old gelding Inclen BH. Matz posted the fastest four-fault round in 39.09 seconds with Ikigai, 5 Star Partners’ 11-year-old Dutch Warmblood stallion.

“I was really working on being consistent, clear and not too reckless in the jump-off,” Gochman said. “I was super happy with my horse today. He’s an incredibly scopey, careful horse. I tried very hard to present everything to go smoothly for him, and I couldn’t be happier with him.”

“I have an unbelievable horse,” Matz said. “Since I first got him, I’ve thought he is the best horse I’ve ever ridden. I’m so happy to have him with me at this level.”

Thirty entries representing ten countries also starred in the $75,000 Hampton Classic 2* Grand Prix presented by the Deslauriers family and Lynne Tarnopol, which saw a Granat-designed course over 16 jumping efforts set at 1.45m. Fresh off the 2024 Paris Olympic Games, Erwin posted the best of seven jump-off rounds aboard Michael and Wendy Smith’s 12-year-old gelding Vanturo, faultlessly tripping the timers in 34.81 seconds.

“Thank you to the Deslauriers family and Lynne Tarnopol for sponsoring this class and, of course, the amazing crew behind this whole show,” Erwin said. “Today’s course was technical and wide enough for a proper 2*. I think Nick did a fantastic job as the course designer. It presented enough problems that could catch you off-guard, but nothing that was un-jumpable. My strategy was to go fast and clear. I knew Molly (Ashe Cawley) was behind me, so I had to keep every jump flowing toward the next. I did leave two strides out in some of the lines to beat her, and I’m just grateful it all worked out in our favor today.”

Sunday’s (August 25) $30,000 Open Jumper Challenge winners Sydney Shulman Desiderio (ISR) and Villamoura, her and Jill Shulman’s 15-year-old Selle Francais mare, returned to the podium for second-place honors with their time of 36.15 seconds. Taking third in 40.20 seconds was Beat Mändli (SUI) riding Grant Road Partners LLC’s 9-year-old Italian Sport Horse mare Kay Grey.

After maintaining his overnight lead, Ward claimed top honors in the Longines Rider Challenge for the second time following several podium finishes in the week’s Open Jumper division. He previously won the Challenge in 2021 and received this year’s $30,000 purse and a Longines watch for his 260-point victory. Coming in second was fellow American Molly Ashe Cawley with 238 points. Shulman Desiderio finished third with 212 points.

“A very special thanks to Michael and Wendy Smith for the opportunity to ride this horse (High Star Hero), and for Thaisa (Erwin) for producing him to this level,” Ward said. “Getting to know him at the Hampton Classic (after only getting him last Wednesday) is a bit of a sharp learning curve.

“I would’ve liked to have pulled up a little bit from home; maybe we came in a bit too fast there,” he went on. “I’m glad Nick Granat had the opportunity to be here and design the course. I thought it rode well, and the rollback to the final line created something of a bogey fence. It’s a shame the horse didn’t go clear, but there is a bit of luck involved in our sport. He is a great horse, and I think we’re going to have a great future.”

FEI competition began Thursday, August 29, with the $10,000 Citarella Open Jumper CSI2* and $32,000 CSI5* Two-Phase and continued throughout the weekend with eight 2*/5* classes featuring courses designed by Nick Granat. FEI competition also included Friday’s $32,000 Wölffer Estate 2* Jumper Classic and $70,000 Douglas Elliman 5* Grand Prix Qualifier, Saturday’s $32,000 Open Speed Class CSI2* and $70,000 CSI5* Winning Round. The Classic culminated with the $75,000 Hampton Classic 2* Grand Prix and the $400,000 Longines Hampton Classic 5* Grand Prix on Sunday, September 1.

Other competition highlights included the $30,000 Open Jumper Challenge, $10,000 Stomp Capital 1.40m Open Jumper, $10,000 Lugano Diamonds Junior/Amateur Welcome Stake, $10,000 Hermès Equitation Championship, $10,000 Junior/Amateur-Owner Hunter Classic, $25,000 Agneta & Brownlee Currey High Junior/Amateur Jumper Classic, and the new $50,000 Kristen Baran Hunt Team Stake.

Each year, approximately 50,000 people – including many A-list celebrities – come to watch the nation’s best equestrian athletes compete at the Hampton Classic Horse Show. Rated USEF ‘Premier-6’ for hunters and jumpers with designated FEI 2* and 5* jumping classes, the Hampton Classic features more than 200 competitions in six spectacular show rings, the Agneta Currey Boutique Garden with more than 70 vendors, and a wide selection of dining options, all on its world-class 60-acre show grounds. For more information on the Hampton Classic Horse Show, please call 631.537.3177. Hampton Classic Horse Show, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) charitable corporation. hamptonclassic.com

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