World-class riders, horses and social finery marks on display at Hampton Classic show

It's become an annual rite of summer.

What the Spa — Saratoga racecourse — has long-been for horse-racing elite, the Hampton Classic has become to the international riding set and the South Fork's social elite.

The show has also gone from being a small gathering of local riders to a world-rated competition, one of the major events on the sport's tour.

The 46th Annual Hampton Classic Horse Show opens Sunday with more than $1 million in prize money at stake as 200 classes take place at “six spectacular show rings” — all, culminating with the $410,000 Hampton Classic 5-Star Grand Prix Sept. 4.

"It's become a tradition and it's really part of the whole Hamptons summer," Southampton Town Supervisor Jay Schneiderman said. "Certainly, it's synonymous with summer in the Hamptons."

A slew of recent celebrity guests have stopped by in the past, including Jennifer Lopez, Sofia Vergara, Mary-Kate Olsen, Bobby Flay, Don Lemon, former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, whose daughter Georgina is a top-rated rider, and Long Island's own Billy Joel. They have come to watch the best equestrian athletes from 13 countries compete for their moment on the international and local stage, either in the dramatic jumper classes over towering obstacles or the elegant hunter division over smaller fences.

Seven-time Hampton Classic Grand Prix champion McLain Ward will be there. So will defending champ Daniel Bluman.

Upward of 50,000 fans are expected to take in the weeklong festivities.

"It's the real pinnacle of the horse-show world," Hampton Classic spokesman Marty Bauman said. "It's the height of the social season."

Canceled in 2020 due to the pandemic, the Classic saw its return last summer hampered by all sorts of misfortune, mostly from Mother Nature.

Mask and social distancing protocols were the mandate in 2021. And remnants of Hurricane Henri came storming in just before the event, wreaking havoc on the footing in the outdoor arenas, the temporary horse housing, and the shops.

"The Hampton Classic was always known for its grass surface, but last year when we returned it was not holding well," Bauman said, noting organizers did "miraculous work" enabling the show to go on. "The hurricane hitting just a few days before not only affected the turf. It meant 1,600 stalls had to come down, as well as all the vendor tents. It was 95 degrees every day. It was all very challenging, so much so a lot of us would like to forget some aspects of last year."

This season brings a brand-new state-of-the-art all-weather Grand Prix arena surface — the result of a $1 million investment, Bauman said. And no hurricanes are in sight.

 With COVID-19 requirements gone, great weather expected and the new ground in place, this year's event should be the real first post-pandemic celebration of equestrian skill and high-end shopping, organizers said.

"I like to say that in our boutique garden you can get anything, from a T-shirt to a Land-Rover," Bauman said of the Agneta Currey Boutique Garden, with its more than 70 vendors and wide selection of dining and drink options, all on the 60-acre showgrounds.

As Classic executive director Shanette Barth Cohen said in a statement: “Our new Five Star status is sure to draw a spectacular line-up of horses and riders. Spectators also are sure to enjoy all our usual activities, offering something for everyone, whether they’re horse fans or not!”

By John Valenti

john.valenti@newsday.com

John Valenti, a reporter at Newsday since 1981, has been honored nationally by the Associated Press and Society of the Silurians for investigative, enterprise and breaking news reporting, as well as column writing, and is the author of “Swee'pea,” a book about former New York playground basketball star Lloyd Daniels. Valenti is featured in the Emmy Award-winning ESPN 30-for-30 film “Big Shot.”