RH Guide to the Hampton Classic
(Georgina Bloomberg)
And in a New York minute, the summer is beginning to wind down and nothing marks the end of summer for ‘East Enders’ like the Hampton Classic. The Hampton Classic is not only one of the biggest social bashes of the summer season in the Hamptons, but it is one of the largest and most prestigious Grand Prix events in the United States, which means that not only do celebrities flock to the grounds for the weeklong event, but so do the best equestrians in the world. This year the prize money is over $800,000 and the horse enthusiasts, socialites and celebrities are eagerly anticipating the grand finale of the season after the hunter-jumper show was postponed last year due to COVID.
The Hampton Classic has taken place in the Hamptons since the early 1900’s but was briefly postponed during World War I and again during World War II. While the show has undergone several iterations, the through line has always been a fantastic horse show attracting beautiful and wealthy people in one of the most fabulous places on earth. The horse show has been named ‘Hampton Classic’ since 1978 and has taken place at its current location on Snake Hollow Road in Bridgehampton since 1982.
The Hampton Classic is not just for horse lovers, it is an event of iconic proportions, but you don’t want to be an uneducated spectator! To avoid any faux pas when hobnobbing with the Bloombergs, the Olsens or the Gates, the RH Team always has you covered on everything you need to know to get by while attending the Hampton Classic, aka ‘The Classic’.
Hunters, Jumpers: What's the Difference?
If you are a novice in the art of spectating horse shows, you might be confused by the two most common competition categories; hunter and jumper.
Hunters: Rider and horse in the hunters category are judged based on their appearance, composure, elegance and grace as a team as they jump the designated course. If the hunters category was a New York City woman, it would most definitely be an old money Upper East Sider, such as Babe Paley.
Jumpers: Rider and horse are judged on speed; how quickly they can complete the jumping course accurately without knocking any rails off. Ultimately, how quickly and perfectly can you execute the course. If the jumpers category was a New York City woman, she just might be the CEO of a Fortune 500 company or like our favorite city girl, Serena Kerrigan (SFK), who we anticipate will make the Fortune 500 list sooner rather than later.
The Ribbons
You would expect a big metal trophy or something equally as fabulous for a sport that sucks the cash from your wallet as quickly horseback riding, but mostly placed riders are awarded ribbons. If you know a ‘horse girl’ you definitely know what we are talking about because they are likely strewed across their bedroom and have spilled out into other areas of their home. The 1st place ribbon is blue, 2nd place is red and 3rd place ribbon is yellow. The ribbons can be awarded all the way to 8th place, depending on the horse show, but the championship ribbon is traditionally blue, red and yellow.
The Grounds
(Grand Prix Tent)
The Hampton Classic is held on a large piece of property with many tents, rings and fun experiences for the whole family. You can shop for a Land Rover or a private jet next to a booth where you can purchase freshly fried Oreos. Really, it is half Rodeo Drive, half local carnival and the best people watching money can buy. The cheapest way to view the Grand Prix ring is with a general admission ticket, where you can wander the grounds and sit in the Grand Prix stands. If you are lucky enough to have or be invited to a table, you will be given a wrist band which admits you to the VIP tents and most importantly, the Grand Prix tent which is stuffed with socialites, champagne, food, and white jacket waiters. RH Tip, you can also walk through the barn stalls in the riders’ tents to see the horses and get a behind the scenes peek. You will quickly realize just how posh the Hampton Classic is when you see the various barns and their temporary headquarters, decorated with their earned ribbons for the week.
The Schedule
Sunday, August 28th
The Hampton Classic kicks off on Sunday, August 29th, 2021, with ‘Locals Day’. Locals Day is there the local barns and riders show and compete before the out-of-town riders begin competing the following day. If you have young children or want to get the lay of the grounds, Locals Day is a very fun and friendly day to visit and dip your toe into the equestrian world. The Hampton Classic also hosts the Opening Day Ceremony at 2pm and has a casual $30,000 Jumper Challenge in the Grand Prix ring.
Tuesday, August 31st -Saturday, September 4th
The professional and amateur riders compete on these dates in their various categories.
Thursday, September 2nd
Kids Day is happening on September 2nd, which is loads of fun to watch, especially if you have young children who you want to expose to the sport. Most of the events are for ages 15 and under.
Friday, September 3rd & Saturday September 4th
Championship days! Friday and Saturday are stuffed with championship events kicking off at 8am. The other fabulous events that take place on these days are the Grand Prix qualifying events, where you can watch the top equestrians compete for a slot in the Grand Prix, which takes place on Sunday, August 5th. Expect big horses, big jumps and bigger egos!
Sunday, August 5th
Grand Prix Sunday is the closing day of the horse show and the seen and be seen event of the social season in the Hamptons. Slip into your dress, put on a hat and saunter into the VIP Grand Prix tent for a fabulous day of champagne and awe as you watch equestrians compete for $300,000!
