For thousands of years, humans have found tranquility in riding horses; some people can be delighted by simply staring at their muscular magnificence. In time, we took our innate sense of competition and combined it with the horse’s staggering ability to perform. With this, showjumping first began in Europe in the 19th century and has seen an unabating presence in equestrian sports since.

Shannon Barth Cohen is the executive director of the Hampton Classic Horse Show, an annual event that showcases riders and horses of various talent levels. She grew up riding and competed for years at the Hampton Classic until she was an amateur rider. Cohen continues to ride recreationally, as she still appreciates the splendor of observing horses, “there’s nothing more beautiful than watching horses jump around in a big grass field, I think.”

In her position, Cohen oversees the year-round planning for the event, which will be from Aug. 26 to Sep. 2 this year. As a non-profit organization, the Hampton Classic needs to secure sponsors to fund the large-scale event, another responsibility of Cohen’s. Additionally, she meets with the Hampton Classic’s Equestrian Advisory Committee to learn how to improve the show for the following year.

Hampton Classic Horses racing long island new york
Hampton Classic

To the surprise of those unfamiliar with the event, the Hampton Classic offers much more than all-day competitions. There’s also an area of over 80 shops, creating what Cohen calls “a real family feel” and “country fair-like atmosphere.” Every day, there’s a kids area with activities to keep them busy. On Saturday of the eight-day-long event, there are free pony rides, face painters, magicians and circus performers to delight all young attendees. Not to mention, the event features 14 different international food stations including Greek, Thai, Indian and more.

Given the Hampton Classic’s many details, “its the kind of thing that you can come back and still have new things to explore and see,” Cohen said.

As for the competitors, riders can be as young as 2-years-old! They’re called Leadliners who are led by adults that use something like a leash to steer the horses, keeping anxious parents at ease. On the other hand, there are riders in their 70’s and 80’s who still compete in the adult amateur competitions. This mixed group of riders also features Olympic medalists, World Cup finalists and Pan American Conference competitors.

Hampton Classic Horses racing long island new york
Hampton Classic

The only riders who must qualify in order to show at the Hampton Classic are riders with disabilities and their finals will be held on Monday, Aug. 27. Also on opening day, the event holds competitions exclusively for local horses from either Suffolk or Nassau County.

Cohen said there’s a lot young riders can gain by attending the event, which sees approximately 50,000 people a year.

“Younger and up-and-coming riders can watch in person those who are at the top of the sport and learn a lot just from watching.”

Additionally, Cohen said the Hampton Classic attracts enthusiasts and newbies, which makes “the atmosphere just that more special.”

“We get spectators who maybe don’t even know anything about horses, but it’s a big fixture on the calendar out here and it’s an event people will come take a look and even if they’re not already fans of the sport and they become fans of the sport, having seen it in person,” Cohen said.
Hampton Classic Horses racing long island new york
Hampton Classic

However, the Hampton Classic doesn’t feature horse racing, nor is there any system of formal betting. Also, races at Belmont Race Track or other establishments hold six to eight races a day that only last a few minutes each, whereas the Hampton Classic features jumping competitions all day long.

“That’s the nice thing about equestrian sports, that any given day there can be a different winner, things can change because it’s not just relying upon the human athlete. It also relies upon the animal athlete and that partnership and how they communicate with one another, and they both have to be on their game to be successful.”
Hampton Classic Horses racing long island new york
Hampton Classic

Cohen described a perfect example of the unpredictable odds of winning in equestrian sports. Karen Polle won the $250,000 Hampton Classic Grand Prix as a young rider in 2015, who is now a top competitor with her horse, With Wings.

“She was not someone who was a favorite to win by any stretch. She was very young and she won, now she’s winning all over Europe, a top competitor, but she was up-and-coming at the time. One of the people who had previously trained her came in second or third in the same competition, which is kind of funny because she beat her own trainer,” Cohen said.

The Hampton Classic is a rain or shine event; however, in 2011, a hurricane came that delayed the opening day three days. They had to take everything off the showgrounds, letting the storm pass to then rebuild it over 48 hours, a process that takes about a month. Yet, fans still turned out for the 2011 Hampton Classic, many of who were staying in hotels due to power loss.

With this, it’s safe to say the Hampton Classic is near and dear to the hearts of many.

You can buy tickets for this year’s Hampton Classic on their website.

 

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