81 Photos
Anne Byers of Locust Valley with her mount Rocklyn after the pair won the Adult Amateur Owner Division and also overall grand champion of Locals Day. LORI HAWKINS
Brianne Goutal-Marteau (USA) and S&L Marlon VD Heffinck won the $30,000 The Wellington Jumper Challenge. LORI HAWKINS
Brianne Goutal-Marteau (USA) and S&L Marlon VD Heffinck won the $30,000 The Wellington Jumper Challenge. LORI HAWKINS
Brianne Goutal-Marteau (USA) and S&L Marlon VD Heffinck won the $30,000 The Wellington Jumper Challenge. LORI HAWKINS
First Blue LLC’s Lady In Blue came out on top with Meghan Knapic of Smithtown in the $10,000 Marders Local Hunter Derby. LORI HAWKINS
First Blue LLC’s Lady In Blue came out on top with Meghan Knapic of Smithtown in the $10,000 Marders Local Hunter Derby. LORI HAWKINS
Merry Harding. LORI HAWKINS
Anne Byers of Locust Valley, left, with her trainer Laura Bowery/Sea Aire of Southampton. Byers was champion in the Adult Amateur Owner Division, and also Overall Grand Champion of Locals Day with her mount Rocklyn at the Hampton Classic on Sunday. LORI HAWKINS
Nell Blagg with her daughter Scout Spooner, and Allison O'Malley, left, and Anita Madeira at the Hampton Classic on Sunday. LORI HAWKINS
Jeffrey Atkinson enjoys the Hampton Classic on Sunday. LORI HAWKINS
Nova Morsch with her mother Temidra Willock after Nova successfully completed her class on Locals Day at the Hampton Classic. LORI HAWKINS
Durell Godfrey at the Hampton Classic on Sunday. LORI HAWKINS
Seamus Doyle presented a donation from Connect One Bank to the EQUUS Foundation. LORI HAWKINS
Smithtown Hunt members with their dogs. LORI HAWKINS
Gabby Karan De Felice, Stefania De Felice, Donna Karan and Kelly Klein attend the 2025 Hampton Classic Horse Show Sunday. LORI HAWKINS
Joanna Wolffer at the Hampton Classic on Sunday. LORI HAWKINS
Sue Ellen Marder O'Connor attends the 2025 Hampton Classic Horse Show Sunday. LORI HAWKINS
Laura Bowery of Bridgehampton piloted Fancy Pants Equestrian LLC’s Cloud 9 to second-place honors in the $10,000 Marders Local Hunter Derby. LORI HAWKINS
Laura Bowery of Bridgehampton piloted Fancy Pants Equestrian LLC’s Cloud 9 to second-place honors in the $10,000 Marders Local Hunter Derby. LORI HAWKINS
Laura Bowery of Bridgehampton piloted Fancy Pants Equestrian LLC’s Cloud 9 to second-place honors in the $10,000 Marders Local Hunter Derby. LORI HAWKINS
First Blue LLC’s Lady In Blue came out on top with Meghan Knapic of Smithtown in the $10,000 Marders Local Hunter Derby. LORI HAWKINS
First Blue LLC’s Lady In Blue came out on top with Meghan Knapic of Smithtown in the $10,000 Marders Local Hunter Derby. LORI HAWKINS
First Blue LLC’s Lady In Blue came out on top with Meghan Knapic of Smithtown in the $10,000 Marders Local Hunter Derby. LORI HAWKINS
Nova Morsch with her friend, Marilyn Yedid, preparing to compete at the Hampton Classic. LORI HAWKINS
Nova Morsch prepares to head into the ring with the help of her uncle, Jari Willock. LORI HAWKINS
Nova Morsch with her trainer, Jennifer Santacroce-Wheeler. LORI HAWKINS
Emmy Graham tries on hats at the Marder's tent. LORI HAWKINS
Alexa Elle Lignelli, a 2025 Pierson High School graduate, on XO Onermie. She finished 11th, but led the field most of the event. MARIANNE BARNETT
Parents and family watching leadline classes. MARIANNE BARNETT
There was a very competitive leadline 2-4 class on Sunday. MARIANNE BARNETT
Teddie Fischer of Sag Harbor waving to the crowd in 2 to 4-year-old leadline class. MARIANNE BARNETT
Thinking of the answer to Joe Fargis's question. MARIANNE BARNETT
Who let the dogs out? MARIANNE BARNETT
A 2 to 4-yeas-old section winner. MARIANNE BARNETT
At Stardust Equestrian booth with Foobie the chicken and shoppers. MARIANNE BARNETT
Enjoying the petting zoo. MARIANNE BARNETT
A proud father wearing a child's second place ribbon. Opening Day can be a long one for families waiting for their special ones to ride. MARIANNE BARNETT
Ella Falco getting prepped by mother Laura Bowery. MARIANNE BARNETT
Lunging prep. MARIANNE BARNETT
Pamela Suskind, always a leadline fixture. MARIANNE BARNETT
Lined up for judges in the adult 3-foot Hunters flat class. MARIANNE BARNETT
Local Junior Hunter grand champ Samantha Teller on Edgewood's Wonder with Heidi Eearle Santos LaMarca and Isiah Robinson. MARIANNE BARNETT
Leadline bows. MARIANNE BARNETT
A leadline pony winner. MARIANNE BARNETT
Leadline prizes. MARIANNE BARNETT
Joe Fargis has been judging the leadline class at the Hampton Classic for 40 years now. MARIANNE BARNETT
The last section winner of the 2 to 4-year-old leadline class. MARIANNE BARNETT
A 2 to 4-year-old leadline class competitor. MARIANNE BARNETT
The section D winner with their heels down in the last section. MARIANNE BARNETT
The history of Grand Prix winners. MARIANNE BARNETT
Joe Fargis judging his final four for the 40th year running. MARIANNE BARNETT
Peyton Fishlinger and Carousel’s First Steps won their section of the leadline 2-4 division. MARIANNE BARNETT
An EQUUS horse for adoption. MARIANNE BARNETT
Family taking photos in the leadline division. MARIANNE BARNETT
Of course the Hampton Classic couldn't be done without the important grooms. MARIANNE BARNETT
Daisy Laub on Magic Carousel with trainer Alison Skapof. MARIANNE BARNETT
EQUUS foundation riding in for Sunday's Opening Ceremony at the Hampton Classic. MARIANNE BARNETT
The EQUUS foundation helps kick off Sunday's Opening Day at the Hampton Classic. MARIANNE BARNETT
Cheering on the leadline 2-4 division on Sunday. MARIANNE BARNETT
Alison Skapof, another leadline division fixture each year. MARIANNE BARNETT
Alexa Elle Lignelli, a 2025 Pierson High School graduate, on XO Onermie. She finished 11th, but led the field most of the event. MARIANNE BARNETT
Brianne Goutal-Marteau (USA) and S&L Marlon VD Heffinck won the $30,000 The Wellington Jumper Challenge. DANA SHAW
Brianne Goutal-Marteau (USA) and S&L Marlon VD Heffinck won the $30,000 The Wellington Jumper Challenge. DANA SHAW
Brianne Goutal-Marteau (USA) and S&L Marlon VD Heffinck won the $30,000 The Wellington Jumper Challenge. DANA SHAW
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Marty Bauman at the Classic on Sunday. DANA SHAW
Comfy shoes after a ride. DANA SHAW
Sunday marked the opening day of the 50th Hampton Classic Horse Show in Bridgehampton. DANA SHAW
Maria Moore, Supervisor of the Town of Southampton; Councilwoman Cyndi MacNamara; and Town Clerk Sundy Schermeyer presented a proclamation honoring the Hampton Classic’s 50 years to Executive Director Shanette Barth Cohen and past and present board members. DANA SHAW
Watching from the sidelines on opening day of the Hampton Classic Horse Show on Sunday. DANA SHAW
Sunday marked the opening day of the 50th Hampton Classic Horse Show in Bridgehampton. DANA SHAW
Sunday marked the opening day of the 50th Hampton Classic Horse Show in Bridgehampton. DANA SHAW
Seamus Doyle, far right, presented a donation from Connect One Bank to the EQUUS Foundation at opening day ceremonies at the Hampton Classic Horse Show on Sunday. DANA SHAW
Long Island Sportsmanship Award recipient Carolyn Vincent, fourth from left, at the classic on Sunday. DANA SHAW
Smithtown Hunt members with their dogs. MARIANNE BARNETT
Sue Ellen Marder O'Connor, Tinka Topping, and Nancy Marder Banfield attend the 2025 Hampton Classic Horse Show Sunday. LORI HAWKINS
Sag Harbor local Caroline Holl getting a ribbon on Fidelio. MARIANNE BARNETT
Maria Moore, Supervisor of the Town of Southampton, Councilwoman Cyndi McNamara and Town Clerk Sundy Schermeyer presented a proclamation honoring the Hampton Classic’s 50 years to Executive Director Shanette Barth Cohen and past and present board members. LORI HAWKINS
About a year ago, Anne Byers was facing the very real possibility that her horse’s showing career would be prematurely cut short.
But against the odds, she was in the show ring on opening day at the Hampton Classic with her horse, Rocklyn.
That was the first miracle.
The second: they rode to victory in the Local Amateur-Owner hunter division, claiming the blue, red and yellow grand champion ribbon while also earning the most points in all of the hunter divisions to be named the Grand Local Hunter Champion, a coveted prize on Locals Day.
It’s a stunning achievement for the pair, considering what Rocklyn — who goes by the barn name of “Pablo” — went through just a year ago. While he was down in Florida for the winter show circuit in 2024, he suffered a devastating injury, rupturing the cornea of his right eye. Byers’s trainer, Laura Bowery — who owns Sea-Aire Inc. in Water Mill — had gone to check on the horse one day. It turned out to be lucky that she did. She realized that he was dealing with a major injury to his eye and immediately called the veterinarian, and they took him to the local clinic. After analyzing the injury, they determined that his eye was beyond saving and had to remove it.
Being without his right eye, Bowery and Byers were not sure what to expect when it came to Pablo’s future in the show ring. He spent time recovering in his stall and then they brought him back into work slowly, tempering their expectations. After a while, it became clear that he was as good at his job as ever. Byers and Pablo not only returned to the show ring, but went on to win tri-color ribbons at top competitive venues like Old Salem and HITS, and even during World Champion Hunter Rider week, one of the most competitive weeks of the year, at the Winter Equestrian Festival in Wellington earlier this year.
Winning the Grand Local Hunter Championship at the Hampton Classic is not easy. Byers should know. She’s been riding with Bowery for 25 years and won the title 11 years ago with her horse, Tivoli. She’s competed on Locals Day since then, earning top ribbons but not capturing the coveted prize again. Until Sunday.
She spoke about the win and what it meant to her, especially considering everything Pablo had gone through.
“He’s been so consistent,” Byers said of her horse and their results this year. “It’s been the best year ever.”
She added that since recovering from the injury, Pablo has been more attached to Bowery than ever. She said he shows a special affinity for people with blond hair — the color of Bowery’s hair — and that whenever he sees Bowery, he wants to “get in her pocket,” recognizing and remembering that it was her care and attention that set him on the road to recovery. Byers added that if Bowery had not gone to check on Pablo that day, in Florida, and realized he needed immediate medical care, the ruptured cornea could have caused an infection which could have been devastating had it entered his bloodstream.
In trying to explain and understand how she’s had the most successful year ever with the 14-year-old horse, which she purchased in 2020, Byers said she believes Pablo simply started adapting to his handicap before the eye was removed.
“Even though he wasn’t blind in that eye, I think he had given up on relying on it,” she said. “I think he was probably being very stoic, because I’m sure there were days where he was probably thinking, argh, this eye. But he put up with it. Now that it’s gone, I think he’s just so happy. And honestly, we’ve had the best year.
“It’s unbelievable,” she added. “It’s really just like the stars were aligned.”
Great Day in Hunter and Jumper Rings for Goutal-Marteau
Brianne Goutal-Marteau is no stranger to success in the show ring, and her experience on Opening Day at the Hampton Classic was no different.
Goutal-Marteau — who owns Two Trees Stables in Bridgehampton with her husband, Romain Marteau — took the top prize in the first open jumper class of the weeklong show on Sunday afternoon, winning the $30,000 “The Wellington” Open Jumper Classic in the Grand Prix ring.
Goutal-Marteau and her horse, S & L Marlon VD Heffinck, a 13-year-old Belgian Warmblood stallion, were tops among the group of 11 riders to advance to the jump-off out of an original 43, taking first overall with a time of 40.482 seconds in the jump-off.
Sam Walker, who trains with Missy Clark and John Brennen of North Run, was second with her horse, Funny Star Semilly, a 10-year-old Selle Francais gelding, in 41.838.
Rounding out the podium in 41.846 seconds was Uma O’Neill aboard O’Neill Show Jumping LLC’s 14-year-old Belgian Warmblood stallion Luigi D’Eclipse.
Goutal-Marteau also earned a top-three finish in the biggest hunter class of the day, taking third in the $10,000 Marders Local Hunter Derby, out of 49 entries, aboard Aquitaine Equine’s Remedy.
Meghan Knapic of Smithtown won the derby aboard First Blue LLC’s Lady in Blue, while Laura Bowery, the owner of Sea Aire Farm Inc. in Water Mill, was second aboard Fancy Pants Equestrian LLC’s Cloud 9.
While the pros and most experienced riders were doing their thing in jumper classic and Anne Aspinall Hunter ring in the afternoon, the morning spotlight was on the youngest riders, as they kicked off the show in the Grand Prix ring for the ever popular leadline class.
In the youngest division, for riders ages 2 to 4, four winners were crowned: Peyton Fishlinger aboard Carousel’s First Steps; Esmerelda Sanampudi on Sail Away; Zoe Bensimon on Batteries Not Included; and Paisley Ellerson on Oopsie Daisy.
In the 5 to 7 division, class winners included Mackenzie Jane Mulligan on Magic Carousel; Carolyn Upward on Twilight’s Whisper; Sophia Wulf on Ohh Darla; and Eva Hyejun Frelinghuysen on Sneek a Peek.
Other Results
Bowery secured her own tricolor ribbon with Mare Eyfee LLC’s 8-year-old Holsteiner mare Margaux, claiming top honors in the Local Professional Hunter Section A Championship presented by Barbara Borg & Yvetta Rechler Newman. In the Local Professional Hunter Section B, presented by Barbara Borg & Yvetta Rechler Newman, First Blue LLC’s 6-year-old Belgian Warmblood mare Lady In Blue earned the Championship with Meghan Knapic of Smithtown, in the irons.
Other hunter champions included Louisa Dorrell of New York City, and her 13-year-old Warmblood mare Cupcake in the Atlantic Equine Local Junior Hunter division. Broad Street, a 12-year-old gelding owned by First Blue LLC and ridden by Adriana Forte of Water Mill, secured the Local Non-Professional Hunter Championship.
Cailin Riley on Aug 27, 2025