Bridgehampton,
NY - Margie Engle of West Palm Beach, FL, bested a field
of 53 top horses and riders to win the $25,000 Sotheby's
International Realty Challenge at the Hampton Classic Horse
Show on Saturday. Engle, a member of the 2000 US
Olympic Show Jumping team,was aboard Hidden Creek's Perin,
owned by Hidden Creek Farm. Carolyn Kelly and Rulanda,
owned by Lulu Equestrian Enterprises finished second and
top Hunter Rider Holly Orlando switched hats for the day
to place third riding Great Pleasure, owned by Scott Hakim.
The
32nd Hampton Classic Horse Show, one of the nation's premier
show jumping competitions, culminates on Sunday with the
featured event, the $150,000 FTI Grand Prix. The
Hampton Classic is not only a sporting event of major proportions,
but also one of the most noteworthy social events of the
summer with more than $500,000 in prize money, 50,000
spectators and 1,500 horses.
In
the Sotheby's International Realty Challenge, seven horses
came back in the jump-off with Engle and Perin going first. The
pair set the bar with a clean round time of 36.11 seconds,
forcing the rest of the group to challenge their time. The
strategy worked because only two more were successful in
negotiating double clears, but none were able to go any
faster the pacesetters. Kelly and Rulanda managed
a clean round time of 37.71, and Orlando clocked in with
40.19 seconds on Great Pleasure.
"When
you go early it's hard to tell if you time will hold up. I
took as much of a shot as I could," said Engle. "Perin
has not shown for a while so he was nice and fresh today. He
is a great horse with a big stride, so a big open course
like this is perfect for him."
Engle
and Perin won the 2002 Hampton Classic Grand Prix, but
they will not have the opportunity for a repeat performance
because Engle has opted to ride Hidden Creek's Quervo Gold in
Sunday's FTI Grand Prix.
"Perin
has been such a good horse for me that I now pick and choose
where we go. We would have had to go in two classes
to compete on Sunday and that's a little too much for him
right now."
All
week long, the Classic hosted hunter/jumper competition
for riders ranging from the youngest competitors in Leadline
and Short Stirrup classes all the way up to the Olympic
veterans Grand Prix classes.
On
Sunday The Classic is highlighted by the$25,000 Calvin
Klein Show Jumping Derby, a member of event of the Show
Jumping Hall of Fame Jumper Classic Series, and the $10,000
Hermès Hunter Classic in the morning prior to the
$150,000 FTI Grand Prix.
Those
unable to attend the Hampton Classic have ample opportunity
to see it on television. WVVH-TV, the official Long
Island television station of the Hampton Classic, is broadcasting
up to five hours of competition and highlights each day
during the Classic. These broadcasts can also be
seen online at www.wvvh.tv.
The
Classic also receives extensive coverage on WLIU 88.3 FM,
a long time sponsor and the official radio station of the
Hampton Classic. WLIU will broadcast updates daily
throughout the Classic as well as live programs from the
Classic on Sunday.
Live
webcasts from the Hampton Classic Grand Prix ring and Hunter
Ring I are available free of charge at www.equestriansport.tv
For
more information on the Hampton Classic Horse Show, please
visit the Hampton Classic website at www.hamptonclassic.com or
call (631) 537-3177. Hampton Classic Horse Show,
Inc. is a 501.c.3 charitable corporation.
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