Alex Matz (USA) cruised to victory in the $ 73,000 LONGINES Cup at the Hampton Classic on Saturday. He piloted Erdento Van De Leeuwerk, the 12-year-old Dutch Warmblood stallion from Horseshoe Trail Farm LLC, for the only double zero ride in a field of 29 riders.
Alex Matz and Erdento Van De Leeuwerk won the $ 73,000 LONGINES Cup © Kind Media
The challenging 16-foot, 15-effort course, designed by Irishman Alan Wade, put in a scant 76 seconds, and only two participants returned to jump for the win. Daniel Bluman (ISR) was the first to return with Colestina H, the 11-year-old German sport horse mare from Blue Star Investments and Kim Douglas. They had the faster time of 38.390 seconds but hit a rail on the last fence for a four-mistake finish. Matz then jumped error-free in a time of 42.090 seconds and took the victory.
“I thought it was a really nice course,” said Matz, son of the show jumper Hall of Famer and three-time US Olympic champion Michael Matz and team bronze medalist DD Alexander Matz. “People had fences all over the place, so I thought it was fair. It was a bit difficult as it was so tight at the time, so I just tried to rush as much as possible on the first lap and at the same time give my horse a chance on each of the fences. “
Matz’s blue ribbon in the LONGINES Cup marks his first major event win at the Hampton Classic and his third overall Grand Prix victory after successful consecutive weekends at the Lake Placid Horse Shows this summer.
“My strategy in the jump-off was to keep all fences up,” says Matz with a smile. “I didn’t know if I could be faster than Daniel, but I thought I’d try to give them all up and luck would be on my side. It definitely changed my thinking a bit when Daniel dropped the rail, but I just focused on getting a clean lap. I was lucky that my horse jumped really well today. “
“It was a great course,” said Bluman, two-time Olympic veteran and 2017 Hampton Classic Grand Prix winner. “I thought it was a challenge. Alan had to test the field a bit to see how it would hold up for tomorrow’s Grand Prix and he definitely made the track tougher than yesterday. It was a really exciting course for everyone. “
Daniel Bluman and Colestina H © Kind Media
Three American drivers – Georgina Bloomberg, Molly Ashe Cawley and Carly Anthony – rounded off the top 5 with one time error each. Bloomberg was the fastest with a time of 76.790 seconds, finishing third with Manhattan by Gotham Enterprizes LLC, a 9-year-old warmblood gelding that he bred himself.
“This is an important horse show for me as I have friends and family here and as close as possible to a local show this year,” said Bloomberg. “Manhattan is also a very special horse. Not only because I think he’s a championship horse, but also because I rode his mother and father. Both are horses I’ve had a lot of fun with in my career and their son means a little more to me. I’ve slowed it down with him and let him develop over time, and it makes it even more satisfying to be able to pull off something like today. “
Georgina Bloomberg and Manhattan © Kind Media
McLain Ward (USA) continues to lead the $ 30,000 LONGINES Rider Challenge with 418 points after his competitive completion in the class. Rodrigo Pessoa (BRA) is second with 260 points, followed by Adrienne Sternlicht (USA) with 225 points. The challenge will be awarded after the $ 300,000 $ 300,000 LONGINES Hampton Classic Grand Prix presented by Land Rover on Sunday.
The LONGINES Cup was also part of the Jump for JustWorld program. With this partnership, LONGINES donated meals through JustWorld International to children in need for every clear jump over the LONGINES obstacle. A total of 5,000 meals had been donated by the end of the course.
Among the highlights of the hunter rings was the $ 2,500 pony Hunter Classic, won by Clara Propp of New York, NY, aboard Aquitaine Equine’s News Day. For her successful performance, Propp took home the Horse Haven Trophy. Agatha Lignelli, also from New York, NY, finished second with her Chiccobello.
Airport 48, owned by John & Stephanie Ingram LLC and ridden by Martha Ingram of Nashville, Tennessee, won the Whitman Team Amateur Owner 3’3 ”Hunter, 18-35 Years Championship and the MeadowView Farm sponsored Breitling Trophy. The Human Touch Amateur Owner 3’3 ”Hunter, 36+ Years Championship went to Arriana Boardman of Palm Beach, Florida and her Adelina.
The full show results can be found at showet.biz.
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Mario Deslauriers returns to win the Hampton Classic Open Jumper Challenge
News team( Editor and Founder, Everything Horse )
Author: Suzanne Ashton
Founder, Everything Horse
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