Friday: Ward Wins $116,100 Douglas Elliman 5* Grand Prix Qualifier
Ten of the 43 horse-and-rider combinations representing 14 countries made it to the jump-off in Friday’s $116,100 Douglas Elliman 5* Grand Prix Qualifier presented by Longines, which saw a challenging 16-effort, 1.60m course designed by Nick Granat during the initial round. Each entry seemed to get faster than the last until penultimate rider McLain Ward (USA) stepped into the ring with High Star Hero, securing the win with a double-clear effort in 36.84 seconds.
Celebrating 50 years of world-class equestrian competition in 2025, the Hampton Classic Horse Show took place in Bridgehampton, NY, August 24-31, featuring FEI CSI5* and CSI2* show jumping and USEF Premier hunter competitions with more than $1 million in prize money.
Friday’s $116,100 Douglas Elliman 5* Grand Prix Qualifier ultimately came down to the final four riders in the jump-off, with speed experts like Ward, Jessica Mendoza (GBR) and Ireland’s Shane Sweetnam and Jonathan Corrigan closing out the class. Ward once again proved himself faster than the rest, piloting Michael and Wendy Smith’s 12-year-old Belgian Sport Horse gelding through the timers in 36.84 seconds.
“It’s always nice to have the luxury of going at the end,” Ward said. “Shane’s horse is a very fast horse with a big stride. I know he’s setting up for Sunday and leaving a little in reserve, but Hero’s focus for this week was this qualifier so I was able to take some risks. We know each other very well, and we stuck to our plan today.
“I’m looking forward to this weekend,” he continued. “I’ll be riding Imperial HBF in the Grand Prix on Sunday. I think he’s possibly the best horse I’ve ever ridden. You need things to go your way in this sport, but we’ve set up well for it. It’s been a few years since I’ve won the Grand Prix, so I’m hoping for the best result.”
Sweetnam landed in second place with his double-clear score of 37.51 seconds aboard James Kann Cruz, his and Gizmo Partners LLC’s 12-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding. Third went to Corrigan, who stopped the clock in 38.39 seconds with Twin Oaks Ventures LLC’s 12-year-old Selle Français gelding Darius De Kerglenn.
Jessica Mendoza (GBR) and In The Air claimed their first 5* victory in the $400,000 Longines Hampton Classic 5* Grand Prix. (KindMedia)
Sunday: Mendoza Soars in $400,000 Longines Grand Prix
Great Britain’s Jessica Mendoza created a self-fulfilling prophecy with her mount In The Air on Sunday, soaring to victory in the $400,000 Longines Hampton Classic 5* Grand Prix with one of only two-double clear scores in 37.34 seconds. This marks Mendoza’s first 5* win.
Prior to the Grand Prix, World #21 ranked show jumper Daniel Bluman (ISR) presented the talented 17-year-old Zangersheide gelding Ladriano Z to the competition ring for the last time. Daniel took over the reins from Ilan Bluman (COL) in the winter of 2016, kicking off their partnership with several top ten placings on the 2017 Wellington circuit. That partnership grew to include appearances at the 2018 World Equestrian Games, 2022 World Championships, 2023 World Cup™ Final and 2024 Olympic Games, as well as two of Daniel’s three Hampton Classic Grand Prix victories (2017 and 2023).
After Bluman, Ladriano, and their friends and family retired from the ring, the Hampton Classic and its longtime partners reminisced on 50 years of world-class equestrian tradition before opening the gates for the 39 horse-and-rider combinations representing 14 countries in the $400,000 Longines Hampton Classic 5* Grand Prix. Nick Granat’s highly technical course featured 17 total jumping efforts set at 1.60m, proving to be quite the challenge as the class went on. American Kristen Vanderveen was the first to pass the test without fault aboard Bull Run’s Jireh, but it took another 17 trips before Mendoza guaranteed the spectators a jump-off. World #22 Shane Sweetnam (IRL) was the only other rider to join them riding James Kann Cruz.
“I knew today was going to be very difficult, and with the seated order based off Friday’s qualifier, that we had to wait for a clear round,” Granat said. “I was really pleased with the class and the jump-off. There is always pressure to have some clears; everyone wants to see a jump-off. I was happy we were able to give them one.”
Vanderveen and Bull Run Jumpers Inc.’s 11-year-old Holsteiner gelding took a risk while setting the time to beat in the tiebreaker course, but the final fence fell to put them on a four-fault score and leave the door open for their fellow competitors. Mendoza immediately followed with her double-clear score in 37.34 seconds aboard the 12-year-old Dutch Warmblood mare she co-owns with Georgia Kipp, Kristi Mitchem, Mellissa Skowlund and Pernilla Amman, which ultimately secured her first FEI 5* win.
Sweetnam and his and Gizmo Partners LLC’s 12-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding landed in second place with their faultless time of 37.90 seconds, dropping Vanderveen and Bull Run’s Jireh into third.
“It’s a pretty amazing win,” Mendoza said. “This is one of the best American shows. It’s truly amazing to be here and to win the Grand Prix. It’s always fun to go into the jump-off with the top three; you don’t have much to lose. I knew there was a bit of room where Shane could catch me, but my mare was perfect across the ground. She’s an incredible horse and had an incredible summer. She really found herself this year.”
“I was very happy with my horse,” Sweetnam said. “He’s a very different horse (from Jessica’s). He spends a bit of time in the air and is a bit of a slower horse, so I did my plan close enough to what I thought would be enough to challenge. He jumped great. In hindsight, I could have taken a few more gambles.”
“It’s definitely special to have this big of a crowd and a long lead-up to a clear round,” Vanderveen said. “It was cool to be the first clear. My horse was quite fresh, but he was great today. I went into the jump-off thinking not to go too forward because he’s a naturally fast horse. In hindsight, I could have really gone for it and been a bit more competitive, but I’m really happy with how he was today.”
Along with the winner’s share of the $400,000 purse, Mendoza received a Longines timepiece and bottles of wine from Wölffer Estate. Professional groom Lina Karlsson, who cares for In The Air, received $500 from Aden Brook for her hard work keeping the horse healthy and ready to compete.
Faleh Suwead Al Ajami (QAT) and Karmalensky emerged victorious in the $70,000 Hampton Classic 2* Grand Prix. (KindMedia)
This victory also earned Mendoza the $20,000 Longines Rider Challenge for the FEI 5* division, which awarded a $20,000 bonus and a second Longines timepiece. She finished the week with a total of 395 points. Sweetnam earned second with 355 points, while Skylar Wireman (USA) took third with 324 points.
Earlier in the day, 32 entries representing 10 nations competed over Granat’s 16-effort, 1.45m track in the $70,000 Hampton Classic 2* Grand Prix presented by The Deslauriers Family & Lynne Tarnopol, with six moving on to the jump-off and only two going double-clear. Qatari rider Faleh Suwead Al Ajami’s faultless time of 46.09 seconds launched him to the top of the leaderboard in the penultimate trip, and he brought home the win with Blue Atlantic Doha’s 10-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding Karmalensky.
“It was a nice class – a bit of a challenge for all the riders,” Al Ajami said. “We had so many good entries in that class. Beat Mändli is my idol, and I always followed his riding when I was younger. To be in the same classes as him now has been a pleasure. This is my first time at the Hampton Classic, and I don’t think it will be my last.”
Second place went to three-time Olympic veteran Beat Mändli (SUI), who had the only other double-clear round in 46.91 seconds aboard Cordani PS, Grant Road Partners LLC’s 11-year-old Hanoverian mare. Ariana Marnell (USA), who was faster than Al Ajami in 45.06 seconds, rounded out the podium with a four-fault score aboard Jikke-Cara, Alison Firestone LLC’s 11-year-old Dutch Warmblood mare with whom she won team gold and individual fifth in the 2025 Gotham North/North American Youth Championships presented by USHJA – Young Rider division.
With this victory, Al Ajami earned a total of 290 points throughout the week and secured the $10,000 Longines Rider Challenge for the FEI 2* division, which awarded a $10,000 bonus and a Longines timepiece. Overnight leader Stella Wasserman (USA) finished in second place with 248 points, while Marnell landed third with 245 points.
All results here.
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