Lucy Deslauriers rode Hester to the top of the $25,000 Campbell Stables Show Jumping Derby at the 40th Annual Hampton Classic. (McMillen photo)
Victory in the Show Jumping Derby was meaningful for Deslauriers, 16, and not only because she lives close by. In addition, her mother, Lisa, is the chairperson the Hampton Classic Board of Directors, and her father, Mario, has ridden on Olympic show jumping teams for Canada and the United States.
"This definitely has a special meaning to be able to win," said Deslauriers. "I've been coming here longer than I can remember, and it's one of my favorite shows all year, not only because I can stay at home in my own bed, and because it's right around the corner, but it also feels like a really, really special place."
Only four of the 23 Show Jumping Derby starters reached the jump-off with a faultless first round. Three riders didn't complete the demanding first round, and eight more incurred double-digit penalties.
"I think there were a lot of different challenges, especially with the bank and the hedge. And the time allowed was really tight, so you definitely had to put on the speed and watch the jumps at the same time. I think that putting the two together caught a lot of people," said Deslauriers, who in July won the individual gold medal at the North American Young Riders Championships with Hester.
In the jump-off, Richter and fourth-placed Sophie Simpson, on Why Not, lowered the same jump, the fourth element of the jump-off course, which wound back and forth across the Grand Prix Field. Then Tomeu jumped faultlessly in a time slower than Richter or Simpson.
Deslauriers said she knew what he needed to do to win the blue ribbon.
"I knew if I stayed tall to that vertical, my horse would try his best. And he did just that," she said.
Deslauriers has owned Hester for three years, and she took him over from her father. "He's really been a dream ever since I started to ride him. I've competed him in many different places. He's super-brave and always willing to do anything I ask of him," she said.
More About the Classic
The Hampton Classic, the prestigious culminating event of the Hamptons' famed summer season, runs August 23-30 in Bridgehampton, NY, hosting its 40th year of world-class equestrian competition. Many of the world's top jumper and hunter riders come from across the country and beyond to compete for their share of some of the richest prize money in the nation.
The Hampton Classic features six show rings, a Boutique Garden with more than 70 vendors, and a wide selection of dining options and a Farmer's Market, all on its 60-acre show grounds. With its top competition and pristine setting,
The Hampton Classic hosts more than 100 classes of competition for horses and riders of all ages and abilities. A wide range of hunter, jumper and equitation classes are offered from leadline classes all the way up to the grand prix level. The Classic also has classes for riders with disabilities. The Classic culminates on Sunday, August 30, "Grand Prix Sunday," with an impressive schedule of classes including three finals - the $30,000 7-Year-Old Young Jumper Championship Finals, the $25,000 Campbell Stables Show Jumping Derby, and the $250,000 Hampton Classic Grand Prix Presented by LONGINES - in the Grand Prix Ring, as well as the $10,000 Hermès Hunter Classic in the Anne Aspinall Ring.
Further information on the Hampton Classic Horse Show is available at the Hampton Classic website at www.hamptonclassic.com or by calling 631-537-3177. Hampton Classic Horse Show, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) charitable corporation.