Mattias Tromp and Avon Win the $50,000 Longines Cup (Shawn McMillen)

Bridgehampton, N.Y. - Mattias Tromp (USA) trumped the competition to win the $50,000 Longines Cup at the 41st annual Hampton Classic Horse Show riding Avon, owned by Beyaert Farm, Inc. Pablo Mejia Villa (COL) was second on his Reglisse Top and Catherine Tyree (USA) was third on Enjoy Louis, owned by Mary and Joseph Tyree. 

There is an important horse show scheduling update for Sunday. Due to weather forecasts, the horse show is moving the Campbell Stables Show Jumping Derby to 9:00 am and the Hampton Classic Grand Prix, presented by Longines, will now start at 12:30 pm. The horse show intends to keep the shopping area open until 5:00 pm. The Hermes Hunter Classic will run as scheduled, at 10:00 am in the Anne Aspinall Ring.

In the Longines Cup, eight riders went clear out of the field of 41 from five nations on the Alan Wade-designed course, but only three went double clear. Tromp, of North Salem, NY, was the fastest of the three, stopping the Longines timers in 38.34 seconds, nearly three seconds faster than Mejia Villa who finished in 40.96. Tyree had the first double clear of the day as the second rider in the jump-off and finished with a time of 42.74.

"I thought the jump-off had a great flow to it. I saw the distance far away. I saw where I wanted to be and the track I wanted to be on. It doesn't always happen when you land off the jump. I was a little bit lucky," said Tromp. "This was my biggest win at the Classic. I won the 1.40m class here a few years ago, I've done the Derby a few times and when I was younger I did the high juniors, but this is a hard venue to win at, so it is really exciting."

As far as winning a $50,000 FEI Grand Prix at the Hampton Classic,Tromp said, "This is definitely the most significant win of my career."

The 52.5 points that Tryree earned in the Longines Cup catapulted her into the lead in the $30,000 Longines Leading Rider Challenge with 239.5 points. Richie Moloney dropped to second with 237.5 points. McLain Ward stands third with 190 points. "I am very excited and  honored to be wearing the Longines sash for Sunday's Grand Prix," said Tyree.

The Hampton Classic Horse Show runs through Sunday, September 4 at its pristine Bridgehampton, NY, venue. For this year's 41st annual edition, a fourth FEI class has been added to the schedule in addition to more than 200 classes of competition for horses and riders of all ages and abilities. A wide range of hunter, jumper and equitation classes are offered at all levels, from leadline all the way up to grand prix. Classes are also featured for riders with disabilities.

In addition to the six show rings, the Hampton Classic features a Boutique Garden with more than 80 vendors for an amazing shopping experience, a wide selection of dining options and a Farmer's Market, all on its immaculate 60-acre show grounds.

For those who can't make it to the show grounds, a complimentary live webcast of all Grand Prix ring classes will air on the Hampton Classic website, produced by ShowNet and courtesy of LONGINES.  In addition, WVVH-TV, the official Long Island television station of the Hampton Classic, broadcasts up to five hours of competition and highlights each day during the Classic. These broadcasts can also be seen on line at www.wvvh.tv.  Most of the Classic's other classes will also be available on ShowNet.biz.

For a link to this coverage and 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