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Articles: Press Release
Joe Fargis Wins $100,000 Prudential Douglas Elliman Real Estate Grand Prix
To Close 30th Annual Hampton Classic Horse Show
Contact:
Marty Bauman (518) 523-9625, classic.communications@verizon.net
Bridgehampton, NY—September 4, 2005—Legendary show jumping rider Joe Fargis
of Southampton, NY thrilled a crowd of 12,000 with an electrifying dash to
the finish line to win the $100,000 Prudential Douglas Elliman Real Estate
Grand Prix by 13 one-hundredths of a second to close the 30th annual Hampton
Classic Horse Show.
Fargis, 57, was the last of eight riders in the jump-off and he rode Edgar
12, owned by Mary B. Schwab and OEJI Farm, to a fault-free ride in 41.69
seconds. That narrowly beat the 41.82 seconds turned in on the previous ride
by his 1984 and 1988 Olympic teammate, Anne Kursinski of Frenchtown, NJ on
Roxanna 112. Third place went to Candice King of Wellington, FL, who had
led for most of the jump-off after riding Tarco to a clean ride in 42.02
seconds.
“I have a great horse who really was extra great today,” said Fargis, who
won individual and team Gold Medals at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics, of his
16-year-old Hanoverian gelding. “I just pointed him in the right direction
and he did the rest.”
“I thought my time might be good enough but I knew who was still behind
me,” Kursinski said referring to Fargis who also won this Grand Prix in
1991 on Mill Pearl. “I think I held up a little too much at some of the
turns, but my horse did magnificently and I am very happy. Joe has been an
inspiration to me and the other riders for a long time.”
Of the 30 starters in the class, the eight in the jump-off got there by
riding fault-free over the 17-effort first-round course designed by Conrad
Homfeld. They then returned one by one for their turn over the seven-jump
tiebreaker course and it all built to the dramatic finish with one of the
sport’s most respected riders taking top honors in a week replete with
history at the Hampton Classic.
“It’s always great to win but I suppose it does mean a little more in this
30th anniversary year where our executive directors (Tony Hitchcock and Jean
Lindgren) are retiring,” Fargis said. “I guess it was a good ending to a
great week!”
In addition to the $30,000 first-place prize money, Fargis also received a
gold and silver David Yurman belt buckle and a jeroboam of Louis Roederer
Champagne. Fargis also finished as the horse show’s leading open jumper
rider aided by two wins earlier in the week including a win in the $30,000
Sotheby’s International Realty World Cup qualifier which set the field for
the Grand Prix. Fargis, who also won the horse show’s Antares Style of
Riding Award, is the first rider in Hampton Classic history to win both the
qualifier and the Grand Prix in the same year.
Competition highlights from the Hampton Classic, which benefits Southampton
Hospital, can be seen online at www.wvvh.tv.
For full results and other information on the Hampton Classic Horse Show,
please visit the Hampton Classic website at www.hamptonclassic.com.
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