Contact:
Marty Bauman, 631-537-2502 ext. 3055, info@classic-communications.com

Bridgehampton, NY-August 29, 2008-It was a tight race, but no one could catch Hillary Dobbs of Sussex, N.J., and Corlett in the $50,000 Carolex Grand Prix Qualifier at the Hampton Classic Horse Show. First to go in the jump-off, the pair set the pace for seven other horses and won with a clean round in 39.23 seconds. Louis Jacobs of East Aurora, N.Y., finished a close second on Kachina (39.54) and Todd Minikus of Wellington, Fla., was third on Ultimo Van Ter Moude (40.95), both with double-clean rounds.

One of the nation's premier show jumping competitions, the Hampton Classic continues through Sunday, August 31. The Classic hosts hunter/jumper competition for riders ranging from the youngest competitors in Leadline and Short Stirrup classes all the way up to Olympic veterans in the $200,000 FTI Grand Prix. Show entries include two Olympic riders who flew in directly from the Olympic show jumping competition in Hong Kong: McLain Ward, a member of the gold medal-winning U.S. team, and individual gold medalist Eric Lamaze of Canada.

Dobbs, who had four faults in the first round with another horse, Quincy B, now finds herself in a difficult but enviable position: having to choose which of her mounts to ride in Sunday's $200,000 FTI Grand Prix. All riders who completed the course in the Carolex Grand Prix Qualifier are eligible to enter Sunday's grand prix, but they are allowed to compete on only horse.

So will it be Corlett or Quincy B?

"It's a great but tough choice to have to make," said Dobbs, 20, a student at Harvard University. "All my horses are wonderful, and I am so fortunate to have them. Saturday will be a stretching day for them and a strategizing day for me."

She beamed when speaking about Corlett, who had been her sister's junior jumper, calling her "a special horse" that is "very honest and reliable." The pair won the Speed Bank Derby this summer at Falsterbo, an exceptionally challenging jumping course in Sweden that was part of a European show jumping tour in which Dobbs competed for the U.S. Equestrian Federation. She and Corlett finished third earlier this week in the Hampton Classic's $20,000 Nicolock Time Challenge, which Dobbs won on Marengo.

Although Quincy is more experienced than Corlett, Dobbs laughingly described Quincy as having been "in the sky" in the first round of the Carolex Grand Prix Qualifier, referring to the huge jumping efforts he made over the fences. Whether Quincy or Corlett will be her mount for Sunday's grand prix, she said, will be a communal decision made among Dobbs and her trainers, Missy Clark and John Brennan of Warren, Vt.

Clark watched intently from the rail as Dobbs rode to her win in the Carolex Grand Prix Qualifier. After the jump-off, Clark commented on the challenge Dobbs had faced going first on the shortened course. "It's always hard to go first, but there was a striding option between the second and third fences," said Clark. "We did it in one less stride than most did, so they had to catch us." The jump-off was a highly technical course incorporating several verticals and combinations from the first round that were configured into tight turn patterns. A particular challenge was a double combination requiring an immediate 90-degree turn to the next fence. In the jump-off the double gave pause to some of even the most seasoned horses, causing rubs, knockdowns and a refusal. With his placing in the class, Minikus maintained his lead in the Vox Rider Challenge, a new award sponsored by VOX Magazine. Hobbs remains in second place and Jacobs moved into third. The Vox Rider Challenge offers $30,000 in prize money to the top four riders in the horse show's Open Jumper division. Riders have the chance to compete all week in the open jumper classes, with the top finish in each class, regardless of mount, being counted towards their final point totals. The winners will be presented with their prize money on Sunday afternoon following the $200,000 FTI Grand Prix.

Also on Friday, Callan Solem of Colt's Neck, N.J., rode Mianta, owned by Quiet Winter Farm, to win the $15,000 Prudential Douglas Elliman Speed Derby. Olympians McLain Ward on Quo Vadis and Joe Fargis on Ingaletta were second and third, respectively. With more than $500,000 in prize money, 50,000 spectators and 1,500 horses, the Hampton Classic is not only a sporting event of major proportions, but also one of the most noteworthy social events of the Hamptons' summer season. Other upcoming highlights in the Hampton Classic's Grand Prix Ring include: Cablevision Kid's Day on Saturday, featuring the $30,000 Sotheby's International Realty Challenge and the final phase of the $10,000 Wölffer Estate Equitation Championship. Sunday is highlighted by the $25,000 Calvin Klein Show Jumping Derby, a member of event of the Show Jumping Hall of Fame Jumper Classic Series, and the $10,000 Hermès Hunter Classic. Both these classes take place in the morning prior to the $200,000 FTI Grand Prix and FEI World Cup(TM) Qualifier, which will be held Sunday afternoon.

Those unable to attend the Hampton Classic have opportunity to see it on television.

WVVH-TV, the official Long Island television station of the Hampton Classic, is broadcasting up to five hours of competition and highlights each day during the Classic. These broadcasts can also be seen online at www.wvvh.tv. The $200,000 FTI Grand Prix will also air on Animal Planet on Saturday, October 4 at 3:00 pm (ET/PT).

The Classic is also receiving extensive coverage on WLIU 88.3 FM, a long-time sponsor and the official radio station of the Hampton Classic. WLIU is broadcasting updates daily throughout the Classic to go along with live programs from the Classic on Sunday, August 24 and Friday-Sunday, August 29-31. Friday's live broadcast is anchored by WLIU's midday host, Brian Cosgrove, while the weekend broadcasts are anchored by Bonnie Grice and Porter Bibb.

The 2009 Hampton Classic will be held one week earlier than usual. Rather than culminating on Labor Day week-end, the 34th annual Hampton Classic will open on Sunday, August 23 and conclude on Sunday, August 30. The Classic will return to its traditional dates in 2010.

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 corporation.