|
Articles: Press Release
Brian Walker Wins the $10,000 CK Equitation Championship
At 26th Annual Hampton Classic Horse Show
Contact:
Martha Woodham (631) 537-5446, classic.pr@verizon.net
BRIDGEHAMPTON, NY (September 1, 2001) - Fresh from his win in the BET/USET
Show Jumping Talent Search earlier this week, Brian Walker of St. Lazare,
Quebec, had a clean round to finish first in the $10,000 CK Equitation
Championship today at the 26th Annual Hampton Classic Horse Show - riding
the same horse who won the class in 1998.
Brian, 17, rode Grappa, a Hanoverian gelding owned by Sarah B. Willeman of
South Hamilton, Mass. Grappa carried Willeman to victory in the CK
Equitation Championship in 1998.
Earlier this week, Brian had said that the talent search on Tuesday was a
good preparation for today's class in the Grand Prix Arena at the 67-acre
show grounds. The CK Equitation Championship, which carries a $10,000
trainers' award, is a test of a young rider's skill at maneuvering a horse
cleanly around a jumper course of 12 to 14 natural fences over 4 feet tall.
And all this has to be done in less than 90 seconds.
"A lot of people can go around a course and cowboy and yahoo and spur and
kick," said Brian. "But the point is to see who can get his horse around
smoothly and steadily under the time allowed. Coming in under the time
allowed and having a clean round are the factors that count towards a high
score.
"The hardest thing is staying under the time allowed," Brian added. "The
time was snug. You had to gallop between fences into stay within the time
allowed."
Brian said the course's biggest test of riding skills was the final line of
fences.
"There was an open water [jump], which was quite wide," Brian said. "Then
there were five strong strides to a natural brown oxer, then a steady three
strides to a vertical."
The win was Brian's final class at this year's Classic, but the 26th Annual
Hampton Classic Horse Show continues today and Sunday, September 2, in
Bridgehampton with special events planned:
- Sunday, Sept. 2:
- $150,000 Prudential Financial Grand Prix presented by David Yurman
- $50,000 AmeriChoice Eastern Finals of the Young Jumper Championships
- $25,000 Calvin Klein Show Jumping Derby
- $100,000 New Things Grand Prix Bonus Challenge
Admission to the Hampton Classic is $5 per person, $15 per carload, and
children under six are admitted free daily. On Friday and Saturday (August
31-September 1), children under 12 are admitted free, and seniors are
admitted free Thursday, August 30. Reserved grandstand seats for Grand Prix
Sunday, September 2 are an additional $15 per person. Parking is free during
the event.
The Hampton Classic Horse Show benefits the Southampton Hospital, Juvenile
Diabetes Foundation and the United States Equestrian Team. Offering up the
best in show jumping, there is no other competition that brings together the
hunter-jumper circuit with thousands of spectators, extravagant social
events, celebrities, shopping and fine dining in the Hamptons.
For more information on the Hampton Classic, be sure to visit the show's web
site at www.hamptonclassic.com or call (631) 537-3177. Email requests for
information may be submitted to info@hamptonclassic.com.
Find daily results online at www.hamptonclassic.com.
|