I hope everyone enjoyed their holiday weekend and isn’t too sad that summer is slowly winding down. There always seems to be a debate about when summer ends, and while it doesn’t officially end for a few more weeks, Labor Day weekend still feels like when we all tend to start saying goodbye to the best season, in my opinion.
For me, summer ends when the Hampton Classic Horse Show rolls into town. And while I love the week-long show held in Bridgehampton at the end of August and over Labor Day weekend, that’s usually when I start to get sad about summer being on its way out. This year, I was hoping to make it out for two days of the competition, but between annual doctor’s appointments and a bit of a heat wave, I went toward the tail end of the show before the start of the long weekend.
I couldn’t have asked for better weather, as earlier in the week it was much hotter. For those unfamiliar with the showgrounds, the Hampton Classic is held outdoors in a large grass field. So, when it’s super hot out, standing around to watch the show can be brutal. But on the day I went out, it was a crisp late-August day that when the sun went behind a cloud, felt pretty chilly. That’s the perfect kind of weather when you are a spectator at a horse show.
I arrived at the showgrounds around 10 am, which was perfect timing as the competition had just kicked off for the day. Thankfully, the traffic was light on the hour-long drive out there, which seemed surprising given Labor Day weekend was upon us. Once parked, I started the day by doing a quick loop around the Boutique Garden where all the vendors are located. There was a bracelet from La Enovesé Designs that I had been eyeing for weeks, and I told the owner and designer, Kaela, that I would stop by. So, naturally, I made that my first stop and used it as a chance to peruse all of her beautiful jewelry. Unfortunately for me, the bracelet I wanted was too large for my petite wrist, but Kaela showed me something else, which I loved and decided to purchase. She graciously removed two links while I waited, so the bracelet fit me perfectly, and after that, I was on my way to check out the show rings and watch some of the hunter and jumper classes that were happening that morning.
As I made my way over to the rings, I stopped for a quick fit check and to admire the decorative gorilla sculptures that were on display in the Boutique Garden. I always tend to wear a blue dress when I go to The Classic since the color reminds me of winning a blue ribbon and coming in first place, which is fitting at a horse show, so I wore my favorite ribbed tank midi dress from Loft. Unfortunately, my beloved Jack Rogers sandals that I’ve had for years broke the day before The Classic, and I had to run out to Bloomingdale’s to buy a new replacement pair to wear to the show. Luckily, they had a pair in my size in metallic gold, so it all worked out.
After that, I watched a few competitors go in the 1.20-meter jumper class and got some great shots with my trusty Nikon D3400. At this point, I pretty much only dust off my DSLR camera when I’m at a horse show, but luckily it’s pretty straightforward to use.
Before I left, I made my way over to the Grand Prix ring to watch the afternoon class get underway. I love sitting in the grandstands and watching the professional riders, some of whom just returned from the Paris Olympics, as they jump over massive fences in the quickest amount of time. It’s so impressive to witness both horse and rider and the trust they have in one another.
Since I always try to beat the traffic when I go out East, by 3 pm it was time to hit the road, pick up one last Hampton Coffee, and conclude my amazing summer of trips out to the Hamptons.
Until next year, Hampton Classic!
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