The 2022 Long Island Horse Show Series for Riders with Disabilities (LIHSSRD) Presented by Dime Bank returned to the Hampton Classic on Monday for its 15th annual Championship Finals, with ten riders competing for the prestigious year-end titles.
The day started with a breakfast in one of the VIP Chalets, where Grand Prix rider Carly Anthony presented ribbons and gift bags to each rider who qualified to compete.
“It’s quite an honor to be part of this Championship Final,” Anthony said. “Congratulations to everybody who made it this far. This is a huge accomplishment, and what a privilege it is to be here at the Hampton Classic showing off all that hard work and talent.”
Afterward, the judges tested each rider at the walk, trot and canter according to their respective levels and selected Champion and Reserve accordingly. First to claim top honors were Lila Glenz of Long Beach, NY, and HorseAbility Inc.’s Barely There, who competed in the Leader/Sidewalker division.
“Bear” also defended his championship from last year with Julia Glenz of Long Beach, NY, this time claiming the prize in the Beginner Independent division. Julia and Barely There have been partners since her first horse show, and she was thrilled to bring home another championship with him.
In the Advanced Independent division, Lucian Rodriquez of Hackenstown, NY, and Gold Coast Equestrian’s Simon Says rode to the top of the pack.
“Thank you to Shanette and everyone at the Hampton Classic for having us here all 15 years,” said Katie McGowan, Executive Director of HorseAbility and one of LIHSSRD’s founding members. “It’s quite amazing – I mean, look at that view (of the Grand Prix ring)! What could be better than that, other than watching our riders competing for our championships? Congratulations to our riders and their families for making it here, and thank you to our farms, sponsors, committee members and, of course, our horses for making this wonderful day happen.”
“I can’t believe it’s been 15 years,” said Shanette Barth Cohen, Executive Director of the Hampton Classic. “It feels like just yesterday that I saw so many of our riders’ faces for the first time, and I’m really excited to host this event every year. Today was a great day of sport, and congratulations are in order for everyone who qualified to be here. We hope to see everyone again next year.”
For live show results, visit ShowNet.biz.
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.
