BRIDGEHAMPTON, N.Y.--Alexx Matz on Cashew CR won the $32,000 CSI5* Two-Phase at the 50th annual Hampton Classic on Thursday, Aug. 28.
Alex Matz on Cashew CR (Photo by KindMedia)Matz was clean in 24.36 seconds for the win over the course set by Nick Granat.
It seemed likely hat when World #8 McLain Ward on High Star Hero took the lead in 25.74 seconds during the middle of the $32,000 CSI5* Two-Phase on Thursday, no one could catch him.
But immediately following Ward in the order was 20-year-old Skylar Wireman on Barclino B, her double-gold winning mount from the 2025 Gotham North/North American Youth Jumping Championships.
Wireman went into the lead with a clean round in 24.83 seconds, knocking Ward from the top spot and keeping the lead until Matz went late in the class of 68 entries.
He shaved almost half a second off Wireman’s time, clinching the win in 24.36 seconds.
“MY HORSE is naturally very, very fast,” Matz said. “He’s 17 now, and we’ve been together for nine years. He’s an incredible competitor. Skylar had a fantastic round; I didn’t know if we would be fast enough, but Cashew felt unbelievable in the warmup. During the first phase, I put him in a couple of compromising positions, but he didn’t want to come close to touching the poles so I felt pretty confident that he was in top form. Luckily, he did the rest.”
Wireman was second, and Ward finished third.
Matz’s and Wireman’s placings put them on the top of the leaderboard in the $20,000 Longines Rider Challenge for the FEI 5* division, which will be awarded after the $400,000 Hampton Classic 5* Grand Prix on Sunday.
Matz leads with 150 points, while Wireman is second with 120 points, and overnight leader Mark Bluman of Colombia is third with 116 points.
Earlier in the day, Stella Wasserman was clean in 25.56 seconds on Myjorka to win the $5,000 CSI2* Open Jumper Two-Phase.
“My best strategy going into the ring was to just stick to my plan and execute it to the best of my ability, especially with that horse,” Wasserman said. “It worked out for us today. She is the bravest and most competitive horse I’ve ever had. You say jump, she says how high; it’s such a lovely feeling.”
Eva Fisherman on Casallvano, clean in 26.27 seconds, was second, and Emily Dehoff on Manou De Muze was third in 26.30-second time.
The standings have also changed for the $10,000 Longines Rider Challenge for the FEI 2* division, which will be awarded on Sunday after the $70,000 Hampton Classic 2* Grand Prix.
Campbell Brown now leads with 95 points, David Blake of Ireland is second with 74 points, and Coco Fath is third with 60 points.
