BRIDGEHAMPTON, N.Y.--Great Britain’s Jessica Mendoza on In The Air won the $400,000 Hampton Classic 5* Grand Prix with one of only two clean rounds in the three horse jump-off, finishing in 37.34 seconds on Sunday, Aug. 31.
Jessica Mendoza on In The Air (Photo by KindMedia)Nick Granat set the course for 39 entries representing 14 countries in the Grand Prix.
Granat’s course was challenging, with only three going clean.
Kristen Vanderveen was the first to go clean in the first round on Bull Run’s Jireh, but it took another 17 trips before Mendoza guaranteed the spectators a jump-off.
World #22 Shane Sweetnam of Ireland was the only other rider to go clean.
Charlotte Jacobs on Playboy JT was fourth, the fastest of the four faulters, followed by Spencer Smith and Katie Dinan, each with four faults.
To show the difficulty of the course, riders with eight faults were 10th, 11th and 12th.
Kent Farrington and McLain Ward both had eight faults and were 13th and 15th respectively.
It was a pleasure to see a course commensurate with the value of the class that resulted in only three in the jump-off.
“I KNEW today was going to be very difficult, and with the seated order based off Friday’s qualifier, that we had to wait for a clear round,” Granat said. “I was really pleased with the class and the jump-off. There is always pressure to have some clears; everyone wants to see a jump-off. I was happy we were able to give them one.”
Vanderveen, first to go in the jump-off, had four faults, and Mendoza, next to go, was clean in 37.34 seconds, which ultimately secured her first FEI 5* win.
Sweetnam on James Kann Cruz was clean but slower than Mendoza, finishing in 37.90 seconds, to place second and drop Vanderveen into third.
“It’s a pretty amazing win,” Mendoza said. “This is one of the best American shows. It’s truly amazing to be here and to win the Grand Prix. It’s always fun to go into the jump-off with the top three; you don’t have much to lose. I knew there was a bit of room where Shane could catch me, but my mare was perfect across the ground. She’s an incredible horse and had an incredible summer. She really found herself this year.”
“I was very happy with my horse,” Sweetnam said. “He’s a very different horse from Jessica’s. He spends a bit of time in the air and is a bit of a slower horse, so I did my plan close enough to what I thought would be enough to challenge. He jumped great. In hindsight, I could have taken a few more gambles.”
“It’s definitely special to have this big of a crowd and a long lead-up to a clear round,” Vanderveen said. “It was cool to be the first clear. My horse was quite fresh, but he was great today. I went into the jump-off thinking not to go too forward because he’s a naturally fast horse. In hindsight, I could have really gone for it and been a bit more competitive, but I’m really happy with how he was today.”
This victory also earned Mendoza the $20,000 Rider Challenge for the FEI 5* division, which awarded a $20,000 bonus.
She finished the week with a total of 395 points. Sweetnam was second with 355 points, while Skylar Wireman third with 324 points.
Earlier in the day, 32 entries competed in the $70,000 Hampton Classic 2* Grand Prix, with six moving on to the jump-off and only two going clean in the jump-off.
Qatari rider Faleh Suwead Al Ajami on Karmalensky was clean in 46.09 seconds for the win.
“It was a nice class – a bit of a challenge for all the riders,” Al Ajami said. “We had so many good entries in that class. Beat Mändli is my idol, and I always followed his riding when I was younger. To be in the same classes as him now has been a pleasure. This is my first time at the Hampton Classic, and I don’t think it will be my last.”
Second place went to three-time Olympic veteran Beat Mändli of Switzerland, who had the only other clean jump-offr round in 46.91 seconds on Cordani PS.
Ariana Marnell was third with four faults in 45.06 seconds on Jikke-Cara.
With this victory, Al Ajami had a total of 290 points to win the $10,000 Rider Challenge for the FEI 2* division, which awarded a $10,000 bonus.
. Overnight leader Stella Wasserman fnished second with 248 points, while Marnell was third with 245 points.
