Shane Sweetnam Wins $10,000 Great Southwest Equestrian Center Jumper Class at Hampton Classic

Shane Sweetnam and Main Road Win Great Southwest Equestrian Center Class (Photo: Shawm McMillian)

Bridgehampton, NY - In a five horse jump-off Shane Sweetnam of Ireland claimed victory in the $10,000 Great Southwest Equestrian Center Open Jumper 1.45 m class at the Hampton Classic Horse Show. Katie Cox was second and Beezie Madden, in her first competition since riding on the U.S.'s silver medal team at the Rio Olympic Games, was third.

Madden was the first to go in the jump-off riding Coach, owned by Abigail Wexner. They handled the shortened Alan Wade designed course easily, going clear in a time of 40.230 seconds.

Sweetnam went next on Sweet Oak Farm's Main Road, the first of his two mounts in the jump-off, and shaved two seconds off the time for a clean round time of 38.143. Lorcan Gallagher and Diktator Van De Boslandhoeve, owned by Spy Coast Farm, were clear but slow with 40.997 seconds.

Katie Cox was clear on Hocus Pocus VH Hof Ter Heide, owned by KLC Investment Group LLC, but stopped the clock at 39.008 meaning that Sweetnam only had to beat himself with Cantero Da Lagoa, also owned by Sweet Oak Farm, but the pair had a rail down. Even though he had two in the jump-off Sweetnam thought that he might have had the edge with Main Road.

"He is the quicker of the two horses," said Sweetnam. "I had an idea of what Beezie had done so I just thought about trying to be quicker than her and then see where I would end up. My second horse was still the second fastest in the class, so it was important to try to get a result with him too."

The Hampton Classic Horse Show runs through Sunday, September 4 at its pristine Bridgehampton, NY, venue. For this year's 41st annual edition, a fourth FEI class has been added to the schedule in addition to more than 200 classes of competition for horses and riders of all ages and abilities. A wide range of hunter, jumper and equitation classes are offered at all levels, from leadline all the way up to grand prix. Classes are also featured for riders with disabilities.

For a link to this coverage and for more information on the Hampton Classic Horse Show, please visit the Hampton Classic website at www.hamptonclassic.com