Dan's Papers - August 24, 2007 - The Hampton Classic, Part 3. The Jumper Ring

Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, this is it! The two-week equestrian extravaganza we all look forward to each year is finally here. The tents are up, the stalls are built and the Beval truck is about to roll into town. When the first buzzer sounds on Sunday at 1 p.m., resounding through the Grand Prix field and sending its first talented beast towards fame or failure, we will all hold our collective breath to see which horse and rider teams will reign as champions.

Although there will be equine athletes in every arena at the Classic, in the world of the Hunter/Jumper show, only a Jumper class can award its champions $150,000 for a clean round and sell hundreds of VIP tables each day. But, why?

First off, the Jumper classes are the only true, unbiased tests of talent and skill at the show. Jumpers may be of any breed, height or sex and judges in the jumper ring cannot award points for style, or deduct them if the rider loses his or her stirrups. Jumper riders race against the clock, charging from buzzer to finish line as fast as their horses will carry them, all the while using their impeccable riding skills and quick thinking to approach each fence in a way that saves time but also ensures that their mount will not knock down the rails.

Because Jumper classes are the only classes required to award prize money, the stakes - and the jumps - are higher and wider than at any other classes at the show. Although ponies, children and amateurs can compete in classes with fences as low as 2'9"-3', all professional Jumper classes are 1.40m (4'6") or higher. And unlike a Hunter or Equitation class, there must be a certain number of spreads - obstacles that are two to twelve feet wider than they are high. In a Grand Prix class, where the fences can be up to 5' high at the outset and raised even higher for the jump-off, the spreads are formidable and the risk of a horse and rider team falling through the fence is great.

The point system upon which the Jumper classes are scored is complex, but once you know the basics, it is easy to judge who the winner will be even before the results are announced. The only way for a horse and rider with a clean trip (no obstacles knocked down or refused) to fall out of the running is to go over the Time Allowed. That time is judged by how long it would take a horse to complete the course while traveling at a speed of 382 yards-per-minute. The timer starts as soon as the horse's chest crosses the starting line or 45 seconds after the buzzer has sounded - in the big money classes, the time remaining must be displayed, making the rounds even more nerve-wracking as the crowd watches the time slipping awaysecond by second. Each second a horse and rider spend on course past the Time Allowed will cost them one fault. In the most competitive classes, five seconds in the ring after a clean round means elimination.

Timing is not the only thing Jumpers need to worry about. If a horse stops in front of an obstacle and takes a step backward, it is considered a refusal and four faults are incurred. The second disobedience - halting, running past an obstacle, or taking a circle before approaching a fence - results in elimination. If a horse dislodges any part of an obstacle, four faults are given. And if a horse and rider jump an obstacle that was not part of the original course, they are eliminated from competition and charged a $250 fine.

With such detailed rules, Jumper horses and their riders must be the most precise, focused and careful exhibitors at the Classic. One misstep could put them out of the game, into the hospital, or worse. To win a champion ribbon, they must push themselves to their physical and mental limits.

To watch world's finest equestrians test their abilities on the Hampton Classic's famously difficult courses, be sure to catch the $20,000 Nicolock Open Jumper Time Challenge on August 26, the $50,000 Grey Goose Vodka World Cup/Grand Prix Qualifier on August 31, the $25,000 Sotheby's International Realty Challenge on September 1 and the $150,000 FTI Grand Prix on September 2.