Supporting the Jumpers and Trotters

What do you get when you combine successful business owners, a love for horses and one of the nation's biggest horse shows? You get the support of Hampton Classic sponsors from both in and out of the saddle.

This unique group of individuals includes Melissa Cohn, owner and founder of Manhattan Mortgage Company; Jaylaan Ahmad-Llewellyn, founder and CEO of bluhammock music; Alexandra Cherubini, founder and owner of EquiFit, Inc.; Gigi Stetler, founder and owner of RV Sales of Broward; and the family of Dennis Shaughnessy, chairman of the Board for FTI Consulting.

Cohn's Manhattan Mortgage Company first began sponsoring the Hampton Classic in 1996 and has been involved every year since. The company is the official sponsor of the Classic's Opening Day.

Harvard graduate Jaylaan Ahmad-Llewellyn launched her independent music label, bluhammock music, at the age of 24. Ahmad-Llewellyn, who rides in the adult jumpers' category, decided to combine her love of horses and music. Then her company became the sponsor of the bluhammock music Open Jumper class at the Hampton Classic in 2007. This will also mark the second year that bluhammock music will host the Blu Party - an unforgettable event that features live performances by bluhammock artists at an exclusive Hamptons Estate.

"Last year's Blu Party was a huge success, and it is the perfect way for us to continue to introduce live music and bluhammock artists," said Ahmad-Llewellyn.

The VIP, by-invitation event hosts over 500 music influencers, socialites and celebrities. The event benefits For The Planet, a non-profit organization that helps fund other non-profits dedicated to preserving and restoring our natural environment, in addition to H.E.A.R.T, another nonprofit group that provides state-of-the-art emergency transportation services for injured or ill horses, specializing in horses in need of urgent care.

Founder and owner of EquiFit, Inc., Cherubini is a true equestrian entrepreneur. After futilely searching for state-of-the-art equestrian gear that lived up to the standards she envisioned, she decided to take matters into her own hands and create exactly what she - and some of the world's best equestrian athletes - were searching for.

Cherubini, who competes across the country in hunter and amateur-owner jumper divisions, is constantly on the lookout for new ideas and product lines, often drawing from her own equestrian background for inspiration.

EquiFit, Inc. became involved with this summer's Olympic Games by supplying products to the United States Equestrian Federation, and was recently named the "Official Performance Horse Boot and Leg Wear of the USEF." EquiFit, Inc. has been a proud sponsor of the Hampton Classic since 2004.

Few have as an inspirational life story as Stetler, founder and owner of RV Sales of Broward, which rents and sells luxury RVs. Stetler, who built the business from the ground up, has sold RVs to some of the world's best riders, capitalizing on that fact that they spend a majority of their time at shows and away from home, and are looking for an RV that is upscale, comfortable and sensible. "Being in the RV business is perfect for me because it is just one more excuse to go to the horse shows," she said. "Horse shows are where I love to be."

Stetler, who sponsors equestrian events across the country, is an avid rider who competes regularly in the adult jumper divisions at horse shows across the country.

While Dennis Shaughnessy, chairman of the Board for FTI Consulting, won't be climbing into the saddle and competing at the Hampton Classic this summer, his daughter, Mary Helen, has a winning history at the Classic. In 2007, she and Loriot 265, owned by Shamrock Ventures, was champion of the 1.30m Amateur-Owner Jumper Division. She is back riding again this year.

"We are honored to support one of the nation's grandest and most respected equestrian competitions," said Shaughnessy. "The Hampton Classic embodies the highest standards of sportsmanship for both Olympian equestrians and young champions, just as FTI Consulting embodies the highest standards of professionalism within the global business community. By sponsoring the Hampton Classic Grand Prix event, we are aligning two world-class organizations around the pinnacle of competition and a tradition of excellence."

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