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Eleven-Year-Old Wins WLIU Singing Contest at Hampton Classic Horse Show

August 24, 2025

Bridgehampton, NY-August 24, 2008-Lexxi Saal, a middle school student from Deer Park, won the WLIU 88.3 FM National Anthem Singing Contest at the 33rd Hampton Classic Horse Show. The event, which was broadcast live on WLIU and on WVVH-TV, headlined the Manhattan Mortgage Company’s Opening Day activities at the eight-day equestrian event.

The 33rd Hampton Classic Horse Show, one of the nation’s premier show jumping competitions, continues through Sunday, August 31. The Classic hosts hunter/jumper competition for riders ranging from the youngest competitors in Leadline and Short Stirrup classes all the way up to Olympic veterans in the $200,000 FTI Grand Prix. Entered in the show are two Olympic riders who flew directly from the Olympic show jumping competition in Hong Kong: individual gold medalist Eric Lamaze of Canada and McLain Ward, a member of the gold medal-winning U.S. team.

In the singing contest, Lexxi bested a field of six finalists-all but she adults-who competed in a live “sing-off” for the right to perform the national anthem in the Grand Prix Ring prior to the $20,000 Nicolock Time Challenge, the day’s feature jumping competition.

“Your career began today at the Hampton Classic,” Christopher Robbins, one of the singing contest judges, told the sixth-grade winner. A partner with Robbins Wolfe Eventeurs, the Official Caterer of the Hampton Classic, Robbins was joined by co-judges Jaylaan Llewellyn, president of bluhammock music, and Helen Rattray, Publisher of the East Hampton Star and member of the Board of Directors of the Choral Society of the Hamptons. The panel remarked on Lexxi ’s soulful delivery of the 1941 Etta James blues song “At Last” in the first round.

In a final sing-off against two other contestants-Carolyn Benson, 25, a mother of two from East Setauket, and Maurice Mataban, 32, a mail carrier from Smithtown-Lexxi performed “The Prayer,” a song by one of her favorite artists, Celine Dion. The other finalists were Danielle Draizin of East Hampton, Tom Humbert of Shinnecock Hills, and Robert Risko of Amagansett. All performed a cappella.

Emceed by WLIU’s popular host, Bonnie Grice, the second annual WLIU 88.3 FM National Anthem Singing Contest drew entries from a wide geographical area. The winner received a gift certificate to the Hampton Classic souvenir booth and a collection of CDs from bluhammock music. All finalists received a $50 Ameriprise gift card, a shirt of their choice from bluhammock music and passes to the horse show.

Manhattan Mortgage Company’s Opening Day activities also included equestrian demonstrations by Sonny Garguilo of Elmos and Robin Foster of Sagaponack. Known as “the man who talks to horses,” Garguilo, a Natural Horsemanship trainer, specializes in non-aggressive training methods and promoting harmony between horse and rider. In October he will ride his wild mustang, America, in a seven-day fundraiser named “America Rides for Autism.” Foster drove her horse to illustrate the challenging equestrian sport of combined driving, which is modeled after three-day eventing.

This year’s Old Field Trophy/Long Island Sportsmanship Award was presented to Agneta Currey. Old Field Farm created the award last year to honor a Long Island horse person who has demonstrated excellence in sportsmanship. Currey is a member of the Hampton Classic Board of Directors executive committee and chair of the floral and grounds committee.

Robert Chaloner, President and CEO of Southampton Hospital, welcomed spectators to the Hampton Classic Horse Show. The hospital has been a community partner with the show since its inception more than 30 years ago and has been the recipient of more than $1 million in contributions from the show during that time.

With more than $500,000 in prize money, 50,000 spectators and 1,500 horses, the Hampton Classic is not only a sporting event of major proportions, but also one of the most noteworthy social events of the Hamptons’ summer season. The Classic’s featured event, the $200,000 FTI Grand Prix and FEI World Cup™ Qualifier, will be held on Sunday afternoon, August 31.

Upcoming highlights in the Hampton Classic’s Grand Prix Ring are the bluhammock music 1.45 meter Open Jumper class on Thursday; the $50,000 Hampton Classic Grand Prix Qualifier on Friday; Cablevision Kid’s Day on Saturday featuring the $30,000 Sotheby’s International Realty Challenge and the final phase of the $10,000 Wölffer Estate Equitation Championship.

Sunday is highlighted by the $25,000 Calvin Klein Show Jumping Derby, a member of event of the Show Jumping Hall of Fame Jumper Classic Series, and the $10,000 Hermès Hunter Classic. Both these classes take place in the morning prior to the $200,000 FTI Grand Prix and FEI World Cup™ Qualifier.

This year the horse show has initiated the VOX Rider Challenge, sponsored by VOX Magazine, with $30,000 in prize money being awarded to the top four riders in the horse show’s Open Jumper division. Riders have the chance to compete all week in the open jumper classes, with the top finish in each class, regardless of mount, being counted towards their final point totals. The winners will be presented with their prize money on Sunday afternoon following be the $200,000 FTI Grand Prix.

Those unable to attend the Hampton Classic have opportunity to see it on television. WVVH-TV, the official Long Island television station of the Hampton Classic, is broadcasting up to five hours of competition and highlights each day during the Classic. These broadcasts can also be seen online at www.wvvh.tv. The $200,000 FTI Grand Prix will also air on Animal Planet on Saturday, October 4 at 3:00pm (ET/PT).

The Classic is also receiving extensive coverage on WLIU 88.3 FM, a long-time sponsor and the official radio station of the Hampton Classic. WLIU is broadcasting updates daily throughout the Classic to go along with live programs from the Classic on Sunday, August 24 and Saturday-Sunday, August 30-31.

The 2009 Hampton Classic will be held one week earlier than usual. Rather than culminating on Labor Day weekend, the 34th annual Hampton Classic will open on Sunday, August 23 and conclude on Sunday, August 30. The Classic will return to its traditional dates in 2010.

For more information on the Hampton Classic Horse Show, please visit the Hampton Classic website at www.hamptonclassic.com or call (631) 537-3177. Hampton Classic Horse Show, Inc. is a 501.c.3 charitable corporation.

Written by Classic Communications · Filed Under Hampton Classic, Press Releases 
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