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Jessica Grunwald and Barbara Spindler Win Championships at Long Island Horse Show Series for Riders With Disabilities at Hampton Classic Horse Show

August 25, 2025

Bridgehampton, NY-August 25, 2008-Jessica Grunwald of Commack and Barbara Spindler of Happauge took top honors at the 3rd Annual Long Island Horse Show Series for Riders With Disabilities Finals at the Hampton Classic Horse Show. Grunwald captured the Equitation “With Aides” division and Spindler took the “Independent” Equitation division.

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.

Before the competition began, Peter Leone, 1996 Olympic show jumping silver medalist for the U.S., presented ribbons to all riders who qualified for this year’s Long Island Horse Show Series for Riders With Disabilities Finals. He told the competitors: “I congratulate you all. You earned the right to be here. My advice to you as riders is to remember what you did that got you here to the Finals today - and keep doing it.”

Leone later commented: “I am so impressed with the courage these young people have to get on a horse, to walk and trot. I know how much risk is involved in this sport for myself and for my fellow athletes. It is so amazing to see the strengths and accomplishments of these riders here today. They are all champions.”

Grunwald, 10, and Spindler, 27, proved that true, as did the rest of the field. A fifth-grader, Grunwald has been riding only two years. After her win, she gave all the credit to her mount, Summertime Blues. “Blue is very nice to me and she really understands me,” she said of the bay hunter owned by Paula Petrone of Melville.

Spindler, who has been riding 15 years, also praised her mount, Just Jill, a 16-hand Appaloosa owned by Lisa Gatti of Islandia. Jill was adopted as a rescue mare. “People bring all kinds of horses to the Hampton Classic, and I’m lucky to have Jill for my show horse. I’m very honored to win. It shows that the work you do with your horse pays off if you keep at it,” said Spindler. She works at Pal-O-Mine Equestrian in Islandia, assisting with lesson horses and stable chores.

Reserve champions were: Kim Wolf of Hauppauge on Dream Weaver, also owned by Gatti, in the Independent division, and Leanna Loree of Manhasset on Diamond, owned by HorseAbility, Inc. of Melville, in the With Aides division. Both reserve championships were won in a rideoff because of tied scores. Loree had tied with Kevin Altenburg of Melville; Wolf had tied with Lindsay Scarpa of Syosset.

Tina Rocco of Melville trained all the competitors and their mounts. The championships were the culmination of HorseAbility’s eight-show series that took place at various horse shows on Long Island in the spring and summer of 2008. Thirty-five riders competed in the series in hopes of qualifying for the Finals, but only the top 10 in the “With Aides” division and top nine in the “Independent” division qualified to ride at the Hampton Classic Finals. Riders competed in classes including walk, walk/trot, walk/trot/figure 8, and walk/trot/canter. Rankings are awarded based on points according to U.S. Equestrian Federation rules for equitation classes. Newsday sponsored the With Aides division and Bridgehampton National Bank sponsored the Independent.

HorseAbility is a Long Island-based program offering therapeutic riding lessons and other programs for riders of all ages and disabilities. It was founded in 1993 by Kathleen (Katie) Kilcommons McGowan when she lent her horse to a friend and physical therapist who used therapeutic riding as a method of treatment for a child with cerebral palsy. When McGowan saw the child’s physical and emotional connection with the animal and subsequent acceleration in his treatment, she knew she had found her calling. Combining her education, love of children and longstanding relationship with horses, she founded HorseAbility. More information on HorseAbility can be found at: www.horseability.org or by calling (631) 367-1646.

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 3:00 pm (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 Friday-Sunday, August 29-31. Friday’s live broadcast is anchored by WLIU’s midday host, Brian Cosgrove while the weekend broadcasts are anchored by Bonnie Grice and Porter Bibb.

The 2009 Hampton Classic will be held one week earlier than usual. Rather than culminating on Labor Day week-end, 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 Marty Bauman · Filed Under Hampton Classic, Marty Bauman, USA 
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