September 3, 2016 
Feel the need for speed? Look no further than the Hampton Classic and Friday’s $15,000 Merrill Lynch Speed Derby.
Internationally acclaimed designer Alan Wade’s course offered plenty of twists and turns—the perfect place to either make up distance or pull a rail, depending on how much risk (read: speed) the riders were willing to accept. The Derby also featured traditional natural obstacles, including a bank and open water, to test the field’s courage and stamina.
Wade’s courses are consistently admired in the international show jumping community, and for good reason. The FEI Level 4 designer, who began his career in Ireland at the tender age of 12, was the man behind such prestigious tracks as the Dublin CSIO, the World Top 10 Final at Gucci Masters in Paris, the WEF Finale in Wellington, the USEF National, and the American Gold Cup in Old Salem, among many others.
Before the class kicked off yesterday, Wade gave us the lay of the land in the Hampton Classic Grand Prix Ring.
When the last horses streaked through the timers, it was 23-year-old Adrienne Sternlicht aboard Raia D’ Helby, an 11-year-old Selle Francais mare, who walked away with the top spot, mastering the course in 85.878 seconds—less than a full second faster than her coach, McLain Ward, aboard HH Best Buy.
“I think I gained time on McLain because my horse doesn’t jump as lofty as his and is a little quicker across the ground,” said Sternlicht. “I just tried to stay really smooth and play to her strengths and she was amazing. My horse is used to jumping in bigger classes, so I knew I could challenge her in terms of speed. She’s very careful and very brave, so I think where other horses needed to take extra time, I was able to stay on my pace. I think I let her down in the speed class yesterday, so I was happy that I was able to pull through for my horse.”
Don’t feel too bad for McLain, though. Just hours later, the Rio team silver medalist edged out another young gun—17-year-old Lucy Deslauriers—to win the $75,000 Douglas Elliman Grand Prix Qualifier on HH Carlos Z. The pair will return to the ring to compete in $300,000 Hampton Classic Grand Prix CSI**** on Sunday.
