Success for Adoptable Horses Spotlighted at the 2021 Hampton Classic Horse Show

The sun was shining in full force for the opening Grand Prix at the 2021 Hampton Classic on Sunday, August 29, when adoptable equines paraded before spectators prior to the start of the competition. The parade previewed the equines who would be featured the next day at the Equine Adoption Meet & Greet presented by the EQUUS Foundation.

Valerie Angeli, Georgina Bloomberg, and Jill Rappaport @ Lisa Tamburini

Leading the parade was EQUUS Foundation EQUUStar, top International rider, and sponsor of the Hampton Classic Animal Adoption Day, Georgina Bloomberg. Bloomberg was joined by renown animal welfare advocate, media personality and best-selling author, Jill Rappaport, and Valerie Angeli, EQUUS Foundation VP with a special appearance by super model and horse advocate, Christie Brinkley.

Top equestrian and EQUUS Foundation EQUUStar, Brianne Goutal-Marteau, joined Bloomberg and Rappaport to meet and greet spectators at the Equine Adoption event. “We are so grateful to the Hampton Classic Horse Show to have this opportunity to showcase adoptable equines and to raise awareness on how horses become at risk and how everyone can help, and to Georgina Bloomberg for making this event possible.” said Angeli. “The 2021 event was especially rewarding because seven equines from EQUUS Foundation Guardian charity, Rising Starr Horse Rescue, in Wilton, CT, found forever homes directly as a result of the event. We can’t say enough about how much we love our partnership with Georgina and the Hampton Classic Horse Show and would like to give a shout out to Shanette Cohen, Executive Director of the Hampton Classic Horse Show and her staff.”

Valerie Angeli, Christie Brinkley, and Jill Rappaport @ Geoff Tischman Photography Jill Rappaport, Brianne Goutal-Marteau, Alex Hamer, Georgina Bloomberg and Valerie Angeli @ Geoff Tischman Photography

“It just goes to show that awareness and visibility is everything,” said Kelly Stackpole, Executive Director and Founder of Rising Starr.

Adoptable equines and volunteers from EQUUS Foundation Guardian Charity, Rising Starr Horse Rescue with Brianne Goutal-Marteau, Valerie Angeli, Georgina Bloomberg, and Jill Rappaport @ Geoff Tischman Photography

Bunny and Turtle are 10-year-old mini donkeys who arrived at Rising Starr when a vet convinced the owner to surrender them instead of euthanizing them. They will live now out the rest of their lives at a private farm in North Salem, NY.

Rising Starr became aware of two black three-year-old Falabella Pony/Mini Horse cross mares, Daphne and Velma, from a Craig’s List ad and acquired them to keep them from winding up at auction and the threat of slaughter as many horses do when sold this way. They were adopted by Laurel Crown Farm, a Long Island show barn, where they will be their much-loved mascots.

Xander, a 13-year-old chestnut Quarter Horse, had been purchased at an auction in Texas, and was transferred to Rising Starr. When Xander’s new owners came to Rising Starr to take him home, they also fell in love with rescues, Gunner and Odin, and adopted them as well. So Xander, Gunner and Odin went to their new home together as pleasure and trail horses at a beautiful, private farm in the New York Catskills.

There was also interest in Violet, a Thoroughbred/Quarter cross from Rising Starr Rescue. Learn more about Violet here.

In addition to Rising Starr, the Retired Racehorse Project participated with a demonstration by Erica E. Rossner aboard the talented Mr. October (“Toby”), a chestnut gelding and son of famous Thoroughbred, Smarty Jones, who won the Kentucky Derby and The Preakness in 2004. With his career as a racehorse having come to an end, Toby, now seven years old, is showing major promise as a hunter/jumper/eventing prospect and is representative of the many off track Thoroughbreds who excel at their second careers and depend on opportunities to be all they can be.Trainer Rob West from the Mustang Heritage Foundation was also on hand to enlighten spectators on how wild Mustangs are at risk and currently their lives and quality of their lives sadly depend on adoption and second careers as mascots and riding horses. West demonstrated the versatility and bravery of the Mustang with Mocha, only two months out of the wild and who will be available for adoption at the upcoming Mustang Makeover event, and two of his own Mustangs, Lori Darlin and Moonshine Lady. Spectators also had the rare pleasure to celebrate the launch of the new photography book, Her Horse, by celebrity photographer, Jim Dratfield. With a forward by Georgina Bloomberg and introduction by Lynn Coakley, EQUUS Foundation President and Founder, this book, filled with stunning, artistic photos of Olympians, celebrities, and horse lovers that celebrate the bond between women and the horses they love and protect, is a work of art and a wonderful gift. A portion of the proceeds will benefit the EQUUS Foundation. To purchase Her Horse, click here. Visitors were also treated to tours of the HEART Horse ambulance, which transports injured horses to safety, and to learn how injured horses are stabilized and assisted with state of the art equipment in this specialized vehicle. The Rider’s Closet Donation Trunk was on the move making an appearance at the Hampton Classic Equine Adoption Day and was available for donations throughout the show week at the Der Dau booth. The Rider’s Closet, founded by Georgina Bloomberg in 2006, provides riding apparel to scholastic riding programs, pony clubs, equestrian camp programs, equine charities and individual riders in need, and became an EQUUS Foundation program in 2019. The EQUUS Foundation would like to express its appreciation to clothing designer, Clemencia Mosquera Perez, who donated a handmade embroidered women’s blazer to the online auction held in association with the Hampton Classic Horse Show, the Long Island University Equestrian Team who came out in full force to volunteer, Golden Pear and Essentia Water for their donation of delicious snacks and water for attendees, and Mane N’ Tail for their donation of products for the participating equines.

Hugs and Kisses at the Hampton Classic Equine Adoption Day presented by the EQUUS Foundation @ Geoff Tischman Photography Aaron French, Erica E. Rossner aboard Mr. October (Toby), Valerie Angeli, Julia Oughton and Jill Rappaport @ Geoff Tischman Photography Lori West with Lori Darlin, Autumn Meyer with Moonshine Lady and Rob West with Michez Amio (Mocha) @ Geoff Tischman Photography Her Horse Book Launch Left to Right: Serena Marron, Valerie Angeli, Jim Dratfield, Georgina Bloomberg and Marty Bauman @ Geoff Tischman Photography Rider’s Closet Executive Director, Christine Fitzgerald, and Georgina Bloomberg. Valerie Angeli with Designer Clemencia Mosquera Perez, Renata Solomou and Maria Solomou @ Geoff Tischman Photography

The close of the 2021 Hampton Classic Horse Show also marked the conclusion of a matching campaign for the EQUUS Foundation where donations made from August 16 through September 5 would be matched by prize money won by EQUUS Foundation Equine Ambassador, Lafitte De Muze, and donated by his owner, Cheryl Olsten, up to $30,000.

“We are thrilled to announce that Cheryl increased the match to $35,000 on learning that we received $35,000 in donations during the campaign to directly benefit EQUUS Foundation Guardian charities involved with the rescue and re-homing of horses in need of next chapters,” said Lynn Coakley, EQUUS Foundation President. “We are deeply grateful to Cheryl Olsten, Lafitte De Muze, his rider, Amanda Steege, and our donors for helping to make wishes come true for America’s horses in need of help.”