The JustWorld International Horseless Horse Show and Silent Auction was held Friday, August 28, at the 2009 Hampton Classic in Bridgehampton, NY.
JustWorld Rider Ambassadors Molly Newsome and Olivia Lopez-Balboa present Brennan, a Horseless Horse Show competitor, with his ribbon.

September 3, 2009 – Bridgehampton, New York – For the third year, JustWorld International awareness and fundraising initiatives at the Hampton Classic Horse Show in Bridgehampton, NY, met with great success. In total, over $15,000 was raised for JustWorld International, a not-for-profit, humanitarian organization working as a catalyst for positive change in the developing world by helping underprivileged children.

Since forming their partnership in 2007, JustWorld International and the Hampton Classic Horse Show have enjoyed promoting JustWorld’s dedication to helping underprivileged children in developing nations. This year, JustWorld International planned numerous events during the Hampton Classic, which ran August 23 to 30, 2009, including the ever-popular Horseless Horse Show.

Held during the Exhibitor’s Party on Friday, August 28, the Horseless Horse Show saw 120 children of various ages competing in several divisions including Short Stirrup, Children’s Jumper, High Jump Puissance, Pair Relay Jumpers and a Grand Prix with a jump-off.

Many JustWorld supporters volunteered their time to ensure the success of the Horseless Horse Show including Rider Ambassadors Kevin Babington of Ireland and James Benedetto of the United States who acted as judges along with Technical Ambassador Phil Rozon of Canada. Technical Ambassador Guilherme Jorge of Brazil designed the people-sized courses while Canada’s Michel Vaillancourt acted as the technical delegate and Neil O’Connor was the field judge. Other Ambassadors acted as in-gate, jump crew, announcer, and ‘horse show office’ personnel.

Sponsors included Brookledge Horse Transport, Antares, Horseware Ireland, Spycoast Farm, Gold Coast Feed and Supply, and Brody Robertson Show Jumps.

Held concurrently with the Horseless Horse Show, the Silent Auction featured 54 luxury items including La Perla lingerie, a Fendi handbag, Jennifer Miller jewelry, VIP tickets for Grand Prix Sunday at the Hampton Classic donated by Carolynn Rockafellow, tickets to an Isaac Mizrahi fashion show, and a $1 bill signed by rock legend Bruce Springsteen.

In addition to the Horseless Horse Show and Silent Auction, t-shirt and sweatshirts designed by Rider Ambassador Olivia Lopez-Balboa of New York, NY, were sold at the JustWorld information booth as well as during the Horseless Horse Show and raised more than $3,000, all of which was donated to JustWorld International.

On Friday of the Hampton Classic, the JustWorld Children’s Jumper class saw Lopez-Balboa winning section A of the popular division while Madeline Turner won Section B. JustWorld benefactor, Carolynn Rockafellow, made a donation of $250 to JustWorld International in each winner’s name for a total of $500.

At the end of the Hampton Classic, there was a tie for the Children’s Jumper Championship between Lopez-Balboa and Alexa Adelson of Scarborough, NY, both JustWorld Junior Rider Ambassadors. Another JustWorld Junior Ambassador, Taylor Land, won Thursday’s High Junior Jumper class while two Professional Rider Ambassadors, Candice King and Kevin Babington, placed seventh and eighth respectively in Sunday’s featured event, the $250,000 FTI World Cup Grand Prix. Numerous other Rider Ambassadors enjoyed success in various classes, making the signature blue JustWorld riding jackets visible in prize giving ceremonies throughout the week.

All money raised at the Hampton Classic will help children at JustWorld project sites in Brazil, Cambodia, Guatemala, Honduras and Senegal.

“We had 49 Rider Ambassadors competing and volunteering at this year’s Hampton Classic, and their support was simply overwhelming,” said Executive Director Jessica Newman, herself a former grand prix competitor at the Hampton Classic before switching her primary focus to JustWorld International in 2002. “It is so exciting to see how fast our JustWorld family is growing in both size and level of commitment. We are so grateful to Shanette Barth and the board of directors at the Hampton Classic for allowing JustWorld to be part of this fabulous event. We are also thankful to all the staff for their help and support in making the Hampton Classic a successful event for JustWorld.”

JustWorld International has worked to bring together the equestrian community and others with the goal of improving the lives of disadvantaged children in the developing world. With show jumping riders around the world signing up to become JustWorld Rider Ambassadors, Newman has mobilized some of the sport's biggest names towards supporting JustWorld’s projects. There are currently over 220 Rider Ambassadors from 27 different countries, ranging from nine-year-old pony riders to Olympic medalists, who help bring attention to JustWorld International’s cause.

Through annual donations or donations of prize money or proceeds from clinics, volunteering at the JustWorld International events and project sites, or simply by telling people about JustWorld's projects, these riders have chosen to make a difference by competing . . . with a purpose. With many of the Rider Ambassadors wearing the JustWorld signature blue jacket every time they go in the ring, as well as custom saddle pads and fly sheets, JustWorld is at the forefront of the equestrian stage.

For more information about JustWorld’s involvement at the Hampton Classic, or to find out how you can become a sponsor or a rider ambassador, please visit www.justworldinternational.org or contact Executive Director Jessica Newman at jnewman@justworldinternational.org.

Founded in 2002, JustWorld International raises awareness and funds in the equestrian community to support humanitarian projects that benefit impoverished communities and children in the developing world. Cooperating with local partners, JustWorld International implements sustainable, culturally sensitive education, health and vocational projects. For more information on JustWorld International and its upcoming fundraising events, please visit www.justworldinternational.org.