BRIDGEHAMPTON, NY(September 2, 2001 In the end, speed was what mattered Hidden Creek's Laurel and U.S. Equestrian Team (USET) veteran Margie Engle of Wellington FL, won the $150,000 Prudential Financial Grand Prix presented by David Yurman for the second year in a row at the Hampton Classic Horse Show, winning the jump-off by just two-tenths of a second.

Six out of 30 horses went clear in the first round over 18 jumps earning the right to come back to face one another in a jump-off over an abbreviated course. The second time around, all six jumped clear again, so the winner was determined by time

Engle, who won the class last year on Laurel just days before flying to Sydney for the Olympic Games, set a blistering pace to overcome McLain Wards time of 38.824 seconds aboard Rio, shaving time off by making tight turns that left the crowd gasping. Her time was 38.095 seconds.

"I watched McLain, and he went very fast," said Engle. "I figured I had nothing to lose."

Ward, of Brewster, NY, drew the crowds sympathy when his other mount in the class, Viktor, knocked two rails down in the first round. Thanks to their win in Fridays $25,000 Adequan Fiesta Day Grand Prix Qualifying Class presented by Celebrity Cruises, Ward and Viktor stood to win the $100,000 New Things Grand Prix Bonus Challenge if they also had won the grand prix Sunday

The order of finish was::

First: Hidden Creek's Laurel, ridden by Margie Engle, Wellington:, Fla.owned by Hidden Creek Farm; time of 38.095

Second: Rio, ridden by McLain Ward, Brewster, NY; owned by McLain Ward and Harry Gill; time of 38.824

Third: Elfee, ridden by Megan Lamaze, Orinda, Calif; owned by Stoney Hill Farm; time of 39.123

Fourth: Peace Train, ridden by Norman Dello Joio, Wellington:, Fla.; owned by Annie Shaker; 41.746

Fifth: Hennessey, ridden by Pamela Polk, Old Bethpage, NY; owned by Pine Hollow Stables; 42.654

Sixth: Pinkata de Longpre, ridden by Mark Leone, Oakland, NJ; owned by Ri Arm Farm; time of 42.877

The 26^th Annual Hampton Classic Horse Show ended today (September 2) in Bridgehampton with three high stakes events that delighted the crowd: the $150,000 Prudential Financial Grand Prix presented by David Yurman; the $50,000 AmeriChoice Eastern Finals of the Young Jumper Championships; and the $25,000 Calvin Klein Jumping Show Jumping Derby; and $100,000 New Things Grand Prix Bonus Challenge.

More than 60,000 spectators enjoyed seeing some of the country's finest equine athletes in action during the past 10 days with non-stop competition going on in The Hampton Classic' five well-groomed rings at once.

The Classic has become a tradition for top national competitors, including veterans from the U.S. Equestrian Team such as Jeffrey Welles, Tim Grubb, Laura Kraut, Margie Engle, Nona Garson, Leslie Howard, Todd Minikus and many others. The Hampton Classic attracts 1,800 show hunters and jumpers from as far away as California, Florida, Texas> and Canada/

The Hampton Classic Horse Show benefits the Southampton Hospital, the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation and the United States Equestrian Team. Offering up the best in show jumping, there is no other competition that brings together the hunter-jumper circuit with thousands of spectators, extravagant social events, celebrities, shopping and fine dining in the Hamptons

For more information on the Hampton Classic, be sure to visit the show's web site at www.hamptonclassic.com or call (631) 537-3177. Email requests for information may be submitted to info@hamptonclassic.com