Riverhead Rider Has Strong Showing at Hampton Classic

Richie Moloney, who is based in Riverhead, may not have won the Grand Prix on the final day of the 38th annual Hampton Classic Horse Show on Sunday, but he had an excellent showing.

Moloney, a 31-year-old originally from Ireland, was aiming for his second win in two days, having won the $40,000 Longines Cup on Saturday. Moloney and his mount, Carrabis Z, a 10-year-old Dutch Warmblood stallion, were the only pair — out of three — to have a faultless round in the jump-off, finishing in 43.86 seconds.

Riding Slieveanorra, he placed second in the $250,000 FTI Consulting Grand Prix behind Kent Farrington and Zafira after a jump-off round. Moloney finished in an even 40 seconds, and Farrington in 38.51 seconds.

Farrington, who also won the Grand Prix in 2012, became the fifth rider in the horse show's history to win back-to-back.

Moloney's weekend started off with a second place finish on Slieveanorra in the $50,000 Spy Coast Farm Grand Prix Qualifier on Friday.

All told, Moloney wracked up 229 points, placing him at the top of the $30,000 Longines Leading Rider Challenge. Brianne Goutal came in second with 177 points, and McLain Ward placed third with 169 points. Farrington finished fourth with 158.5 points, and 100 of those points were from his Grand Prix victory.

"I don't have any special plans for the money, but I sure have a lot of bills to pay," Moloney said after receiving he $30,000 check, according to a statement from the show. "I'm really happy, though, because I had my best results in the show's biggest classes. It's the best result of my career."

Juan Carlos Capelli, vice president and head of international marketing for Longines, presented Moloney with a Longines watch, as part of his prize.