One of the largest and most prestigious indoor horse shows in the United States, the Pennsylvania National Horse Show (PNHS) offers world-class hunter-jumper competition. Classic was first hired to oversee the horse show’s public relations in 2009 and manages the event’s on-site media services, writing daily press releases, coordinating press conferences, and expanding the reach of its social media.
The North American League (NAL) offers East and West Coast year-long series for equestrians in five hunter-jumper divisions with classes held at hundreds of horse shows across the United States and Canada. National Finals are held at the Pennsylvania National Horse Show in Harrisburg, PA in October and West Coast Finals are held at the Las Vegas National Horse Show in November. In addition to coordinating publicity efforts throughout the year, Classic also works with attending media on-site during the Finals, creates and places the League’s advertising, produces the League’s newsletters and assists with marketing and sponsorship sales.
Since 1989, the Fair Hill International has featured national and international competitions in the equestrian disciplines of combined driving, endurance riding and its featured discipline, three-day eventing. Classic has coordinated Fair Hill’s media and public relations since 1994 and has helped the event build an outstanding reputation that helped lead to its selection as host of the 2003 Pan American Eventing Championships. Fair Hill receives extensive coverage in local media, including the Baltimore Sun and Wilmington New Journal, and in equestrian media nationally and internationally.
Blenheim EquiSports, based in San Juan Capistrano, CA is an equestrian event management company which produces over thirty events per year in three locations. These events include 18 USEF "A" or "AA" rated hunter-jumper shows, World Cup Qualifying Grand Prix, USHJA International High Performance Hunter Challenges, Pony Finals and Medal Finals. Classic Communications assists with sponsor solicitation and fulfillment and has brought significant sponsor support to the Blenheim events.
Founded in 1883 at the original Madison Square Garden, the National Horse Show is America's oldest indoor horse show and is a year-end championship final for hunters and jumpers. Classic Communications was hired to oversee media services and operations for the National Horse Show when it moved to the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, Kentucky in 2011. Classic had previously been responsible for the National’s media services and public relations when the National was held at the Meadowlands Arena in New Jersey (1989-1995) and during its second run at Madison Square Garden (1996-2001).
PUBLIC RELATIONS - MARKETING
EVENT MANAGEMENT - BRANDING - SOCIAL MEDIA
Equestrian INDUSTRY SPECIALISTS
The Las Vegas National Horse Show is a nationally recognized horse show held annually at the South Point Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas. Nationally recognized as a leg in the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ North American League series, the Las Vegas National showcases top show jumping talent competing in the North American League and Show Jumping Hall of Fame Finals. Classic assists with onsite press relations.
Jersey Fresh International Three-Day Event is a premier venue that draws the top competitors in the equestrian sport of Eventing from across the nation. Jersey Fresh has helped determine the United States and Canadian World Equestrian Games and Pan Am Games teams. The 2016 event served as a qualifying selection trial for the U.S. Olympic Eventing Team for the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio, Brazil. Classic Communications coordinates sponsorships and oversees all public relations activities.
The North American Junior and Young Rider Championships (NAJYRC) is the leading equestrian competition in North America for riders age 14-21. Young equestrians from across the country compete for both team and individual medals in the three Olympic disciplines of show jumping, dressage and eventing, as well as the FEI World Championship disciplines of reining and endurance. Classic was responsible for the event’s public relations and marketing efforts from 1993 until 2009 when the U.S. Equestrian Federation assumed responsibility for producing the event. Classic coordinated the Championships’ publicity, media credentialing, on-site press management and follow-up reporting and also oversaw the event’s sponsorship programs.
The Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games are a quadrennial event featuring World Championships in the eight equestrian disciplines recognized by the Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI). Traditionally held in Europe, the Games were held in the United States (Lexington, Kentucky) in 2010 and Classic Communications was responsible for developing and implementing a plan to meet the working needs of the 1,200 journalists and photographers from around the world who were on site during the 16-day event including the development and operation of main and satellite media centers, media locations at each venue, credentialing and all other relevant services.
One of only six annual three-day events in the world designated with four stars by the International Equestrian Federation (FEI), the Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event, as one of the world’s premier equestrian competitions, attracts worldwide media attention. Since 1998, Classic has coordinated the event’s media relations including managing its world-class media center for nearly 200 attending media. In addition, Classic works with the international broadcast crews that have produced telecasts for NBC, EuroSport and other networks around the world. In 2003, Classic President Marty Bauman authored the acclaimed book, Kentucky Three-Day Event: A 25-Year Retrospective, a commemorative review of the event’s first 25 years.
equestrian clients
Classic has been involved in promoting equestrian sports since 1978 when it was hired to promote the American Jumping Derby in Newport, Rhode Island. Classic has an unrivaled reputation within the equestrian sports world, which has led event organizers and national organizations to incorporate Classic as a key member to their teams.
Classic represented the United States Equestrian Team (USET) from 1990 until 2004 when it became the USET Foundation, and it has a proven record of success in promoting and marketing many of the nation’s premier events including the Hampton Classic, Lake Placid Horse Shows and Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event. Classic’s international experience includes overseeing media services and operations for nine FEI World Cup™ Finals and for the highly acclaimed 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games™. Classic also served as the U.S. Equestrian Team spokesman at three Olympic Games.
Present and past clients include:
St. Christopher’s Horse Show is a premier hunter-jumper horse show in the Northeast. Classic manages media publicity for the horse show and coordinates its advertising campaign, providing creative and placement. Classic also assists with social media for the Show.
USET Festival of Champions
Shortly after Classic assumed responsibility for public relations for the United States Equestrian Team (USET) in 1990, the Team established a new multi-discipline event to showcase its historic facility at Gladstone, NJ. From 1991 through 2003, Classic oversaw all public relations activities and provided on-site media services for the annual event that over the years included National Championships and Olympic, Pan American and World Equestrian Games Selection Trials in show jumping, dressage, combined driving, reining and endurance riding.
Located at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, KY, the Show Jumping Hall of Fame was founded in 1987 to promote the sport of show jumping and to commemorate the legends of the horses and people who have made significant contributions to its history. Classic has been responsible for the management and publicity of the Show Jumping Hall of Fame since 1989. Classic manages the year-long Show Jumping Hall of Fame Jumper Classic Series and is responsible for coordinating its elections and induction ceremonies for new inductees each year.
A legacy event of the 2010 FEI World Equestrian Games, the Kentucky Reining Cup was established as a premier annual international Reining competition in 2011. The event features a CRIO (Nations’ Cup) and the World Freestyle Championship and offers prize money that is unparalleled at the sport’s top level. Classic oversees the event’s media relations and provides on-site media services and has helped the event grow each year in status and attendance.
Cornerstone Event Management is the premier International Dressage horse show series on the West Coast, providing the highest level of national and international competitions while maintaining a level of excitement, education and entertainment for the dressage supporter and spectator. CEM hosts several action-packed international dressage competitions, including the only FEI World Cup™ Dressage qualifiers held on the West Coast. Classic Communications assists with sponsorship outreach.
Live Oak International is the only show in the United States that offers both Combined Driving and Show Jumping competitions. It hosts five USEF National Driving Championships and a qualifier for the FEI World Cup Jumping Final. Classic oversees the event’s media relations and provides on-site media services
The brainchild of international Show Jumping rider Derek Braun, the Split Rock Jumping Tour is revolutionizing the way show jumping is presented in the U.S. The Split Rock Jumping Tour is hosted at Split Rock Farm in Lexington, KY, the "Horse Capital of the World," with two action-packed international competitions in the spring and fall which premiered in 2015 to rave reviews. Classic is overseeing the Tour’s marketing and public relations.
Classic has handled public relations and advertising for the Lake Placid Horse Shows since 1981. Held at the site of the opening Ceremonies for the 1980 Winter Olympics, Lake Placid’s horse shows rank among the nation's largest and most respected. Classic keeps the horse shows in the local media throughout the year with radio reports and regular articles in the Lake Placid News, and also by co-hosting broadcasts on local cable television everyday during the horse shows. Coverage in the national equestrian media supplement this local publicity to solidify the horse shows’ reputation nationwide. In addition to media relations, Classic handles the horse shows’ advertising and social media and communicates directly with horse show exhibitors through eblasts and electronic newsletters.
The Irish Horse Gateway was initiated by Horse Sport Ireland in 2013 to connect the world to the breeding, sport and leisure aspects of the Irish Horse. Horse Sport Ireland is the first point of contact for overseas clients seeking information and promoting Irish horses and ponies for international Equestrian sports and leisure. Classic Communications assists Horse Sport Ireland with media publicity and advertising, horse show sponsorships, coordinating special events and managing their social media.
Gladstone Driving Event and 1993 FEI World Pairs Driving Championship
One of the nation’s premier equestrian driving events, The Gladstone Driving Event featured a variety of combined driving competitions including the USET National Pairs Championship. In 1993, Gladstone hosted the FEI World Pairs Driving Championship, hosting competitors from 23 countries and attracting a five-day attendance of more than 50,000. Classic was responsible for public relations and media services for the annual event and for the 1993 World Championship where it provided on-site media services and operations for the nearly 200 journalists and photographers from around the world.
Fieldstone Show Park is the premier equestrian show facility in the Northeast. The magnificent venue located in Halifax, MA, has beautifully manicured grounds and features an all-grass Grand Prix Field with natural features, five competition arenas and several schooling areas with all-weather GGT hybrid/felt footing, which enable the classes to run in any weather. Classic coordinates sponsorships and oversees all public relations, social media, and marketing efforts.
The Hampton Classic Horse Show, one of the largest and most popular outdoor horse shows in the United States, is a premier Destination for horse people and celebrities. Classic was first hired to oversee the Hampton Classic’s media relations in 1992 and since that time has played a key role in solidifying the Classic’s reputation as one of the world’s premier horse shows and one of the Hamptons’ leading social events. Classic oversees all media efforts and hosts more than 150 attending media each year. The Hampton Classic receives outstanding media coverage including placements in such publications as the New York Times, People, Conde Nast Traveler, W, In Style, Gourmet, Wall Street Journal, New York Magazine, New York Daily News, and New York Post.
Winter Equestrian Festival
For more than 25 years, Classic helped promote the Winter Equestrian Festival and its marquee event, the American Invitational. Starting in 1982, Classic’s focus was on the Festival’s three-week horse show series at the Florida State Fairgrounds in Tampa and the American Invitational in Tampa Stadium. Classic developed and implemented a number of promotions to stimulate attendance at both while also providing media relations services. With the opening of the Palm Beach Polo Equestrian Club in Wellington, Classic assumed responsibility for generating media coverage and providing on-site media services for the Festival’s annual stay there. Classic continued in that role through 2001 while continuing to promote the American Invitational until 2007.
Classic Communications coordinates media relations and oversees media operations for the Palm Beach Masters Series in Wellington, Florida. The Series’ signature event, the Palm Beach Masters, is one of only seven North American, east coast qualifiers for the Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping Final and features top competitors from across the globe. The Series also features the Deeridge Derby showcasing the nation’s top hunter horses and riders.
The Land Rover Great Meadow International presented by Adequan® is a premier CIC3* eventing competition which also hosted the Land Rover U.S. Eventing Team at it's June event for its final preparation trial prior to the 2015 Pan American Games. Classic oversees the event’s media relations and provides on-site media services
The International Omaha is a world-class equestrian show jumping and dressage show with high-level, intense competition featuring national and international riders, some of whom have competed in the Olympics, FEI World Cup™ Championships and Pan American Games. The 2016 International Omaha was the pre-lude to the 2017 FEI World Cup™ Jumping and Dressage Finals. The FEI World Cup™ Finals are returning to Omaha in 2023. Classic coordinates all public relations activities.
Dana Hall is one of the few New England schools to offer a comprehensive riding program which has been an option at Dana Hall since the 1930s. Located on campus, the Karen Stives ’68 Equestrian Center offers a complete equestrian facility, classes and training. Classic Communications assists with public relations and social media promotion for the Equestrian Center.
The Essex Horse Trials is an iconic pre-Olympic qualifying three-day event that was held at the USET headquarters until 1998. After a 19-year hiatus, the Essex Horse Trials is back at the new home of Moorland Farm in central New Jersey. Classic Communications coordinates all public relations and marketing efforts.
2020 Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ Final and FEI Dressage World Cup™ Final - Las Vegas
The FEI Jumping World Cup™ Final and FEI Dressage World Cup™ Final are an annual international competition featuring the world’s best show jumping and dressage horses. Classic has been responsible for media and public relations for the last nine show jumping FEI World Cup Finals held in the United States -1989 in Tampa, 1992 in Del Mar and 2000, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2009 and 2015 in Las Vegas - as well as the 2017 FEI World Cup Finals held in Omaha, Nebraska. Classic coordinates national and international public relations for the event including advance publicity, media credentialing, on-site management of the nearly 200 journalists who attend from the U.S. and abroad, and follow-up reporting. Classic Communications also coordinates all public relations and marketing efforts with an emphasis on sponsorship recruitment. Classic will hold that same role for the 2020 FEI World Cup™ Jumping and Dressage Finals when they return to the U.S. in Las Vegas, Nevada, and the 2023 FEI World Cup™ Finals when they return to Omaha, Nebraska.