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If only the fans could jump the car traffic

BY ROBERT WARGAS | Special to Newsday

September 1, 2008

Even for New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, there's no way around the traffic clogging the Hamptons' roads over Labor Day weekend.

"I have to sit through it like everybody else," Bloomberg said.

And the mayor wasn't the only A-lister to brave the bustling streets of Bridgehampton yesterday. Several well-known faces came out to the East End for the final day of the 33rd annual Hampton Classic.

The weeklong event featured some of the world's finest horse show jumpers, one of whom is Bloomberg's daughter Georgina, 25.

Celebrities and other honored guests of the show gathered under a large tent and engaged in conversation with friends and admirers before the contest. Casually dressed and in high spirits, Bloomberg said he was excited about watching his daughter, who has been riding since she was 6.

"The most important thing is that she gets out safely. It's a dangerous sport," the mayor said. "If she wins, great. If not, you can't win them all."

Georgina Bloomberg came in fifth place yesterday in the Hampton Classic's main event, the Grand Prix. That event's $200,000 purse ended up going to another famous daughter - Hillary Dobbs of Sussex, N.J., daughter of CNN political pundit Lou Dobbs. She came in first place atop her horse, Corlett, finishing at 41.13 seconds in a tiebreaker round.

Hillary Dobbs also took second place in Saturday's event, the Sotheby's International Realty Challenge. Winning the Grand Prix now gives her a shot at the FEI World Cup for show jumping.

In the same VIP tent as Bloomberg stood another familiar New Yorker. Arm-in-arm with his wife, former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani said his favorite thing about the Hampton Classic was seeing "the whole community coming together for charity.

"The competition is always exciting," Giuliani added with a grin. "We come out every year."

His successor had a different take on the East End experience. When asked what his favorite thing about coming to the Hamptons was, Bloomberg quipped, "Seeing you."

Yesterday, champagne corks popped under the sun as the premier event welcomed other celebrities like Ivana Trump, Kelly Ripa and LuAnn de Lesseps of "The Real Housewives of New York City."