Tanqueray and Tallyho! : Irvine Heiress Serves Up the Socialite-Laden Oaks Classic as Her Version of How a Horse Show Ought to Be Run

Twelve hundred pounds of horseflesh is galloping across the manicured green field. Thundering hoofs tear into the turf, the thoroughbred’s flank muscles rippling and veins bulging with each stride. The scent of leather is everywhere, from the white lather under the saddle pad to the tall black riding boots rubbing against the horse’s sweaty sides. “Eeeeeeee-yahhhhh!” comes a low growl from the rider as the mount sits back on its haunches and hurdles itself over a 5-foot-high fence.

Across the field, the echo of hoofbeats mixes with jazzy tunes as sportily clad patrons concentrate on the task at hand: eating, drinking and being merry--and perhaps more importantly, being seen-- at what has become one of the biggest social events of the season.

Welcome to the Oaks Classic, where the wild and woolly world of grandprix show-jumping meets the wheels and the wanna-be’s of county society. Hosted by equine enthusiast Joan Irvine Smith (whose grandfather founded the Irvine Co.), and her mother, Newport Beach philanthropist Athalie Clarke, this weekend’s third annual event draws the “top guns” in both show-jumping and social circles.

It is a curious mixture of leather and lace, of Tanqueray and tallyho. Despite the Classic’s mistaken reputation as an invitation-only soiree, patrons’ tickets have been available to anyone who cares to pay $200 for the weekend (or $125 per day). And for the brown-bag set, public bleacher seating costs only $8 a day. Total attendance of about 3,000 is expected.

The public has “the same basic amenities as my guests, but they sit over there,” says Smith, pointing across the field to the bleachers. But the view isn’t the only difference. While the patrons are whooping it up in party tents with free-flowing cocktails and a catered gourmet feast that won’t quit, the public sits in the sun and pays as it goes for somewhat more mundane fare and a no-host bar.

But who’s to complain? For little more than the cost of a ticket to the movies, spectators get a full day’s entertainment at a world-class sporting event--and a rare peek into the generally closed world of horses and high society.

While some spectators are truly interested in the bold horses and riders pitting themselves against the rigorous grandprix course, others are patently oblivious to the equine endeavors. “A lot of people on our personal guest list wouldn’t know the front end of a horse from the back,” Smith says with a laugh. “They’re here for the party.”

“The party,” as she refers to Sunday’s shindig, has reaped the praise of its prominent attendees. Among them have been actress Nanette Fabray, former Los Angeles Sheriff Peter Pitchess, Orange County Sheriff Brad Gates, UCI Chancellor Jack Peltason, state Sen. Marian Bergeson, U.S. Rep. Robert Badham, the Rev. Robert Schuller of the Crystal Cathedral, former astronaut Edwin E. (Buzz) Aldrin Jr. and Lois Driggs Cannon, his wife.

Other socialites fly in from Texas, Virginia and all over for the festivities. The long-distance award undoubtedly goes to Jean-Louis Dumas, who arrived last year with an entourage from Paris. He proclaimed that he had “never seen anything like this” in all the jumping competitions he has attended throughout Europe.

Dumas, however, has a vested interest in the Oaks Classic. He is chairman and executive officer of the prestigious House of Hermes in Paris--whose saddles and women’s purses sell for an average of $2,000 each in its Beverly Hills store. Hermes, which has counted Smith among its regular clientele for 25 years, sponsors the $10,000 Acorn Junior Amateur Grandprix class Sunday--up from the $7,500 prize money it offered last year.

Smith and Clarke have also upped the ante, adding $500 to $1,000 to each of Saturday’s classes and bringing total prize money for the event to $75,000. The largest chunk of that is up for grabs on Sunday in the $50,000 Oaks Grandprix class.

While the riders are hoping to cash in on those purses, some outside concerns are hoping to hit a jackpot of their own this weekend. Range Rover, which manufactures the official vehicle of the Oaks Classic, will be sporting its $35,000, four-wheel-drive British wonders on the horse show grounds. Sold locally through Newport Imports, the vehicles come with built-in tack storage and a hitch for towing horse trailers as standard equipment. Spokeswoman Jill Amadio said the vehicle’s “demographics fit those of the Oaks (attendees)--households with over $200,000 in income, two or three homes, and two or three cars.”

But unlike many major jumping competitions that are controlled by corporate sponsors or run by charities, the Oaks Classic remains a private enterprise held to the strict standards of Smith and her mother. With the only outside funding coming from Hermes, Smith says she can maintain quality-control over the event.

“This is my event and it’s going to be run my way,” she says. “Many charities run a fine horse show, but they have to make money. Then the caliber of the event would decrease. And no one can afford to put on a party like ours. When you feed 1,500 people the way we do, you don’t make money on it.”

For similar reasons, she has shunned the notion of making the event part of the American Grandprix Assn.’s national tour, which is sponsored by Mercedes-Benz. Although that would surely attract more competitors because they would earn points toward the coveted AGA horse- and rider-of-the-year standings, Smith says it’s not worth the trade-off.

“We don’t want to be dictated to by the AGA. We can give the riders more money and make it a nicer event by doing it ourselves. And that’s how it’s going to stay.”

The we she refers to is the event’s tightknit organizing committee: herself, her mother, horse show manager Martin Cohen of Northridge and Jimmy Kohn, who leases The Oaks property from Smith and trains all her horses.

Kohn, an accomplished international jumping competitor whom Smith has known for 25 years, approached her with the idea of the grandprix several years ago. But they needed a place to hold it. Parcel by parcel, Smith acquired and developed the 22-acre property now known as The Oaks. Together she and Kohn shaped the grandprix event to showcase the facility and to promote what has become a thriving horse business there.

They also hope the event will have an impact on the equestrian scene. “We want to start a trend,” Kohn says. “Traditionally, grandprix classes have been held in conjunction with large horse shows. But by showcasing the grandprix, this could create a whole new way of presenting show-jumping.”

Smith nods enthusiastically. “We want this (event) to become the criteria, to boost show standards all over the country. We want to create a role model to get people to upgrade horse shows.”

Disturbed at what she sees as a general deterioration among horse shows, Smith is determined to bring the sport back to its heyday. “When I was competing in horse shows 30 and 40 years ago, you didn’t have 130 horses in a hunter class,” she says. “Shows were run for the benefit of the exhibitors. Today they pack as many horses as they can into a class to bring in more entry fees, and it’s not a pleasure to show anymore. I want to turn things around for the sport.”

Smith, however, made a curious sporting move in the grandprix class: Riders are not permitted to wear the traditional pink coat (which is actually fire-engine red) or other dark hunt jackets. Instead of the usual formal attire, riders must wear short-sleeved polo shirts.

Why this dramatic departure from the norms of show-jumping? Smith says: “Have you ever seen photographs of athletes competing in coats and ties on the sports page? If we make jumping look like other sports, maybe this event will end up where it belongs--on the sports pages, not the society pages.”

A surprising view, perhaps, from a woman who invites hordes of socialites to the event and entertains them at a lavish party. But not surprising from a woman who grew up riding thoroughbreds through the canyons of Southern California and over the brush and bramble of Virginia hunt country. If anyone truly knows the rigors of piloting a horse over fences, it is Joan Irvine Smith.

She sees show-jumping for what it is: an Olympic sport. “It is every bit as challenging, dangerous and exciting as other sports,” she asserts. “And it’s easy for spectators to understand--either you knock the fence down, or you don’t. The scoring is objective.”

The highest level of show-jumping, the grandprix requires horses and riders to complete a difficult course of obstacles within a prescribed time. The jumps, which include walls, water jumps and ditches, may be as high as 5-foot-6 and as wide as 6 feet. With 12 to 20 obstacles to negotiate, the winner is the rider with the fastest time and the fewest faults (each knockdown of a fence is 4 faults). If more than one rider goes “clean” (with no faults)--as is often the case--the event is decided in an even faster jump-off on a shortened course.

While any horse is eligible to enter the Oaks Grandprix, the demanding event draws only the most accomplished--and only those who can afford the $650 entry fee. Olympic contender Lisa Jacquin of Palos Verdes has been a regular. “The Oaks is a wonderful event,” she says. “And it’s the only one that I come down to Orange County to compete in.”

The calling card for Jacquin and other top competitors in the grandprix--such as Hap Hansen of Rancho Santa Fe, Susan Hutchinson of Flintridge and Rob Gage of Los Angeles--is clearly the $50,000 purse. The prize money is divided among the 10 top finishers, with the winner getting the largest chunk--$15,000--along with a trophy, a cooler, a Miller’s Hunterdon saddle and a magnum of Iron Horse Vineyards wine with which to celebrate.

While the booty is attractive, so is the ambiance of competing at The Oaks. Alain Vaillancourt, who will ride three of Smith’s horses in the grandprix and three in Saturday’s speed class, says the opulent setting makes the competition unique.

“For a rider, this is the ice cream of the season. It’s an event you look forward to all year,” he says. “Believe me, after competing in the dirt up at Griffith Park (at the Los Angeles Equestrian Center) every month, it’s a real treat to ride on a groomed, grassy field like this.”

Smith hopes others in the community will come to share that excitement as spectators. This year, she has provided free passes to the children in the therapeutic riding program at the Orange County Riding Center and has donated two tables to St. Margaret’s School. The school helped acquire a Celou Bonnet equine bronze sculpture, which the city of San Juan Capistrano has contributed as a perpetual trophy in Saturday’s $6,000 “Dash for Cash” class.

Says San Juan Capistrano Mayor Gary Hausdorfer: “The city is really appreciative of what Mrs. Smith has done with the property and we wanted to show our support. We hope to see the event be a continuing success.”

So does Smith. “I just want people to come out here, see what a great resource the community has in this property, and enjoy an afternoon with horses.”

THE OAKS CLASSIC AT A GLANCE

DIRECTIONS: Interstate 5 to Ortega Highway, then east about 2 miles. The Oaks is on the right at 28650 Ortega Highway, San Juan Capistrano.

TICKETS: $8 general admission (bleacher seating) daily at gate. Patron tickets are $125 per day or $200 for weekend (includes luncheon and entertainment); call Susan Carter at (714) 661-2561 for availability.

EVENTS:

Today--11 a.m.-3 p.m., preliminary schooling rounds over fences.

Saturday--10 a.m., $2,000 Junior-Amateur Welcome Stake; noon, $6,000 Dash for Cash Speed Stake; 2 p.m., $7,000 Open Jumper Welcome Stake.

Sunday--10 a.m., House of Hermes $10,000 Acorn Junior-Amateur Grandprix; 2 p.m., opening ceremonies; 2:15 p.m., $50,000 Oaks Grandprix.

INFORMATION: Martin Cohen, show manager, (818) 993-4711; The Oaks, (714) 661-8283.