Miami, Fla.—March 17
Representatives from the Fédération Equestre Internationale and Longines have announced the Longines FEI World Cup Jumping North American League. Western European World Cup qualifying events have in the past enjoyed title sponsorship from the overall World Cup sponsor, and Longines was the title partner for that league and the Chinese League. Now the North American league joins them as Longines adds their support to the series in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
The North American League will now boast a minimum of $2.4 million in prize money over 14 shows. It will also be showcased on a broad range of global platforms, from live TV broadcasts to streaming on digital outlets and mobile, focusing on the drama of equestrian sport with fascinating behind-the-scenes documentary-style coverage. In addition, Longines will also provide a dedicated timekeeping team and data handling service for each of the 14 legs.
“The Longines FEI World Cup Jumping North American League is a massive boost to our sport and will dominate the headlines in 2015,” said FEI First Vice President and chair of the FEI Jumping Committee John Madden. “The new league is a huge opportunity for our athletes to shine on a North American stage and showcase top-level equestrian sport to fans across North America and the world.
“This league is also ideally suited to wide-ranging global brands that want to reach out to North American and international audiences, drawing very clear affinities with their own visions and values alongside Longines,” he continued.
Top grand prix riders Beezie Madden, Jessica Springsteen and Hannah Selleck were on hand in Miami on March 17 for the FEI’s announcement. “Longines’ motto is ‘elegance is an attitude.’ It’s true of their core business, but it also rings true for equestrian sport,” Beezie said. “Our sport is about elegance, and the harmony we achieve with our horses is essential to success. Longines is the perfect partner for equestrian sport.”
“We are proud to be partnering the Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping North American League,” said Juan-Carlos Capelli, vice president of Longines and head of international marketing. “This association is part of our long-term commitment with the FEI as we are its Top Partner, but also the Title Partner, Official Timekeeper and Watch of the Longines FEI World CupTM Jumping Western European League, Chinese League and, as of today, the North American League.”
The North American World Cup leagues have traditionally been split into East Coast and West Coast, and that won’t change, though the schedule for the World Cup qualifiers, or CSI-Ws, has been streamlined, and the date for the 2016 Longines FEI World Cup Final has been moved up by a few weeks.
For the 2014-15 World Cup qualifying season, the North American East Coast League had 13 qualifiers; for the 2015-16 season, it will have just seven. The West Coast league schedule will go from nine CSI-Ws to seven.
The schedule is:
East Coast
August 2015
International Bromont (Bromont, Quebec, Canada)
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September 2015
American Gold Cup (North Salem, N.Y.)
October 2015
Washington International Horse Show (Washington, D.C.)
National Horse Show (Lexington, Ky.)
November 2015
Royal Agricultural Winter Fair (Toronto, Ontario, Canada)
February 2016
Wellington Masters (Wellington, Fla.)
Live Oak International (Ocala, Fla.)
West Coast
August 2015
Thunderbird (Langley, British Columbia, Canada)
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September 2015
Sacramento International Horse Show (Rancho Murieta, Calif.)
October 2015
Del Mar International (Del Mar, Calif.)
Calgary, Alberta, Canada
November 2015
Las Vegas National (Las Vegas)
February 2016
Valle de Bravo, Mexico
HITS Desert Circuit (Thermal, Calif.)
Some notable losses from the East Coast North American CSI-W calendar include the Hampton Classic (N.Y.), the Pennsylvania National and any classes at the Winter Equestrian Festival (Fla.).
Qualifying criteria for the Longines FEI World Cup Final will remain unchanged for the 2015-16 season, as a total of 14 athletes from the new North American league will qualify for the 2016 Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping Final, which will take place in Gothenburg, Sweden, on March 23-28—a date which is a significant shift from the mid-April date that the World Cup Final has traditionally occupied.
The top seven athletes from the East Coast of the United States, the top three from the West Coast of the United States, and the two best-placed athletes from Canada and Mexico each will qualify for next year’s Final, alongside winners of 15 leagues around the world.
To celebrate the launch of the new league, the coveted Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping trophy will be showcased at Morays Jewelers boutique in Miami before being transported to Las Vegas for this year’s Longines FEI World Cup Final on April 15-19.
