COVID-19 Pandemic Forces Event’s First Cancellation
The worldwide COVID-19 pandemic has forced the cancellation of this year’s Hampton Classic Horse Show. The Hampton Classic, one of the world’s most prestigious equestrian events, would have been celebrating its 45th year in late August at its world-class show grounds in Bridgehampton, NY. The Hampton Classic will return in 2021, August 29 - September 5.
EEM (Equestrian Events Management SPRL), the founder, owner and organizer of the Longines Masters Series, announces the end of the contract that has united it with Longines since 2016. The story that has linked EEM to the Swiss watch brand first began with a partnership in 2012. The Longines Masters adventure was then born in 2013 in Hong Kong, and then in Los Angeles, before the creation of the Longines Masters Series in 2016, where they brought together the world's best show jumpers.
The organizers of the Palm Beach Masters announced today they will no longer operate the Palm Beach Masters Series going forward due to ongoing and unforeseen lasting impacts of the COVID-19 global pandemic. The Palm Beach Masters Series has hosted the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ Wellington since 2016 and has served as home to the U.S. leg of the Longines FEI Jumping Nations Cup™ Series since 2019.
A Letter from Equestrian Sport Productions COO and Show Manager David Burton, Jr.
Dear ESP Exhibitors,
As many of you have heard, yesterday Florida Governor DeSantis announced that he is allowing Palm Beach County to enter "Phase 1" of reopening businesses. After reviewing our extensive protocols and the WHO mitigation score classifying Equestrian Sport Productions (ESP) horse show operations at a very low risk, the Village Of Wellington stated early this week that they would support our shows starting back in "Phase 1." We appreciate your patience and understanding that we have been reluctant to put out much information regarding our planned events until we had this level of assurance that we could move forward. We are actively finalizing our updated ESP Spring Prize List to publish online as soon as final USEF license approvals have been issued.
We are currently planning to run two schooling show events on May 22-24 and May 29-31, followed by three straight weeks of USEF “A” Rated competitions along with three USEF Local Rated Wednesday Equitation days. A link to all of the schedule drafts can be found here.
With the global sporting calendar decimated by the Covid-19 pandemic, the FEI has made drastic changes to the Longines FEI Jumping Nations Cup™ 2020 rules in a bid to maintain the series Final at Barcelona in October this year. Under changes proposed by the FEI Jumping Committee and approved by the FEI Board during its teleconference this week, a total of 22 nations will be invited to compete at the Longines Final, staged at the prestigious Barcelona Polo Club. The 22 teams would be 10 from Europe, three from North America, two from South America, two from the Middle East, two from Asia/Australasia, one apiece from Africa and Eurasia, plus the host nation Spain.
Rome, March 25th, 2020 – Following meetings with the Italian National Olympic Committee (CONI), Sport e Salute SpA and the Italian Equestrian Federation (FISE), the Rome CSIO5* Piazza di Siena Organising Committee has decided to cancel the event scheduled for May 2020.
McLain Ward (USA) continued to ride his recent wave of success Thursday at Deeridge Farms, piloting the swift 11-year-old Westphalian gelding Catoki to the top of the $36,600 CSI5* Suncast Welcome Stake, part of the Palm Beach Open CSI5*/CSI2*.
The house of Hermès has taken note of the French ministerial decree of 9 March 2020 prohibiting gatherings of more than 1,000 people. Consequently, the eleventh Saut Hermès at the Grand Palais, due to take place in Paris from 20 to 22 March 2020, is cancelled. In the context of the exceptional current public health situation, Hermès is obliged to cancel the Saut Hermès at the Grand Palais 2020.
Daniel Deusser kicked off his campaign for the 2020 Longines Global Champions Tour title with a stunning win in Doha against the cream of show jumping. The Longines Global Champions Tour Grand Prix of Doha thrilled spectators tonight in a spectacular showdown with on-form German champion Deusser taking top honours at the first event of the season. Delighted Deusser also clinched the first golden ticket to the LGCT Super Grand Prix at the GC Prague Playoffs.
McLain Ward (USA) and Noche de Ronda eclipsed a top-tier field of 45 in the $213,300 Longines Grand Prix CSIO5* on Valentine’s Day at Deeridge Farms. Fifth to return for the shortened track, Ward’s time of 37.86 seconds was enough to sneak past Billy Twomey (IRL) and Kimba Flamenco in second place, with Ward’s countrywoman Margie Engle and Dicas in third.
Ireland’s Lynch books Las Vegas ticket with brilliant win in Leipzig as stunning stallion, Dominator, finishes second for Germany’s Ahlmann
Ireland’s Denis Lynch firmly secured his spot at the 2020 Longines Final when storming to victory with GC Chopin’s Bushi in the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ 2019/2020 Western European League qualifier in Leipzig, Germany today where home-side superstars Christian Ahlmann and Marcus Ehning finished second and third. Already lying tenth after solid recent results, today’s win lifts the Irishman to fourth on the League table from which the top 18 will earn a spot at the Final in Las Vegas, USA next April.
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