Category Archives: FEI

FEI, FEI, Show Jumping

Longines Renews Long-Term Title Partnership for FEI Jumping World Cup North American League

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Photo: FEI/Simon Stafford.

Longines has extended its agreement as title partner of the FEI Jumping World Cup™ North American League series. Through this long-term commitment, the Swiss watchmaker extends the opportunity for continued exposure of equestrian sport and particularly of Jumping to new and emerging markets in North America and the equestrian community worldwide.

Longines became title partner of this prestigious series when it launched in 2015. The North American League, which hosts events across USA, Canada, and Mexico, is now heading into its fifth season 2019-2020. It is one of 16 leagues that form the global FEI Jumping World Cup™ series, which has been in existence since 1978.

The North American League has continued to grow in stature and, as part of the world’s premiere individual Jumping series, boasts a minimum of US $2.4 million prize money, attracting the world’s top human and equine athletes.

With this new agreement and the evolution of the North American League comes the implementation of a new format and structure of the series. Among the planned innovations, the series will feature eight top-class events, all at a minimum 4* level, with live broadcast at each venue. The TV coverage of the series will be distributed internationally, showcasing equestrian sport at its best.

A new bidding process has been opened for the allocation of qualifiers of the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ North American League series 2020/2021 which will be approved by the FEI Board, based on the recommendations of the FEI Jumping Committee.

“This new extended agreement with Longines reinforces our joint commitment to grow the North American League series and invest in the development of sport in the region, while continuing to raise the profile of Jumping around the world,” said FEI President, Ingmar De Vos.

“With Longines as the title partner, we have the perfect brand alignment to benefit this League and the global series over the coming years. We are delighted with the ongoing confidence Longines has put in our sport.”

“We are delighted to renew our association with the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup North American League, of which we have been the title partner, Official Timekeeper and Watch since its inception in 2015,” said Matthieu Baumgartner, Longines Vice President Marketing.

“We are committed to supporting the development and promotion of the jumping discipline across North America and are looking forward to taking part in the upcoming season comprising eight legs, each of them promising great sports performance.”

Longines is a strong supporter of equestrian sport around the world, and continues its role as FEI Top Partner, title partner of the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ Western European League, the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ China League and the Longines FEI Jumping Nations Cup™, and also remains Official Timekeeper and Official Watch of the FEI. In 2019 Longines will act as the title partner for the Longines FEI European Championships Rotterdam (NED) and the Longines FEI Eventing Championships Luhmühlen (GER)

Media Contact:

Shannon Gibbons
Media Relations and Communications Manager
shannon.gibbons@fei.org
+41 78 750 61 46

Eventing/H.T., FEI

World Champion Ros Canter Debuts as Eventing World Number One

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Ros Canter (GBR) riding Allstar B secured double gold at the FEI World Equestrian Games™ Tryon 2018. (FEI/Christophe Taniere)

Lausanne (SUI), 1 May 2019 – Eventing world champion Ros Canter (GBR) has overtaken compatriot Oliver Townend to claim the number one spot in the Eventing World Rankings for the first time, ending Townend’s 12-month reign at the top of the leaderboard.

Canter (33) is the first female athlete to top the Eventing rankings since fellow Briton Mary King held the world number one slot back in 2011. Over the past seven years the World Rankings have been dominated by four men – Andrew Nicholson (NZL), William Fox-Pitt (GBR), Michael Jung (GER), and Oliver Townend (GBR).

Last year, Canter with her mount Allstar B clinched victory at the FEI World Equestrian Games™ Tryon 2018 and treated fans to one of the most thrilling performances in sport to secure team and individual gold medal for Great Britain.

In 2017, Ros Canter was also part of the gold medal winning team at the FEI European Eventing Championships in Strzegom (POL).

“It is very exciting for me as not many people can say they’ve been world number one,” Ros Canter said following the release of the latest FEI World Eventing Rankings.

“I didn’t think it would ever happen, in the main because I’ve not had a string of horses at the top level. However, we have been improving. We have gone from fairly average results to very competitive in recent years.”

Expecting her first child in July this year, Ros will not be competing at the Longines FEI European Eventing Championships this summer in Luhmühlen (GER); however, her sights are set on the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, where she hopes to be a strong contender.

View full FEI World Eventing Rankings here.

Ros Canter – early career

Ros Canter has been immersed in equestrian sport since her childhood, riding with her parents and her two sisters on her family’s farm in Hallington, England, where she is now based.

Silver Curtis was Ros’ first horse and key to her early career success, setting her on the Eventing path, and leading her to being shortlisted for the British Junior team. She represented Great Britain in the World University Equestrian Championships in Algiers, Algeria in 2008, winning a silver medal.

Ros competed at the World Championships in Le Lion d’Angers (FRA) in 2011, where she scored individual silver. She also took part in 2016 although did not make it on the podium. In 2016, Ros was selected as part of the Ambition Programme, for a behind the scenes look at the Rio Olympic Games.

Awarded as the Best British rider at the 2017 Badminton Horse Trials in England, she was honoured to receive the prized Butler Bowl. Capping off an incredible 2018 season, Ros was named Professional Rider of the Year at the Horse & Hound Magazine Awards.

FEI Media Contact:

Shannon Gibbons
Media Relations and Communications Manager
shannon.gibbons@fei.org
+41 78 750 61 46

FEI

FEI Sports Forum 2019 Live and On-Demand

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Lausanne (SUI), 14 April 2019 — The eighth edition of the FEI Sports Forum 2019, which will be held at the International Institute for Management Development (IMD) in Lausanne (SUI) on 15 and 16 April, will be live-streamed on fei.org.

Day 1 will begin with a session dedicated to gender equality, particularly in governance positions in equestrian sport. This will be followed by a session on preparations for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games with a focus on climate mitigation plans and the optimisation of equine and human performance in a challenging climate. The first session of the afternoon will be dedicated to a review of the FEI legal system, including a proposed way forward regarding pony measurement, as well as sanctions and measures related to Eventing Risk Management. The closing session of the day will look at the future of Reining.

Day 2 will focus on Endurance with the whole day dedicated to the questions, challenges and reshaping of this discipline.

Timetable of sessions (all times CET):

15 April – Day 1

Morning

  • Opening – FEI President and IMD representative – 09:00-09:30
  • Session 1 – Gender Equality – 09:30-10:30
  • Session 2 – Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games – 11:00-12:30

Afternoon

  • Session 3 – Review of Legal System – 14:00-16:30
  • Session 4 – Future of Reining – 17:00-18:30

16 April – Day 2 – Reshaping Endurance

Morning

  • Session 5 – Qualification of Horses and Athletes: reducing welfare risks – 09:00-11:00
  • Session 6 – Educating Officials and correct application of the rules – 11:30-13:00

Afternoon

  • Session 7 – Improvements and innovations to shape Endurance – 14:00-15:30
  • Session 8 – Wrap-up by the Secretary General and open Q&A

FEI Media Contacts:

Shannon Gibbons
Media Relations and Communications Manager
shannon.gibbons@fei.org
+41 78 750 61 46

Vanessa Martin Randin
Senior Manager, Media Relations & Communications
Vanessa.Randin@fei.org
+ 41 78 750 61 73

Dressage, Driving, Endurance Riding, Eventing/H.T., FEI, FEI, Para-Equestrian, Show Jumping, Vaulting, Western/Reining

Strong Interest in Hosting FEI World Championships 2022

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A total of 20 countries on four different continents – Europe, North and South America, and Asia – have submitted expressions of interest to host the FEI World Championships 2022, with representatives from over 30 different venues attending a workshop for potential host cities in Lausanne (SUI).

Participants at the interactive workshop, which is a first for the FEI, were briefed on the benefits of hosting FEI world championships, including the economic impact on the host city and country, operational requirements, commercial opportunities, broadcast media rights and event promotion, support from the FEI’s team of experts across key functional areas, and the bidding process itself.

“It is extremely encouraging to have received so many expressions of interest to host the FEI world championships 2022 and to have had the opportunity to welcome potential bidders to Lausanne for today’s workshop,” FEI President Ingmar De Vos said. “We hope that this new collaborative approach, in line with the IOC’s New Norm and based on transparency, cost-effectiveness and sustainability, will result in solid formal bids, but the proof of the pudding is in the eating!

“Our sport has grown so much that an all-discipline FEI World Equestrian Games has become too big for many venues to host. By opening up the bidding process for 2022 to single and multi-discipline bids, and not excluding a full Games, we believe that we have created a more enticing formula and the high level of expressions of interest suggests that we are on the right track.”

Following the workshop, which was attended by more than 70 delegates, the process now enters the Candidate Phase, with a 7 June 2019 deadline for the submission of formal bids. A shortlist of candidates will then be drawn up by the end of June, with a draft host agreement provided to each of the shortlisted candidates.

Deadline for receipt of host agreements signed by both the candidate and relevant National Federation is mid-September, with candidates potentially being asked to present their bids to the FEI Evaluation Commission over the following month. Final evaluation of all shortlisted bids will be completed by the end of October, with recommendations provided to the FEI Board prior to allocation at the in-person Board meeting in Moscow (RUS) in mid-November 2019.

History of FEI World Championships

The FEI World Championships have a long heritage, dating back to 1953 when the first Jumping Championships were held in Paris (FRA). The inaugural World Championships in Dressage and Eventing were both staged in 1966, with Dressage in Bern (SUI) and Eventing at Burghley (GBR). Other FEI-governed disciplines followed, with the first Driving World Championships held in Münster (GER) in 1972, Vaulting in Bulle (SUI) in 1986, and Endurance at Pratoni del Vivaro (ITA) in 1986. Reining crowned its first world champions as part of the 2002 edition of the FEI World Equestrian Games™ 2002 in Jerez de la Frontera (ESP). Four years later, Para Driving world championships were hosted in Hellendoorn (NED), with Hartpury (GBR) staging the first Para Dressage world championships in 2007.

In 1990, world championships in each of the FEI disciplines were combined and the FEI World Equestrian Games™ were born in Stockholm (SWE) in 1990. Since then the Games have been staged in The Hague (NED) in 1994, Rome (ITA) in 1998, Jerez (ESP) in 2002, Aachen (GER) in 2006, Kentucky (USA) in 2010, Normandy (FRA) in 2014, and in Tryon, North Carolina (USA) last year.

Despite having two previous bidding rounds for the FEI World Equestrian Games™ 2022, no realistic bids were received and, as a result, the FEI Board last November unanimously approved the opening of a bidding process for individual world championships in all disciplines for 2022, with preference being given to multi-discipline bids. It was agreed that world championships for Dressage and Para Dressage should ideally be combined, and bids to host the full seven-discipline FEI World Equestrian Games™ will also be considered. The world championships 2022 in the Olympic and Paralympic disciplines will serve as qualifiers for the Paris 2024 Games.

FEI contacts:

Grania Willis
Director Communications
grania.willis@fei.org
+ 41 78 750 61 41

Vanessa Martin Randin
Senior Manager, Media Relations & Communications
Vanessa.Randin@fei.org
+ 41 78 750 61 73

Endurance Riding, FEI

Endurance Temporary Committee Holds Third In-Person Meeting

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Lausanne (SUI), 22 February 2019 – The Endurance Temporary Committee held its third in-person meeting at FEI Headquarters following previous meetings with stakeholders. Stéphane Chazel (FRA), member of the elected FEI Endurance Technical Committee, currently unable to function as a full committee, and Dr Martha Misheff (USA), member of the FEI Veterinary Committee, were invited to attend the meeting in an advisory role and share their expertise and insights on the future and sustainability of the sport.

The Committee summarised the conclusions of previous meetings, which touched on a wide range of topics, with the aim of bringing the discipline back to its roots while maintaining its competitive status.

“The input from the Groups and the ability to dialogue with our stakeholders has been an invaluable contribution to the Committee’s deliberations,” said FEI Vice President Mark Samuel (CAN), who attends each of the Temporary Committee meetings to facilitate direct communications with the FEI Board. “We noted a great deal of alignment in thinking on most subjects and a notable spirit of engagement and optimism. The priority now is to distill our work into proposals and topics of interest for consideration at the FEI Sports Forum in April.”

The Committee also discussed rule changes still to be addressed, such as mandatory rest periods, CEI1* distances, tack and equipment, and optimising the performance of FEI Officials, including education, appointments, rotation, and evaluation.

The FEI Sports Forum 2019 (15-16 April) will have a prominent focus on the sport of Endurance, with Day Two sessions dedicated to the ongoing discussions of the “Future of Endurance”. Delegates will be provided with an update by the Temporary Committee as part of the full consultation process prior to voting on proposed Rules amendments at the FEI General Assembly in November.

FEI Media Contacts:

Shannon Gibbons
Manager, Media Relations and Media Operations
shannon.gibbons@fei.org
+41 78 750 61 46

Olga Nikolaou
Media Relations Officer
olga.nikolaou@fei.org
+41 78 750 61 56

Endurance Riding, FEI

Endurance Temporary Committee Meets with Stakeholders at FEI HQ

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Lausanne (SUI), 21 February 2019 – The Endurance Temporary Committee, set up by the FEI Board in October 2018 to review the discipline with the remit of bringing the sport back to its original roots of Endurance riding rather than Endurance racing, has met with a total of 26 stakeholders representing each of the FEI Regional Groups, World Horse Welfare, and the Alliance of Endurance Organisers.

The purpose of the meetings was to allow stakeholders to provide the Temporary Committee with feedback on a series of topics, including the qualification system, mandatory rest periods, track design covering natural features, number of loops, access to water and proximity of cars, elimination codes, heart rates and presentation times, weight of athletes, officials, increased sanctions for anti-doping violations, limits on number of starters, and continuous crewing.

The European Equestrian Federation (former FEI Groups I and II), together with FEI Group III, was represented in the first of five sessions.

“It was a very positive meeting and it was very important for those who participated, that they were being asked for their contributions,” said Quentin Simonet (FRA), Chair of the EEF Endurance Working Group. “Our position is that we have to tackle the real problems which concern a fairly limited number of people. There are plenty of places where the sport of endurance is going very well.”

Also at FEI HQ for meetings with the Temporary Committee were representatives from Groups IV, V, VI, VII, VIII, and IX.

World Horse Welfare also met the Committee, together with representatives of the Alliance of Endurance Organisers, an affiliate of the International Equestrian Organisers Alliance.

“We are heartened that the FEI is taking the strong initiative to “take back,” in the FEI President’s words, the sport of endurance, placing far greater emphasis on equine welfare in what has been a rapidly growing, but all too often, controversial discipline,” said Roly Owers, Chief Executive Officer of World Horse Welfare. “We hope the committee will come up with substantive, and in places radical, changes to better protect equine welfare and so secure the future of endurance.”

FEI Media Contacts:

Shannon Gibbons
Manager, Media Relations and Media Operations
shannon.gibbons@fei.org
+41 78 750 61 46

Olga Nikolaou
Media Relations Officer
olga.nikolaou@fei.org
+41 78 750 61 56

FEI, Show Jumping

Swiss Olympic Champion Guerdat Back to World Number One in Longines Rankings

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Lausanne (SUI), 2 January 2019 – Steve Guerdat, the Swiss star who took individual Jumping gold at the London 2012 Olympic Games, has reclaimed the world number one slot in the Longines Rankings.

The 36-year-old, who was previously 140 points off the lead in second place behind Harrie Smolders, has now jumped ahead of the Dutch athlete with a 55-point advantage in the rankings published today by the FEI.

The four-time Olympian last topped the world rankings in November 2012 and his return to the number one slot, on 3,050 points, follows a series of impressive results last month, most notably an emotional victory in the IJRC Top 10 Final on home turf at Geneva.

Individual bronze medallist at the FEI World Equestrian Games™ Tryon 2018 last September, Guerdat also leads the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ Western European League standings and will be aiming for a third victory in the seasonal Final at Gothenburg (SWE) in April after back-to-back wins in 2015 and 2016.

Germany’s Marcus Ehning, fourth in the rankings published at the beginning of December, has now switched places with McLain Ward (USA) to sit third on 2,936 points, 59 adrift of Smolders and just 16 clear of Ward. European champion Peder Fredricson (SWE) remains fifth on 2,815.

Daniel Deusser (GER), Ben Maher (GBR), Henrick von Eckermann (SWE), Beezie Madden (USA) and Guerdat’s compatriot Martin Fuchs (SUI) complete the top 10.

View the complete Longines Rankings here.

Grania Willis
Director Communications
grania.willis@fei.org
+41 78 750 61 42

Endurance Riding, FEI

Endurance Temporary Committee Holds First In-Person Meeting at FEI HQ

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Lausanne (SUI), 12 December 2018 – The Temporary Committee, established by the FEI Board in October to urgently review the Endurance rules in order to address the issues currently affecting the discipline, held its first in-person meeting at FEI Headquarters in Lausanne (SUI).

Dr Sarah Coombs (GBR), who chairs the Temporary Committee, said after the meeting: “Today’s meeting generated really strong and productive debate and, together with input from a broad spectrum of stakeholders, we have already drawn up a list of our key focus areas. Your voices are being heard. We are under no illusions about the challenges of the task ahead, but the future of the discipline is under the spotlight and we will do whatever is necessary to rebuild the trust of our community and restore the image of a discipline that has every right to remain a part of the FEI, provided the rules are adhered to and enforced to ensure that our horses are protected and cheating is stamped out.”

The Temporary Committee has already received a huge amount of feedback from the Endurance Community on a number of key areas, including:

  • Increased testing of horses for prohibited substances;
  • Increased sanctions for horse abuse;
  • Review of speeds;
  • Reassessment of rules on mandatory rest periods;
  • Redefinition of elimination codes (particularly Catastrophic Injury);
  • Elite athlete status and “jockey riders”;
  • Qualifications, including qualification as a combination;
  • Increased completion percentage before allowing upgrade to next level;
  • Reinstate and redefine two-hour invasive treatment rule;
  • Hyposensitivity screening (the use of the FEI Hyposensitivity Control System (HCS) was voted in at last month’s FEI General Assembly for implementation in 2019);
  • Heart rates and presentation times at Vet Gate;
  • Definition of and registration of trainers;
  • Over-training/over-competing;
  • Mandatory medication logbook and out of competition testing;
  • Extended provisional suspension for horses testing positive to Banned Substances
  • Course design
  • Tack and equipment
  • Crewing numbers

This first meeting also provided the Temporary Committee with the opportunity to establish the methodology it will use to fulfil its remit to carry out an in-depth review of the rules that will bring the discipline back to its original roots of Endurance riding as opposed to Endurance racing, with horse welfare and horsemanship at its core, while still maintaining the competitive aspect of the sport. The Temporary Committee also agreed a consultation process that will involve further liaison with stakeholders to avail of their expertise and in-depth knowledge of the discipline.

In addition to the chair Dr Coombs, the other members of the Temporary Committee are Endurance athlete and member of the FEI Athletes’ Committee Tarek Taher (KSA), chef d’équipe of the Dutch Endurance team Pieter Wiersinga (NED), FEI Veterinary Committee member Dr Tim Parkin (GBR), who heads up the scientific research conducted at the University of Glasgow as part of the FEI’s Global Endurance Injuries Study (GEIS), and Valerie Kanavy, a former member of the FEI Athletes’ Committee and the Athletes’ Representative on the Endurance Committee (2014-2018).

FEI Vice President Mark Samuel (CAN) joined the meeting and will facilitate communications between the Temporary Committee and the FEI Board. The FEI Secretary General Sabrina Ibáñez, FEI Endurance Director Manuel Bandeira De Mello, FEI Veterinary Director Göran Akerström, and other FEI staff members also attended the meeting.

The Temporary Committee will hold its next in-person meeting on 15 January 2019 and there will be a dedicated Endurance session at the FEI Sports Forum 2019 (15-16 April) during which the Temporary Committee will provide an update to delegates.

Media contacts:

Grania Willis
Director Communications
grania.willis@fei.org
+41 78 750 61 42

Shannon Gibbons
Media Relations and Communications Manager
shannon.gibbons@fei.org
+41 78 750 61 46

Dressage, FEI

Isabell Werth and Weihegold Old Back to Top FEI Dressage World Rankings

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Isabell Werth (GER) and Weihegold Old. (FEI/ Leanjo de Koster)

Olympic silver individual and gold team medallist duo, Isabell Werth and Weihegold Old, have topped the FEI Dressage World Rankings once again (2742 points), following their win in the Grand Prix and the Grand Prix Freestyle to Music at the Sweden International Horse Show (“Saab Top Ten Dressage 2018”) in Stockholm (SWE). The famous combination, who were number one for almost two years, from November 2016, only sat in second place for a couple of months behind Laura Graves and Verdades (USA). The American duo now drop back to second place again with 2714 points.

Dressage Queen Isabell Werth can be found three times in the top four of the ranking list, as she holds the third place with Bella Rose 2 (2690 points) and the fourth place with Emilio 107 (2658 points).

A number of other combinations moved up in the rankings, thanks to the Saab Top Ten Dressage 2018 and the FEI Dressage World Cup™ qualifier in Madrid (ESP) on 23-25 November 2018. Patrik Kittel with Delaunay Old (SWE) moved from the 97th to the 11th place (2280 points), whilst Daniel Bachmann Andersen and Blue Hors Zepter (DEN) jumped from the 175th to the 33rd place (2030 points). Claudio Castilla Ruiz and Alcaide (ESP) also made an enormous leap from the 118th to the 43rd place (1923 points).

With the FEI Dressage World Cup™ season continuing over the next few months there will certainly be more impressive changes in the ranking list.

FEI Media Contact:

Shannon Gibbons
Manager, Media Relations and Media Operations
shannon.gibbons@fei.org
+41 78 750 61 46

Olga Nikolaou
Media Relations Officer
olga.nikolaou@fei.org
+41 78 750 61 56

Awards, Eventing/H.T., FEI, Show Jumping

World Jumping Champion Simone Blum Takes Fosun Best Athlete at FEI Awards 2018

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FEI Awards winners (L to R): Philip Wong (CHN), Lee McKeever (USA), Simone Blum (GER), Alex Hua Tian (CHN), FEI Secretary General Sabrina Ibanez (SUI), Victor Levecque (FRA), FEI President Ingmar De Vos (BEL), Leila Malki (PLE), Juan Carlos Capelli Vice President of Longines and Head of International Marketing, Natasha Baker (GBR), Juan Matute Guimon (ESP). (FEI/Liz Gregg)

Manama (BRN), 20 November 2018 — Germany’s golden girl Simone Blum (29) has undoubtedly had the best year of her career to date, and she added another accolade to the list, taking home the Fosun Best Athlete Award at the FEI Awards 2018 presented by Longines in Manama (BRN).

Crowned individual world champion and winner of a team bronze medal at the FEI World Equestrian Games™ Tryon 2018 (USA) in September, she became the first woman in the 28-year history of the Games and only the second female athlete in 65 years of the World Jumping championship to win individual gold.

“I am very proud to be the Fosun best athlete. I think it’s a dream of every rider,” Simone Blum said. “A lot of really good riders got it before and to the people I want to say thank you a lot; it was a pleasure for me and I have the best fans and supporters. Thank you.”

Hosts for the gala evening were five-time Paralympic gold medallist and multi world and European title holder, Natasha Baker (GBR), and Spain’s rising star, Juan Matute Guimon, FEI Dressage European Junior champion in 2015 and at 20, one of the youngest Dressage athletes at the FEI World Equestrian Games™ Tryon 2018.

Presenting the winners of the five categories, in front of more than 300 distinguished guests, including top sporting legends, equestrian fans, National Federations, FEI partners and stakeholders, these awards celebrate outstanding achievements within the equestrian community, tapping into the sporting excellence and celebrating the champions, the unsung heroes and the incredible individuals and organisations backstage making it all happen.

Groom to four-time Olympian McLain Ward, the USA’s Lee McKeever, took the award for FEI Best Groom. After 30 years working with McLain, he is still as dedicated about his work as when he started, going above and beyond to ensure the best possible care for his horses, and always willing to help others in the sport working tirelessly behind the scenes. McLain and Lee’s shared victories include the recent FEI World Equestrian Games™ Tryon 2018 team gold medal with Clinta, the 2017 Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ title with HH Azur in Omaha (USA), individual gold medal with Rothchild at the 2015 Pan-American Games in Toronto (CAN), and team gold medals at the Beijing 2008 and Athens 2004 Olympic Games with Sapphire.

French Eventing athlete Victor Levecque was presented with the Longines Rising Star Award by Vice President of Longines and Head of International Marketing, Juan-Carlos Capelli. This award highlights the achievements of athletes between the ages of 14 and 21 who demonstrate outstanding equestrian sporting talent. At the age of 20, Victor is already multiple winner, with 10 European medals, including two gold medals and five French national champion titles to his name.

“For a second consecutive year the online public vote has become very popular and a peer to peer recognition is one of the most powerful,” FEI President Ingmar De Vos said. “The influence of one’s peers and the recognition of talent and hard work is a testament to the strengths and development of the growth of the sport.

“Development, like youth, is key to our future and has been a strong focus throughout 2018 as we can see here tonight in the results of the youth of our sport shining through. With our top partner Longines, and their ever-increasing support, their commitment to these awards and equestrian sport globally, and for the first time to celebrate the Fosun Best Athlete award, we are delighted to be here in Bahrain to reward these fantastic achievements.”

Alex Hua Tian and Philip Wong of China accepted the FEI Solidarity award for the Horsemanship charity programme in China. Ten years ago, Alex won the Rising Star Award and he was here as part of the team working to communicate the core value of “Equestrianism as Horsemanship” to the world’s fastest growing equestrian market.

Leila Malki from Palestine was presented with the Against All Odds award. Her dedication to equestrian sport and her passion have made her a role model for young women in Palestine through her encouragement of girls and women to become involved in equestrian sport in her country.

“As FEI’s Top Partner, Longines is very proud to take part in the 2018 FEI Awards Ceremony in Manama,” Juan-Carlos Capelli, Vice President of Longines and Head of International Marketing, said.

“Our connection with the equestrian world dates back 150 years, and we attach great importance to supporting events that are aligned with our core values of tradition, elegance and performance. We are particularly delighted to present the Longines Rising Star award, acknowledging our commitment in supporting new generations of athletes in each sport that we are involved in.”

Shannon Gibbons
Media Relations and Communications Manager
shannon.gibbons@fei.org
+41 78 750 61 46