Tag Archives: Rolex

*Featured/Spotlights, Hunter/Equitation, Show Jumping

World No. 1 Scott Brash Wins the FTI Consulting Finale Grand Prix CSI 5*

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Scott Brash.

30 March 2014, Wellington, FL: The world’s number one rider, Scott Brash (GBR), riding Hello Sanctos, today signed off a highly successful Winter Equestrian Festival with victory in the FTI Consulting Finale Grand Prix presented by Rolex, with Ireland’s Richie Maloney on Slieveanorra in second place and Jessica Springsteen riding Vindicat W from the USA in third.

38 horse and rider partnerships started the first round of the Grand Prix, which was postponed until the Sunday afternoon following a Saturday night of intense wind and heavy rain. Course designer Anthony D’Ambrosio had laid out a big course from the very first fence, and as if that was not enough of a challenge, the time limit of 81 seconds made it especially hard. And to reinforce the challenge he had set, the first three riders into the ring all accumulated time fault penalties by exceeding the limit available.

Despite the relaxed feel around the show, the competition was intense within the International Arena and seven went through to the jump-off. Canada’s Ben Asselin was the first to go double clear and set the benchmark time of 46.01 seconds. His time was bettered by Jessica Springsteen after France’s Marie Hecart accumulated eight faults. Richie Maloney was up for the challenge and took 0.17 seconds off Jessica’s time and the target of 44.64 was set.

Brash, who despite his huge international success, had never won a Rolex watch before today but had always wanted to win one, had a faultless round and lowered the target time down to 43.44; he then had to sit out and watch as the leading American riders Beezie Madden and Kent Farrington attacked the course. Both were fast, but agonisingly each had the same last fence down, handing the Scotsman victory.

Commenting on his third Winter Equestrian Festival, Scott Brash said, “Mark Bellissimo and his team always do a fantastic job building the quality of the show here each year, and Rolex coming in really improves the top end sport and makes every rider want to come here and compete. I can only see the show growing and growing.”

Jessica Springsteen
Jessica Springsteen

This has been the biggest Winter Equestrian Festival ever, and the Grand Prix competitions have featured 147 riders from 26 countries, including Rolex Testimonees Eric Lamaze, Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum and Rodrigo Pessoa. With total prize money now approaching US$9 million, the Winter Equestrian Festival is the most prestigious circuit in North America.

Mark Bellissimo, CEO of Equestrian Sport Productions, said, “It was a great Festival for us with a 12% growth in entries each week, which represents an additional 400 horses. We are lucky to continue to attract some quality riders, including Ben Maher and Scott Brash, battling it out every week in some amazing competitions, and I think that’s what top sport is all about.”

Rolex has enjoyed a successful association with the WEF since 2011, and this is the first year of a new enhanced 10-year partnership, with Rolex becoming the Official Timepiece to both the Winter Equestrian Festival and the Palm Beach International Equestrian Centre.

Rolex is a partner to some of the greatest equestrian shows in the world, including the three Majors: CHIO Aachen, the Spruce Meadows Masters and CHI Geneva. These great shows also form the Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping which is the first global initiative to reward the outstanding rider who wins the Grand Prix at each show in succession.

Website
www.rolex.com

Rolex Equestrian Press Room
equestrianismpressroom.rolex.com

Revolution Sports + Entertainment
Rod Kohler
rod@revolutionsports.co.uk
+44 207 928 1209
+44 7770 647 662

Competitions, Show Jumping

Kevin Staut Claims Victory in the Inaugural Rolex Grand Prix at Indoor Brabant

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Sunday 23 March 2014: Rolex Testimonee Kevin Staut, riding his 14 year old mare Silvana HDC, today claimed victory by the narrowest of margins in the inaugural Rolex Grand Prix at the Indoor Brabant in The Netherlands. Only 0.01 seconds separated the Frenchman from Germany’s Marco Kutscher in second, with Penelope Leprovost in third place.

Course designer Louis Konikkx laid out a track which looked for power and control from the horse and rider combinations, and from a starting line-up which included 14 of the World’s Top 20 riders, only five responded to his challenge by going clear and into the jump-off. The capacity crowd of 8,500 enthralled spectators were then given a demonstration of why victory in the sport of Show Jumping can come down to the wire.

Penelope Leprovost, riding Nice Stephanie, was first to go in the jump-off, and went clear for the second time in the competition; her time of 43.11 seconds set the benchmark. Kevin Staut was 2nd into the arena, and a wry smile spread across Penelope’s face as he bettered her time by 0.15 seconds. Great Britain’s Joe Clee and Bertram Allen from Ireland both dropped poles, so it was all down to Marco Kutscher and Cornet’s Cristallo, who was the final rider into the ring.

Marco was fast around the course, and time seemed to stand still after he cleared the final Rolex obstacle. However, as Marco’s time appeared on the big screen Kevin realised victory was his and a huge smile and a raised arm acknowledged the cheers of celebration from the large crowd.

Now in its 47th year, Indoor Brabant is much loved by the top riders and Dutch equestrian fans alike.

Commenting on the show, Kevin said, “Indoor Brabant has history and we need shows like this one, Aachen, Spruce Meadows and Geneva. The riders feel it and want to come back to these shows. When you go into a ring like Indoor Brabant, you can feel the history and the crowds stay late every night to watch the top sport that this show delivers.”

2014 is the first year of a new partnership between Indoor Brabant and Rolex, and strengthens the show’s position as one of the top indoor competitions in the world.

Show president Gerrit-Jan Swinkels said, “Sport has been the big winner over the last few days, and that has always been the intention of this show. We thank our sponsors and particularly Rolex, who have given us the opportunity to make things extra special this year and into the future.”

Rolex is a partner to some of the greatest equestrian shows in the world, including the three Majors; CHIO Aachen, the Spruce Meadows Masters and CHI Geneva. These great shows also form the Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping which is the first global initiative to reward the outstanding rider who wins the Grand Prix at each show in succession.

Website
www.rolex.com

Rolex Equestrian Press Room
equestrianismpressroom.rolex.com

Revolution Sports + Entertainment
Rod Kohler
rod@revolutionsports.co.uk
+44 7770 647 662
www.revolutionsports.co.uk

Revolution Sports, Show Jumping

Honours Go to Ben Maher in Highlight of Week 5 Presented by Rolex at the Winter Equestrian Festival

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Peter Nicholson from Rolex USA presents Ben Maher with his Rolex watch.

Wellington, Florida – 9 February 2014 – Under the floodlights of the International Arena in Wellington, Florida, the first 5* competition of the 2014 FTI Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF) was dominated by the world’s top two riders who went head to head in a tense competition, with World Number Two Ben Maher taking the honours from his fellow Britain and World Number One, Scott Brash, in the FEI World Cup Grand Prix CSI-W 5* presented by Rolex.

Watched by a big crowd enjoying the warm Florida evening, clear rounds were hard to come by on a tough and demanding track set by Olympic course designer, Bob Ellis, and Maher was one of only seven horse and rider combinations that went clear from 45 starters.

Maher had the advantage of going last into the jump-off and was able to benefit from knowing exactly the line to take, but the leading time set by Brash still looked tough to beat. But Cella, owned by Jane Clark, was up to the task and with a winning margin of 0.41 seconds, Maher took the honours. Third on the winner’s podium was Lucy Davis from the United States, who was watched over from the stands by her trainer and Rolex Testimonee, Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum.

Speaking about the WEF, Ben Maher said, “I think that the biggest advantage of being here at the Winter Equestrian Festival is that we get to spend a lot more time on our horses, and are able to give them one on one attention. Tomorrow, the first thing I will do is ride Cella. I notice things here in Wellington that I wouldn’t when competing in different competitions each weekend. That is one of the biggest benefits of staying in one place for a longer period of time.”

This is the first year of an unprecedented 10-year partnership between WEF and Rolex which was announced in December 2013. Rolex became the “Official Timepiece” of both the Palm Beach International Equestrian Centre and the WEF.

This follows on from the launch of the Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping in April the same year, which features the three equestrian ‘Majors’ – the CHIO Aachen, the CSIO Spruce Meadows ‘Masters’ Tournament and CHI Geneva – and is the first global initiative to reward the outstanding rider who wins the Grand Prix at each show in succession.

Website:
www.rolex.com

Rolex Equestrian Press Room:
equestrianismpressroom.rolex.com

Revolution Sports + Entertainment
Rod Kohler
rod@revolutionsports.co.uk
+44 7770 647 662

Revolution Sports, Show Jumping

Rolex Testimonee Rodrigo Pessoa Discusses Plans for Upcoming Season

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Rolex Testimonee Rodrigo Pessoa with Status. Photo Credit – Rolex/Kit Houghton.

07 February 2014 – Wellington, Florida – Rolex Testimonee and 2004 Olympic Champion Rodrigo Pessoa of Brazil welcomed media and special guests to his stable to discuss plans for the upcoming season on Friday, 7 February, on the eve of the $370,000 CSI5* World Cup Grand Prix presented by Rolex, to be held at the FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival in Wellington, Florida.

Pessoa, whose family name is synonymous with excellence and achievement in Show Jumping, first traveled to the Wellington area in 1984 with his father, the legendary Nelson Pessoa.  Two decades later, he returned to south Florida to discover that the competition scene had exploded.  In 2006, Pessoa gave up the nomadic lifestyle of indoor competition in Europe in favour of spending his winters sleeping in the same bed every night while competing in warm temperatures under sunny skies.

“It is an ideal place to prepare our younger horses and prepare our Grand Prix horses as well for the main events of the year,” said Pessoa, 41, of his winter base.  “These three months here in Florida really help me to carry on for the rest of the year.  When I leave here, I look forward to coming back.”

This season, Pessoa is focused on two events: the Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping, which kicks off in Aachen, Germany, in July, and the 2014 World Equestrian Games in Normandy, France, in the first week of September.  His two top mounts are Citizenguard Cadjanine Z, a 12-year-old Zangersheide mare (Canabis Z x Feinschnitt I Z) that he has been riding since July of 2013, and the recently acquired Status, a 10-year-old Hannoverian gelding (Satisfaction x Sao Paulo).

“After 26 years in the sport, the big events are what keep my engine going now,” said Pessoa, whose young age belies his long list of accomplishments.  “The Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping is something that really appeals to me, along with the World Equestrian Games and Olympic Games.  I am very fortunate to get up in the morning and get to do what I love to do.”

Introduced in 2013, the Rolex Grand Slam initiative brings together three of the most prestigious events in the world of Show Jumping – CHIO Aachen, CSIO Calgary and CHI Geneva.  Pessoa will be among the world’s best seeking to become the first rider to claim the Rolex Grand Slam and its lucrative prize of 1 million euros for any rider who can win all three Grand Prix events in succession.

“It’s achievable, but it’s not going to be done every year.  It’s not meant to be easy!” said Pessoa.  “There can only be one winner, and everyone wants to win it.  It’s similar to winning a Major like Wimbledon or the U.S. Open or The Masters.  As an athlete, it is what you wake up for, to win one of those events.  It takes a special horse and rider to achieve it, it’s very tough, but I think it’s possible.  I hope one day we see it done.  It would be great publicity for the sport world-wide.”

In the meantime, Pessoa will hone his skills at the FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival, which recently announced a 10-year partnership with Rolex.  Competing alongside Pessoa this winter are fellow Rolex Testimonees Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum of Germany and 2008 Canadian Olympic Champion Eric Lamaze.

“We have all been good friends for a long time,” explained Pessoa, who is the longest serving Rolex Testimonee, having come on board in 1997.  “We are happy when one of the other Rolex Testimonees win, and it’s good for the team.  We are good sportsmen, of course, but we like for Rolex Testimonees to win the big events.”

“It’s been an unbelievable sponsorship,” continued Pessoa, whose timepiece of choice after 17 years remains the Rolex Daytona.  “For me, it’s an unbelievable honour to represent a brand like Rolex.  More than a partner, more than a sponsorship, it’s really a family.”

Revolution Sports + Entertainment
team@revolutionsports.co.uk
www.revolutionsports.co.uk

*Featured/Spotlights, Show Jumping

Steve Guerdat Wins the Rolex Grand Prix at CHI Geneva

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Steve Guerdat (SUI) and Nino des Buissonnets, winner of the Rolex Grand Prix, Geneva 2013 © Rolex/Kit Houghton.

New Live Contender for the Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping

Geneva, Switzerland 15 December 2013, In front of a huge crowd of over 9,500 fans, Switzerland’s Steve Guerdat riding the great Nino des Buissonnets, today won the Rolex Grand Prix at the CHI Geneva, and becomes the live contender for the Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping.

Each time he entered the arena, the Swiss crowd greeted Rolex Testimonee Guerdat with wave after wave of cheers, which at one stage seemed to rock the foundations of the huge Palexpo Arena. He was one of 10 riders to make it through to the jump-off and, fourth to go, his time of 43.26 seconds was only briefly threatened by the World No. 1 Scott Brash (GBR), who produced a second clear round just 0.32 seconds behind Guerdat.

“I get a little scared sometimes on what is going to be next and how I am ever going to be able to give to the fans who have already had so much success with me here over the years. But every year I come back and something new happens and some bigger wins and it just feels amazing!” said a delighted Guerdat.

“Nino has won so much already since the Olympics – he is not jumping a lot but every time he goes out he is in the top and again today. He is just in a class of his own,” continued Guerdat.

At one stage it looked as though Belgium’s Peter Devos, riding Candy, could make it a ‘double’ by winning a second leg of the Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping – he was the ‘live’ contender having won the CN International presented by Rolex, at Spruce Meadows in September. Having gone clear in the first round he went into the jump-off showing good form, but two poles down and eight faults put paid to his chances of taking the Rolex Grand Prix title.

It was a truly exciting Rolex Grand Prix, with 10 superb spectacular clears around the 14 fence course. The first clear came from the Rolex Grand Prix winner at Calgary – Pieter Devos and Candy. Athina Onassis Miranda (GRE) rode a brilliant round, but was very unlucky to get one time fault on AD Camille Z. Her husband Alvaro de Miranda (BRA) was next into the arena and rode a great clear, followed by Hans-Dieter Dreher (GER) who also left the ring on a clean sheet on the stunning Embassy II. Then followed seven more riders with clear rounds; Luciana Diniz (POR), Gerco Schröder (NED), Simon Delestre (FRA), Scott Brash, Kevin Staut (FRA) and Patrice Delaveau (FRA).

The 2013 CHI Geneva has been the most successful in the show’s long history with over 40,000 spectators packing into the Palexpo over the four days to watch the some of the world’s best riders including Rolex Testimonees Kevin Staut, Eric Lamaze, Meredith Michaesl-Beerbaum and Rodrigo Pessoa compete at the highest level of the sport.

Alban Poudret, Sports Director for CHI Geneva, commented: “It is like a dream; we are flying at the Palexpo Arena. For us, always when Steve wins, it’s a big gift, because he is the rider of the show. But this year it was something special you know with the Rolex Grand Slam and more pressure for us, more pressure for Steve, for everybody. To have him winning, it’s really a dream come true, but I think he is even better when he has big pressure. He has won eight major Grands Prix in Geneva in nine years; it’s incredible. Nobody did that. The bigger the pressure, the better he is!”

The Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping now takes a break until CHIO Aachen from 11-20 July 2014, but Rolex continues to support the sport at the highest level and will be the Official Timepiece at the 12-week Winter Equestrian Festival in Wellington, Florida from 9 January to 31 March 2014, and also at Indoor Brabant from 20 to 23 March 2014.

The Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping features three of the world’s greatest equestrian shows – the CHIO Aachen, the CSIO Spruce Meadows ‘Masters’ Tournament and CHI Geneva – and is the first global initiative to reward the outstanding rider who wins the Grand Prix at each show in succession. The winner of the Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping will be rewarded with a €1 million bonus prize.

For details of the final placings in the CHI Geneva Rolex Grand Prix, please click: http://results.scgvisual.com/2013/geneve/r21.html.

Websites:
www.rolex.com
www.rolexgrandslam.com

Rolex Equestrianism Press Room:
equestrianismpressroom.rolex.com

Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping – The Rules

The rules of the Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping are simple: any rider that wins the Grand Prix at each of the three shows consecutively will receive €1m on top of the prize-money for each show’s Grand Prix. Moreover, any rider that wins two out of the three show’s Grands Prix will also receive a bonus.

If the Grands Prix at two shows are won in succession, the bonus will be €500,000. If a rider is successful in qualifying for the “two out of three mode”, but doesn’t claim the victories at two consecutive shows’ Grands Prix, the bonus will be €250,000. It is only the rider that counts, not the horse i.e. it is possible to claim the bonus riding different horses. This system is infinite; it is not limited to a calendar year.

Three wins in a row – €1,000,000
Two wins in a row – €500,000
Two wins out of three (not consecutively) – €250,000

Revolution Sports + Entertainment
Rod Kohler
rod@revolutionsports.co.uk
+44 7770 647 662

Niels Knippertz
press@rolexgrandslam.com
+49 241 9171 180

Revolution Sports, Show Jumping

International Jumping Riders Club and Rolex Extend Partnership

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Geneva, 13 December 2013 – The International Jumping Riders Club (IJRC) and Rolex today announced that they have extended their long-standing partnership for a period of five years. Rolex has been the Official Partner and Official Timepiece of the IJRC since 2001. The long-term extension includes the brand’s partnership with the Rolex IJRC Top 10 Final, created in 2001 by the IJRC to showcase and celebrate the achievements of the 10 highest ranking show jumpers in the world.

“Rolex has been with us since the concept of the Rolex IJRC Top 10 Final was first launched in 2001 and we are pleased and proud to continue this adventure together,” said the Vice President of the IJRC, Rodrigo Pessoa, a Rolex Testimonee since 1999. “Their involvement brings a superior standard of quality which is recognized worldwide.”

Rolex has been a major force at play behind equestrianism’s finest events, riders and organizations for over 50 years. The extended partnership between Rolex and the IJRC is a mark of a shared passion and commitment to the future of equestrianism, and exemplifies the values of excellence and the pursuit of perfection embodied by the sport, the IJRC and Rolex.

Held for the first seven years at CHI Geneva, and most recently in Stockholm in November 2013, the Rolex IJRC Top 10 Final marks the crowning moment of the international show jumping season, when the top 10 horse and rider partnerships compete for year-end supremacy. The competition will return to the CHI Geneva in 2014 for a period of at least two years.

The announcement was made today at the CHI Geneva, a pre-eminent jumping competition voted the best in the world for the sixth time by the members of the IJRC and one of the three founders of the newly established Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping. Rolex has been presenting sponsor of CHI Geneva since 1996.

About Rolex

Leading brand of the Swiss watch industry, Rolex, headquartered in Geneva, enjoys an unrivalled reputation for quality and expertise the world over. Its OYSTER watches, all certified as chronometers for their precision, are symbols of excellence, performance and prestige. Pioneer in the development of the wristwatch as early as 1905, the brand is at the origin of numerous major watchmaking innovations, such as the OYSTER, the first waterproof wristwatch, launched in 1926, and the PERPETUAL rotor self-winding mechanism introduced in 1931. Rolex has registered over 400 patents in the course of its history. A truly integrated manufacturing company, Rolex designs, develops and produces in-house all the essential components of its watches, from the casting of the gold alloys to the machining, crafting, assembly and finishing of the movement, case, dial and bracelet. Rolex is also actively involved in supporting the arts, sports, the spirit of enterprise, and the environment through a broad palette of sponsoring activities as well as philanthropic programmes.

Official website: www.rolex.com.

Publications/Media, Revolution Sports, Show Jumping

Setting the Stage for the World’s Greatest Indoor Show

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10 December 2013 – The world-renowned CHI Geneva begins on Thursday 12 December, and marks the third show of the Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping. Following the release of two special films dedicated to celebrating this significant occasion, Rolex has released the third and final film.

In this concluding film of the series, Steve Guerdat, Sophie Mottu Morel and Alban Poudret identify the different components that make the course and competition at the CHI Geneva world-famous.

To download an MP4 version of the film, please click here.

All three films can be found on the World of Rolex YouTube channel which can be seen by clicking here.

For further media information, please contact:
Rod Kohler
Revolution Sports + Entertainment
E: rod@revolutionsports.co.uk
T: +44(0)207 592 1207

Revolution Sports, Show Jumping

Release of Second in Series of Three Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping Films

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06 December 2013 – Rolex has today released the second in a series of films celebrating the start of the CHI Geneva and the show’s involvement in the Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping. In the film, Show Director Sophie Mottu Morel and Sports Director Alban Poudret discuss the show’s history and the traditions that have made CHI Geneva the best indoor show in the world.

To download an MP4 version of the film, please click here.

The third and final film will be released next week and will be hosted on the World of Rolex YouTube channel, which can be seen by clicking here.

For further media information, please contact:

Rod Kohler
Revolution Sports + Entertainment
E: rod@revolutionsports.co.uk
T: +44(0)207 592 1207

Revolution Sports, Show Jumping

Daniel Deusser Wins Rolex IJRC Top 10 Final in Stockholm

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Riding Evita van de Veldbalie, Daniel Deusser (GER) won the two-round event featuring the world’s Top 10 riders as based on the FEI Rankings, ahead of 2nd placed Patrice Delaveau (FRA) riding Lacrimoso HDC and 3rd placed Ben Maher (GBR) riding Tripple X III.

The 2013 Rolex IJRC Top 10 Final did not disappoint the packed crowds in the Globe Arena in Stockholm with some thrilling riding by the world’s top 10 riders. It was Daniel Deusser who gave everything he had riding his bay mare Evita van de Veldbalie with a double clear and a winning time just faster than French rider Patrice Delaveau.

It was a last minute entry by Deusser into the Rolex IJRC Top 10 Final, following the late withdrawal by British rider Scott Brash, and the young German rider did not miss his chance. “My mare has helped me a lot in the second round. She was fantastic; she gave everything and I owe this win to my amazing horse!” said Deusser.

Delaveau was just two tenths of a second behind Deusser, with the only other double clear of the evening.  Ben Maher was the fastest rider of the night, but his four faults in the first round cost him dearly and moved him to third place.  The experienced and ever popular Ludger Beerbaum (GER) was roared on by the crowd to a very fast clear in the final round, but he had to settle for fourth place after his four faults in the first round. Rolex Testimonees Steve Guerdat and Kevin Staut could not make the podium on this occasion, but will be sure to be competing for the title again in 2014.

Audio of the post event Press Conference:

http://po.st/YOAzVK

The results of the 13th Rolex IJRC Top 10 Final:

1st Daniel Deusser (GER), riding Evita van de Veldbalie
2nd Patrice Delaveau (FRA), riding Lacrimoso HDC
3rd Ben Maher (GBR), riding Tripple X III
4th Ludger Beerbaum (GER), riding Chaman
5th Roger Yves-Bost (FRA), riding Nippon d’Elle
6th Marcus Ehning (GER), riding Copin Van De Broy
7th Kevin Staut (FRA), riding Quismy des Vaux HDC
8th Christian Ahlmann (GER), riding ASCA Z
9th Steve Guerdat (SUI), riding Nasa
10th Gerco Schroder (NED), riding Castelino van de Helle

www.rolex.com

Revolution Sports + Entertainment
T: +44(0)207 592 1207
E: tim@revolutionsports.co.uk
www.revolutionsports.co.uk

Jennifer Wood, Show Jumping

Rolex and PBIEC Sign Unprecedented 10-Year Partnership to Transform Show Jumping for the Americas

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2014 FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival to Have Five CSI 5* Events and a Record 51 FEI Ranking Classes over the Circuit

Wellington, FL – November 27, 2013 – Equestrian Sport Productions (ESP) and Rolex SA signed an unprecedented 10-year sponsorship agreement to make Rolex the “Official Timepiece” of the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center (PBIEC) and of the world-renowned FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival (FTI WEF). The FTI WEF serves almost 6,000 horses and 2,000 riders from 50 states and over 30 countries.

The long-term partnership will facilitate a record US $1.63 million dollar increase in prize money bringing the grand total to over US $8 million dollars at the FTI WEF, making it one of the richest circuits in the world. Three new FEI-rated CSI 5* events will be added to the schedule, which will make five of the 12 weeks during the circuit at the highest level in Show Jumping. There will also be a new US $1 million Palm Beach Challenge presented by Rolex bonus opportunity.

Another highlight of the association is that two of the CSI 5* Grand Prix events will be televised and many others will be distributed by Rolex through their media partnerships in Asia, Europe, and the Americas.

Mark Bellissimo, CEO of Equestrian Sport Productions, LLC, stated, “We are honored to be partnered with one of the most respected brands in the world. Through this partnership, we will provide the resources to elevate the level of Show Jumping for the Americas and expose PBIEC to a broader international audience.”

Arnaud Boetsch, Director of Communications with Rolex, said, “We are very pleased to extend and expand the scope of our long-lasting and successful partnership with this prestigious venue and the world-class, world-renowned events it hosts. Rolex and Palm Beach International Equestrian Center certainly share a common passion for excellence and perfection.”

The dates of the 2014 CSI 5* shows are: FTI WEF 3 from January 22-26, FTI WEF 5 from February 5-9, FTI WEF 7 from February 19-23, FTI WEF 10 from March 12-16, and FTI WEF 12 from March 26-30. In addition to the five CSI 5* shows, there are three CSI 4* events, a CSI 3*, and two CSI 2* shows during the circuit.

FTI WEF weeks 3, 5, 7, and 10 will feature a US $300,000 Saturday Night Grand Prix. FTI WEF 12 will feature the US $500,000 FTI Consulting Finale Grand Prix.

The “Palm Beach Challenge presented by Rolex” applies to four of the five 5* events and awards a US $1 million bonus to any horse and rider combination that wins the four consecutive CSI 5* Grand Prix events at FTI WEF 3, 5, 10, and 12. The winner of two consecutive Grand Prix will receive US $50,000 and the winner of three of four will receive a US $100,000 bonus.

Finally, Rolex offered a substantial contribution to the FTI Consulting Great Charity Challenge (GCC), presented by Fidelity Investments, an equestrian Show Jumping competition founded by Mark Bellissimo and his daughter Paige. The event, which occurs on February 1, 2014, is a competition where the world’s top riders team up with equestrian sport’s most prominent families in a unique competition that awards a sliding scale of prize money to each of the 34 randomly selected charities in Palm Beach County.

About Rolex

Rolex enjoys an unrivalled reputation for quality and expertise the world over. Its Oyster watches are symbols of excellence, performance, and prestige. Pioneer in the development of the wristwatch since 1905, the brand is at the origin of several landmark innovations in watchmaking, including the Oyster, the first waterproof wristwatch, and the Perpetual rotor self-winding mechanism. Rolex is also actively involved in supporting the arts, exploration, sports, and the environment through sponsoring and philanthropic programmes. Rolex has been present in equestrian sports since 1957.

For more information, visit www.rolex.com.

About the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center

The Palm Beach International Equestrian Center (PBIEC) is considered the most recognizable equestrian sporting venue in America today. It is a 160-acre “Equestrian Lifestyle Destination” nestled in the heart of an 8,000-acre equestrian paradise in Wellington, Florida, located only 20 miles west of Palm Beach.

There are 16 competition rings throughout the equestrian show complex suited for the world’s finest Show Jumping, Hunter, and Dressage events. The PBIEC show grounds offer spectators a picturesque environment in which to enjoy equestrian competitions. There are a number of hospitality and vendor pavilions dedicated to dining, shopping, and VIP areas.

For more information on Equestrian Sport Productions and the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center, please visit www.equestriansport.com.

Jennifer Wood Media, Inc.
Equestrian Public Relations
info@jenniferwoodmedia.com