Lausanne (SUI), May 13 – After Paris, Hong Kong and New York, the Longines Masters are coming to Lausanne on the pristine shores of Lac Leman from June 20 to 23, for four days of great sport, show jumping and, spectacle. Created and presented by EEM, creator of exceptional equestrian events, the prestigious Longines Masters series stands out from other competitions on the international show jumping circuit with its unique concept that brings together high-level sporting events, gastronomy, shopping, entertainment and activities for the whole family.
‘‘My creed – explains Christophe Ameeuw, EEM founder and CEO – is to draw attention to show jumping by offering the public a more enjoyable and accessible vision of our sport while ensuring the quality and values of a discipline that I care about.’’ It is a vision that develops audiences around the world and that he has successfully taken across three continents. ‘‘We are very proud of this new stage in Lausanne, capital of sport and Olympianism, headquarters of the International Equestrian Federation and, above all, the country of our partner Longines.’’
A nation that jumps at the international level
Switzerland is a great equestrian nation that regularly shines on the international scene. A few months ago, the 2012 Olympic champion and current world No. 1, Steve Guerdat (the Federer of jumping, as he has begun to be described on social networks), won his third World Cup, again ahead of another Swiss, Martin Fuchs. It was the fifth Swiss triumph in this emblematic final of the winter world championship. At the last World Equestrian Games, the same duo, friends in real life and on the competition grounds, finished on the second and third steps of the podium. In short, little Switzerland is one of the world’s leading show jumping nations. It has produced towering legends of the sport: Paul Weier, Max Hauri, Markus and Thomas Fuchs, the late Willi Melliger and now Steve Guerdat.
The Longines Masters’ ‘‘signature classes’’
On Saturday at noon, the Lausanne public will discover the first real highlight of the weekend: the Masters Power. This event is a real demonstration of power, as the poles can go up to two meters.
On Saturday evening, the now famous Longines Redazione Cavallo Magazine Challenge will follow, considered to be the fastest event in the world. Here, downed poles are only penalized by 2 seconds, which gives the riders who drop a pole a chance to catch up if they ride fast! This happened to Egyptian rider Nayel Nassar and Lucifer V, his amazing 13-year-old Westphalian bay gelding, in New York last month… and it didn’t prevent them from winning the Longines Grand Prix two days later as well.
The Longines Grand Prix is certainly the highlight of a Longines Masters, and the Lausanne event will be no exception. Running from 3:45 p.m. on Sunday in two rounds, it’s an Olympic-level event (1.60m) that has featured great champions such as Australian Edwina Tops-Alexander in Paris, Denis Lynch of Ireland in Hong Kong, and Egyptian Nayel Nassar in New York, all in just this fourth season! Three riders from three different continents: this is the ”We Ride the World” spirit, which is integral to this fabulous series. It should be noted that the Longines Grand Prix Lausanne is not part of the Grand Slam Indoor.
Amateur-friendly
Beyond these three major events, no less than 21 events will be held on Place Bellerive, an idyllic setting facing Lake Léman. Among them are events reserved for amateurs (and also for international professional riders developing young horses) and Swiss national riders with the Masters Two and Masters Three classes. This is a unique opportunity for these amateurs and new pros to meet the stars of the Masters One events, to exchange ideas or to be inspired by them. Each of these categories will be highlighted on Sunday with a fun «Accumulator with joker» event.
Entertainment with style!
Lifestyle is also a trademark of the Longines Masters. In Lausanne, this will be reflected in a Fête de la Musique (World Music Day) celebration on June 21 during the famous Longines Masters after-party: DJs and concerts are on the program throughout the area. The warm-up arena is accessible to the public and surrounded by a friendly village of exhibitors dedicated to equestrian equipment. A second area will be dedicated to culture (including an equestrian bookshop), art, and the art of living, as well as daily after-parties, celebrations that begin as soon as the last event of the evening is over.
These are just a few of the ingredients needed for a new kind of equestrian event that the Swiss audience will discover on Place Bellerive in Lausanne from June 20 to 23.
Find all the information on www.longinesmasters.com – click here –
Find the program on www.longinesmasters.com/en/lausanne/schedule – click here –
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