The FEI and Longines have today announced the creation of two new awards recognising achievement and outstanding performance in jumping across the globe.

Accumulating points throughout the whole calendar year, the Longines FEI World’s Best Jumping Horse will be determined from the horse’s 10 best results of the year in the Longines Rankings, whereas The Longines FEI World’s Best Jumping Rider will be the leading rider in the Longines Rankings at the end of the year.

Capturing the suspense and excitement throughout the year as the world’s best jumping athletes and horses battle it out on the international circuit, the winners of these two new awards will be presented with a Longines watch and trophy during the Longines FEI World Cup Final held in Paris in April 2018.

Points for the Longines Rankings are accumulated in Grands Prix*, the Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping and the Longines FEI Nations Cup™ Jumping, including the Finals, as well as the World and European Senior Championships. Double points are awarded at Finals and Championships. 

“We’re very pleased to announce these two new awards, together with Longines, which will serve as an additional recognition of outstanding performance and achievement at the highest level of the sport,” FEI President Ingmar de Vos said. “These awards will add an exciting new dimension to the already coveted monthly Longines Rankings leader title, and build engagement with our audiences as they follow the top athletes and horses throughout the year.”

Juan-Carlos Capelli, Vice President of Longines and Head of International Marketing, said: “With our partner the FEI, we decided to create the Longines FEI World’s Best Jumping Rider and Horse awards in order to increase the global visibility of the discipline of Jumping. We hope that these awards will inspire more people to follow the results of the leading athletes and horses in the Longines Rankings throughout the year, get to know the many different competitions and understand how they are linked, such as the legs of the three Longines FEI World CupTM Jumping series all leading towards the Final. By bringing together the heroes of Jumping on a global level, we are convinced that Jumping and equestrian sports in general will further extend their international outreach.”

As part of Longines' partnership with the FEI, the watch brand puts its name to the FEI world ranking for riders: The Longines Rankings. The Swiss watch brand is the Official Partner of the three main indoor series (Western European, Chinese and North American Leagues) and the Final of the Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping, as well as the outdoor series and the final of the Longines FEI Nations Cup™ Jumping. Moreover, Longines participates in the FEI Awards and presents The Longines Rising Star Award to athletes between ages of 14 and 21 who demonstrate outstanding sporting talent.

Source: Press release from FEI // Picture © Longines/Pierre Costabadie