CSI 5* Longines Masters debuts in New York

“Today marks a milestone for the Longines Masters Series as we celebrate our new home for the American leg of the series, the Longines Masters of New York,” said series founder Christophe Ameeuw at the opening of the event. In previous years, the American part of the Show Jumping trilogy took place in Los Angeles.

The three competitions have established themselves as among the most prestigious in equestrian sports, and offer two huge bonuses in addition to the lucrative prize money up for grabs. First, the ‘Super Grand Slam’: €2.25 million for three consecutive Grand Prix victories in the same season (Paris, Hong Kong, then New York). Also, the ‘Grand Slam’ bonus of €1 million for three consecutive wins from one season to the next.

There have been two different winning riders so far this year, Germany’s Daniel Deusser in Paris, and France’s Patrice Delaveau in Hong Kong. Delaveau is therefore still in the hunt for the Grand Slam bonus and is in the U.S. this week with two horses, Aquila and Vestale de Mazure.

Among the 32 riders from 11 nations trying to stop him are the two most recent Longines FEI World Cup Jumping Final winners, Beezie Madden and McLain Ward of the United States (with the latter having already won at the event this week, and able to commute to the event from his nearby home), the possible new World No.1 in the sport, Harrie Smolders of the Netherlands, Sweden’s Peder Fredricson and Belgium’s Gregory Wathelet. Great Britain’s Amanda Derbyshire has three mounts with her in New York, Cornwall, Lady Maria and Luibanta, and finished third behind Ward and Olivier Philippaerts in Thursday’s Masters One Trophy class. 

The 1.60m Longines Grand Prix of New York is scheduled for Sunday afternoon local time. And on Saturday evening, the Riders Masters Cup team competition will constitute a rematch between the U.S. and Europe after European riders won the inaugural showdown in Paris. Led by Chef d’Equipe Robert Ridland, the U.S. Riders Masters Cup team will be Georgina Bloomberg, Ward, Adrienne Sternlicht, Laura Kraut and Madden. European Chef d’Equipe Philippe Guerdat has selected Kevin Staut, Olivier Philippaerts, Wathelet, Fredericson and Smolders to try to replicate the squad’s success at the Longines Masters of Paris.