Longines and the Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI) celebrated equestrian excellence by presenting the Longines FEI World’s Best Jumping Horse and Rider Awards to the 2017 world’s highest officially rated jumping horse and rider. The ceremony, the first of its kind, took place at the iconic Mairie de Paris on Wednesday 11 April 2018 along with the FEI World Cup’s draws for the disciplines of Jumping and Dressage.
USA’s talented rider Kent Farrington set himself apart in some of the greatest show jumping competitions of 2017 and finished the year with a total of 3313 points in the Longines Rankings ahead of Harrie Smolders (NED) with 2953 points and McLain Ward (USA) with 2903 points. Longines and the FEI celebrated Kent Farrington’s impressive performances by presenting him the 2017 Longines FEI World’s Best Jumping Rider Award.
American mare HH Azur, winner of the 2017 Longines FEI World’s Best Jumping Horse title, produced an extraordinary win at the Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping Final in Omaha last year with her rider McLain Ward. On the occasion of the ceremony, HH Azur was represented by her co-owner François Mathy, who came with his wife Claudia Mathy, and McLain Ward.
Kent Farrington and HH Azur’s representative François Mathy were both granted and elegant Longines timepiece belonging to the Longines Saint-Imier Collection as well as a replica trophy in the form of a crystal winged hourglass in reference to the brand’s emblem.
Accumulating points throughout the whole calendar year, the Longines FEI World’s Best Jumping Horse is determined from the horse’s 10 best results of the year in the Longines Rankings, whereas the Longines FEI World’s Best Jumping Rider is the leading rider in the Longines Rankings at the end of the year.
Points for the Longines Rankings are accumulated in Grands Prix, the Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping and the Longines FEI Jumping Nations Cup™, including the Finals, as well as the World and European Senior Championships. Double points are awarded at Finals and Championships.
