A press conference of the 2016 Longines Equestrian Beijing Masters was held at the Dashing International Equestrian Center in Beijing. Among others the press conference was attended by Mr. Zhang Kai, Vice director of Modern Pentathlon and Equestrian Training Base of Cycling and Fencing Administration Center of General Administration of Sport of China, Mr. Xiang Jun, Secretary of the National Stadium Co., Ltd., Ms. Kate Tsai, Marketing Director of Longines China, Mr. Olaf Kastner, President & CEO, BMW Group Region China, Mr. Tobias Walti, Deputy Head of Culture and Media Section of Swiss Embassy, Mr. Michael Mronz, Executive Vice President of Dashing Equestrian, Mr. Ludger Beerbaum, President of Longines World Equestrian Academy, Mr. Yao Ge, Chairman of the Beijing Equestrian Association, and Ms. Li Jing, President of Dashing Equestrian. Ms. Li Jing said, “with strong supports from Chinese Equestrian Association, the National Stadium and related departments and institutions of the Beijing municipal government, Longines Equestrian Beijing Masters has become China’s highest class show-jumping competition for Chinese and international riders to compete at the same course after five years’ continuous efforts, which marked great progress in promotion of the development of Chinese equestrian. But our goal goes far beyond that. Dashing Equestrian has been collaborating with many other parties and making all efforts to push the building of Free Zone for horses in Beijing in a bid to break through the barrier for European horses to enter and leave China. We believe with supports from related governmental institutions, it won’t be far from the day when we can host a five-star Longines Equestrian Beijing Masters at Bird’s Nest to realize our ‘China equestrian dream’. This is not only beneficial to China’s equestrian undertaking but also a drive force of the development of horse industry, horse trade and stock farming.”
At the press conference, General Administration of Sport of China, the National Stadium, Longines, BMW, the Embassy of Switzerland in China and Dashing Equestrian jointly cut the ribbon for the event, marking the upcoming opening of the competitive, entertaining, engaging and recreational equestrian event.
Supporting professionalism of equestrian industry chain in an all-round way
Longines Equestrian Beijing Masters has chosen the Bird’s Nest, the main venue of the Olympic Games in China, as its venue for six consecutive years for two reasons. On one hand, the well-equipped stadium can cater for the high-profile Longines Equestrian Beijing Masters and make its perfect match with the event an impressive calling card of Beijing. On the other hand, hosting commercial events like Longines Equestrian Beijing Masters can greatly enhance utilization of the stadium and redevelopment of its commercial value in the post-Olympic era. As agreed by both parties, such a win-win situation will at least continue till 2020. The three-day 2016 Longines Equestrian Beijing Masters will involve four classes – Challenge Class 100-110CM, Team Championship Class 115-125CM, BMW Elite Class 130-135CM and Longines Grand Prix 140-150CM, engaging more than 140 of China’s finest show-jumping horses worth more than RMB100 million, which will be provided with up to 6,000m2 temporary tents and taken care by more than 100 professional grooms with expectation to deliver the best performance at the race course. The course routes are personally designed by Mr. Frank Rosenberg, an international four-star (highest level) course designer who was part of the design of show-jumping routes for the Olympic Games and many spectacular international events. Just imagine how the well-designed routes will challenge the tough riders.
Outside the court, Longines and Dashing Equestrian have never stopped supporting the professionalism of Chinese equestrian industry chain. All positions in equestrian teams from groom, veterinarian and farrier to coach and rider are highly professional and empirical. Internationally, professional training and field exercises of these positions have been quite mature. To fill the gap that keeps Chinese equestrian from being on a par with international counterpart especially in cultivation of support teams, in early 2016, Dashing Equestrian, Ludger Beerbaum and Longines opened the Longines World Equestrian Academy, an educational, authoritative, international, professional and systematic establishment and the only Longines-collaborated equestrian academy worldwide. For riders, the academy provides professional equestrian training and shares international equestrian resources in real time to enable China to keep pace with peers on industry communication, participation in events and commercial resources. For support teams, the academy aims to change the labor intensity status of Chinese support teams such as groom and farrier teams and make those personnel specialized, professional and international by providing international training courses, overseas field visits and lecturers and trainings from international professionals. The 2016 Longines Equestrian Beijing Masters invites Charlotte von Zadow, an internationally renowned farrier, who will not only serve the horses at the event but also facilitate a lecture prior to the event to share the world’s most advanced horseshoeing skills and her own experience with Chinese peers.
Challenges from Olympic riders joined and innovated competition mechanism
The riders lineup is still the biggest highlight of the event. The FEI Top 30 international riders and more than 120 top Chinese riders will compete together, which will be quite a show, needless to say. What will be even more dramatic this year is that they will also be challenged by equestrian riders at the Olympic Games. Can Dutch rider Jeroen Dubbeldam, who is both world and European champion, take one more crown here? Can German rider Christian Ahlmann, the third in the world and first at the Longines Global Champions Tour maintain his glory at Bird’s Nest? Can Ludger Beerbaum, the “Father of the German Equestrian Sport” and champion of the 2015 Longines Equestrian Beijing Masters, defend his championship this year? How will Jane Richard Philips, elegance ambassador of Longines, do as well as the male riders? Can Li Zhenqiang, Liu Tongyan and Zhu Meimei, China’s top riders whom the country is proud of, hit new highs? Who will be the winners of the RMB1.62 million prize money that has hit a new high over the years? You can come to the 2016 LEBM to find answers to all these questions!
In addition to engagement of first-class horses and top riders, Longines Equestrian Beijing Masters also features constant competition mechanism adjustments and innovations. Based in China and geared to international standards, Longines Equestrian Beijing Masters makes it its own mission to promote Chinese equestrian. Among all factors of an equestrian event, cultivation of horses can be said as important as cultivation of riders. All world-class events arrange special competition for young horses to enhance their field experience and adaptability to changes to qualify them for international events. In view of this, in the Challenge Class and Team Championship Class of this year, national-class riders will ride young horses aging from 6 to 7, aiming to make the competition even fairer while marking a challenge or test for young Chinese horses. It’ll also encourage Chinese riders to further improve their professional competence in training young horses independently.
To make the event even more inclusive and open, the 2016 Longines Equestrian Beijing Masters will change the Club Championship to Team Championship, which allows riders from different clubs to team up and name their team freely after the the sponsors of the event based on their own resources. Equestrian is the only gender- and age-inclusive sport; such a change will better reflect the freedom, openness and vigorousness of equestrian sport and let strength speak for itself. You can imagine how tense the competition will be! The “Riders Lounge” and “Kiss & Cry Corner”, which are usually available only at world-class events, are the most exciting zones of the Bird’s Nest, where riders gear themselves up for the competition whilst cheering squads hold their breath or shout out their support… Coupled with the more open competition mechanism, this three-day event can’t be more amazing and impressive!
Interesting and fun - Equestrian Clinics to attract more horse lovers
Reasons why Longines Equestrian Beijing Masters can attract so tremendous attention are not only its identity – a top event for equestrian professionals and enthusiasts – but also its incorporation of the Equestrian Clinics. It makes more people fall in love with equestrian, and take a fancy to the fashionable, healthy and natural lifestyle brought by equestrian.
To attract more horse lovers, the Equestrian Clinics of this year goes beyond the venue to people’s daily life. Prior to the event, brands such as Dashing Equestrian, Longines and BMW will work together to carry out a series of equestrian-related activities. The equestrian-themed weekend co-organized by a number of partners in August will provide an opportunity for parents and their children to enjoy a summer camp through integrated programs including parent-child games, equestrian experience, fashionable lifestyle and delicacy culture. The annual horse-themed photography competition has gained popularity among photography enthusiasts over the years. Let's look forward to how artists will interpret the beauty of horses this year.
The activities at the event will be even more thrilling. The 2016 Longines Equestrian Beijing Masters will continue last year’s practice of allowing audience to step down from the bleachers to have a closer look at the interior of the Bird’s Nest and make a direct contact with the world-class equestrian event. However, the activities will be increased a lot more in terms of quantity and quality. The number of brands engaged is increased from a dozen to 30-plus. Riding apparel and horse equipment contribute a lot to the striking image of a rider. This year, riding apparel and horse equipment makers will bring their complex production processes to the venue, demonstrating how to dress up a nice and cool rider. Top hair & fashion brand TONI&GUY from the UK will be present with professional styling teams and star products as well as offering of field makeup and styling services and off-price products. In the knowledge that the developing juvenile equestrian has been attracting more and more juveniles in recent years, the Equestrian Clinics will introduce more fun equestrian-related activities for children such as body painting for kids, little volunteers and little English Master of Ceremonies.
A Swiss Experience pavilion jointly launched by the Embassy of Switzerland in China and Switzerland Tourism, which has been introduced into the event for the first time, is another highlight of the event. As one of the major European equestrian battlefields, Switzerland has a long history of and profound foundation for equestrian. To promote China-Switzerland communication about equestrian while incorporating diverse cultures of other countries into the event, the pavilion, to be equipped with interactive installations and activities, will focus on showcasing
Switzerland as an appealing tourist destination, especially in terms of its dynamic cultures and art, and outdoor experiences, during the three-day event. In addition, riders from Switzerland and representatives of the Embassy will come in person to the pavilion for interaction with visitors.
Elite brands gather at Longines Equestrian Beijing Masters
Longines, the title partner and official timekeeper of 2016 Longines Equestrian Beijing Masters, is always the eye-catcher of the event with its various activities, an array of exhibits and stars and celebrities. Eddie Peng, the elegance ambassador of Longines, will appear at the Bird’s Nest adding more glamors to the stadium. BMW, the diamond sponsor and official cars of the event, will showcase the sixth generation of its legendary new BMW 7 at the event, offering visitors an opportunity to appreciate its “modern luxury” composed by its design aesthetics, intelligent driving, material application and many more. Castel, Europe’s largest wine producer and one of the representatives and mediators of excellent French technologies, will offer authentic French red wine. Together with freshly brewed coffee made by Melitta and high-quality Ganten mineral water, a splendid visual and gustatory feast will energize the grand equestrian event.
Local or international equestrian-related brands cannot afford to miss this opportunity of course. Such peers as US equestrian retail brand BEVAL, German riding apparel brand PIKEUR and Chinese horse feed brand Red Rum will all gather at the event. It is bound to be inspiring, isn’t it?
