Swiss watchmaker Longines has partnered with the FEI to launch the Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping North American League, a new series of 14 events that will provide an improved qualifying experience for the sport’s horses, riders, organizers and spectators in the United States, Canada and Mexico. At the series’ end, a hard-fought battle will qualify seven US athletes from the qualifiers on the East Coast, three US athletes from the West Coast, and two Canadian and two Mexican athletes for the Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping Final in Gothenburg, SWE, on March 23-28, 2016.
The 14 qualifiers in the series are spread out equally on both coasts. A large number of bids was narrowed down into a long list of 25 applicants before the final line-up of show grounds were selected to host the qualifier classes. “A large number of bids for the 14 shows gave us the chance to impose extremely high standards for the North American League,” said John Madden, FEI first vice-president and chair of the FEI Jumping Committee. “It’s a great incentive for the organizers to not be satisfied with the bare minimums, but to have the ultimate competitive atmosphere in this new league.”
The new North American series, with predetermined standards and FEI rules, has required organizers to agree to contractual obligations to meet every aspect of the hosting agreement.