2021 – A year of memorable sporting moments in challenging times

As Title Partner, Official Timekeeper and Watch of the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ and the FEI Dressage World Cup™, Longines was fortunate to witness incredible sporting achievements throughout the 2020/2021 season despite the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic and the heart-wrenching disappointment of having to cancel the Longines FEI Jumping and FEI Dressage World CupTM Finals due to be held in Gothenburg (SWE) at the end of March following the EHV-1 outbreak in Europe. Towards the end of the year the situation improved, however, the majority of events which took place did so behind closed doors.

As part of its long-term contribution to equestrian sports, Longines was honoured to take part in the revered Longines FEI Jumping European Championship for five days of phenomenal competitions that drew gasps from the crowd in Riesenbeck, Germany. The focal point of the Longines FEI Jumping European Championship Team Final, was  undoubtedly the triumph of the winner – Team Switzerland consisting of Longines Ambassador of Elegance Bryan Balsiger on AK’s Courage, Elian Baumann on Campari Z, Martin Fuchs on Leone Jei and Steve Guerdat on Albfuehren’s Maddox.

After the cancellation of the first legs of the Longines FEI Jumping Nations Cup™ series of the year, due to the ongoing global sanitary crisis, the Swiss watchmaker timed the Longines CSIO St-Gallen in June and the victory of Team Switzerland at the Longines FEI Jumping Nations Cup™ of France, marking the 60th anniversary of the Longines Jumping International of La Baule. Longines was also proud to present the Longines Grand Prix, won by Nicolas Delmotte on Urvoso du Roch, and to support children in need with the nonprofit organisation JustWorld International through the “Longines Clear the Jump” initiative. After further legs of the Longines FEI Jumping Nations Cup™ series in Sopot and Rotterdam, the season came to a breath-taking end with the Grand Finale in Barcelona, Spain. The outstanding champions filled the stadium with vibrant energy and, most importantly, mirrored Longines’ long-term values in watchmaking with their elegance and pinpoint precision.

The year came to a glamourous end with the FEI Awards Gala presented by Longines in the beautiful city of Antwerp, Belgium. Since 2009 this event acknowledges and rewards personalities and organisations in equestrian sport both in and out of the field of play.  At this edition, in recognition of the extraordinary potential and success of promising young talents in equestrian sport, aged between 14 and 21, Longines presented the German Eventing athlete Greta Busacker with the Longines FEI Rising Star Award 2021.

Driven by its long-lasting passion for the equestrian universe, Longines now looks forward to living many more unforgettable sports moments together with the fans, the athletes and its dear Partner, the FEI.