Season III of Longines Masters Series Makes Thrilling Ride Through Asia; Looks to its Final Stop in New York

France’s Patrice Delaveau Claims Victory in Longines Grand Prix at the Longines Masters of Hong Kong, Halting Daniel Deusser’s Quest for the Grand Slam of Indoor Showjumping Title

The Longines Masters of Hong Kong, the second leg of the international equestrian series that stops in Paris, Hong Kong, and New York, came to a dramatic conclusion on Sunday after three days of incredible competition on February 9-11. After his victory in the Masters One event on Day 1, Daniel Deusser from Germany competed in the Longines Grand Prix with his eyes set on the Grand Slam Indoor title and super bonus of €2.25 million, achieved by winning three consecutive Longines Grand Prix in Paris, Hong Kong and New York, in the same season.

Presented by Title Partner & Official Timekeeper Longines, the Longines Grand Prix boasted over 1.60m obstacles and offered the biggest prize purse of the weekend, a total of US $382,800. Twenty riders from 12 countries competed for the title over two rounds, with the 20 riders whittled down to 12 for the jump-off. Of the 12, only five riders cleared both rounds without faults including the Australian Jamie Kermond who placed 4th on Yandoo Oaks Constellation and Michael Whitaker on Calisto Blue who finished 5th.

The competition was close as Patrice Delaveau snatched victory on Aquila HDC from the Austrian Max Kühner on Cielito Lindo 2 by just 0.07 seconds in the jump-off, followed by the Longines Grand Prix of Paris winner Daniel Deusser from Germany on Cornet D’Amour only 0.08 seconds behind Kühner for a third place finish. Following this victory, Patrice Delaveau has a chance to collect the Grand Slam Indoor bonus of €1 million if he can win the Longines Grand Prix at the final leg of the current season of the Longines Masters Series, in New York, and follow it up with a win in Paris at the start of the 2018-19 season.

The three-day competition also saw victories from Emanuele Gaudiano of Italy riding to victory on board Einstein in the Table A competition of the Masters One AsiaWorld-Expo, Clarissa Lyra and Vincent Ho of Team Dash from Hong Kong in the Hong Kong Jockey Club Race of the Riders, Germany’s Philipp Weishaupt on Chacon in the prestigious Longines Speed Challenge, British legend Michael Whitaker taking home the win in the Maserati Masters Power, and fellow Brit Robert Smith taking home first place in the event’s penultimate class, the Masters One DBS.

Also competing in the Masters One DBS was American Olympian Reed Kessler who took home fourth place, and also finished ninth in the Longines Speed Challenge. Kessler will be traveling to all three continents this season as the only American to compete in each leg of Season III of the Longines Masters Series.

The weekend not only saw world-class riding from veteran show jumpers around the world, but was also the stage for future stars of the Hong Kong equestrian sport. Leung Oi Man took home the trophy on Day 2 in The Hong Kong Jockey Club Junior Challenge and Nathaniel Chan came out victorious with The Hong Kong Jockey Club Junior Trophy on the competition’s final day.

In addition to top-level show jumping competition, the Longines Masters of Hong Kong offered attendees a unique luxury experience, with shopping in the Prestige Village, performances by renowned horse charmer Clemence Faivre, and nightly DJ sets that continued the party late into the evenings.

Season III of the Longines Master Series will come to its grand finale in New York on April 26-29, 2018, as the world’s top riders will travel to compete in the Big Apple in the debut of the New York event at NYCB Live, home of the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum. Spectators will enjoy one-of-a-kind artwork, luxury shopping, delectable cuisine, and ongoing musical performances as they witness the best professional and amateur riders compete alongside each other on this historic stage for the first time.

Tickets for the 2018 Longines Masters of New York are available for purchase at https://longinesmasters.com/en/new-york/ticketing/ and on www.ticketmasters.com.

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ABOUT EEM
A passionate of equestrian sports, Christophe Ameeuw - CEO of EEM and Founder of the Longines Masters Paris-Hong Kong-New York Series - founded the Ecuries d’Ecaussinnes in 1997. Based in Belgium, the stables are internationally reputed for their activities in trading sport horses and high-standard breeding. They are also home to an offering some of the best teaching available in the field. In opening EEM, Christophe Ameeuw and his teams were in pursuit of a challenge: to reinvent show jumping by organizing equestrian events of an entirely new kind. The company built its development by creating the concept of the “Masters”, which together, under the same roof, the best of show-jumping, resplendent displays and art de vivre. After the successes of the Audi Masters in Brussels and the Gucci Masters in Paris, EEM came out with one of the world’s most prestigious equestrian events, the Longines Masters Series, on three continents, in Paris, Hong Kong and New York. Inspired by the Grand Slam in Tennis, EEM created a concurrent “Grand Slam Indoor of Show Jumping”, approved by the FEI, this intercontinental challenge is offered to the world's elite in show jumping, with two prize levels: The Super Grand Slam - a €2,250,000 super bonus for the three consecutive wins in the Longines Grand Prix, in the season order -  The Grand Slam - a €1,000,000 bonus for three successive victories at Longines Grand Prix straddling two Longines Masters seasons.

In 2017, EEM will be creating a new iconic competition, the Riders Masters Cup. Offered to the public alongside the EEF (European Equestrian Federation) and alternating between Europe and the United States, this battle will pit the world's two leading powers in show jumping against one another: Europe and the United States. On the Asian continent, “Asia Horse Week”, rallying point for the international equestrian community there, also serves as a prime setting for the Longines Masters of Hong Kong, illustrating EEM's determination to develop the sport's international arms in the Asia-Pacific Region. Firmly set on putting equestrian sports front and center and making them accessible to all, EEM rolled out a new digital TV channel on November 14, 2017. EEM.tv offers viewers the chance to follow live and free of charge all EEM events worldwide.

For more information, visit www.eemworld.com

ABOUT THE LONGINES MASTERS
Set in the three of the world's most emblematic metropolises - Paris, Hong Kong and New York - the Longines Masters series is recognized as one of the most prestigious events in the equestrian world. Created by EEM and inspired by the Tennis Grand Slam, the series quickly expanded their international reach (Hong Kong in 2013, Los Angeles in 2014). In 2015, the inter-continental trilogy turned into the Longines Masters Series.  Alongside it, EEM created the “Grand Slam of Indoor Show Jumping”, approved by the FEI, the Grand Slam Indoor is the ultimate challenge for the world's elite in show jumping, with two levels of prizes:The Super Grand Slam: a bonus of 2.25 million Euros for winning 3 consecutive Longines Grand Prix in the same season. The Grand Slam: a bonus of 1 million Euros for three successive victories in the Longines Grand Prix from one season to the next. The TV broadcast of the Longines Masters Series reachers, to over 120 countries, almost 320 million households, a coverage increased this year by the launch of EEM.tv, the new digital channel of EEM. It allows everybody to freely livestream the all competition and events during the four days. Save the date : Paris 2017 : November 30th – December 3rd Hong Kong 2018 : February 9th – February 11thNew-York : April 26th – April 29th
For more information, see www.longinesmasters.com

ABOUT LONGINES
Based in Saint-Imier, Switzerland since 1832, the watch-maker Longines can lay claim to know-how honed through tradition, elegance and high-performance. Its long-lasting involvement in sports' timekeeping at world championships and as partner to international federations has helped Longines develop solid, lasting bonds with the world of sport. Renowned for the elegance of its timekeeping devices, Longines is a member of Swatch Group SA, the world's leading maker of time-keeping products. With a winged hourglass as its emblem, the brand is established in over 150 countries.
Information : Longines International Public Relations - 2610 Saint-Imier, Switzerland
Contact Longines : Clémence Dhiver - clemence.dhiver@Swatchgroup.com - +33 153 812 271
Site : www.longines.com - Email : publicrelations@longines.com