Kent Farrington and HH Azur honored as the 2017 Longines FEI World’s Best Jumping Rider & Horse

Longines and the Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI) were proud to honor the 2017 world’s highest officially rated jumping horse and rider during a ceremony held at the iconic Mairie de Paris on Wednesday 11 April 2018. On this occasion, the Longines FEI World’s Best Jumping Horse and Rider Awards – aimed to recognize achievement and outstanding performance in Jumping across the globe – were presented for the very first time. USA’s talented rider Kent Farrington and amazing mare HH Azur are the inaugural winners of these prestigious awards.

Longines and the Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI) were delighted to celebrate 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.

On 11 April 2018 in Paris, the 2017 Longines FEI World’s Best Jumping Rider, Kent Farrington with Juan-Carlos Capelli, Longines Vice President and Head of International Marketing and Ingmar De Vos, President of the FEI

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 were proud to celebrate 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.

On 11 April 2018 in Paris, the 2017 Longines FEI World’s Best Jumping Horse’s representative François Mathy accompanied by his wife Claudia Mathy and HH Azur’s rider McLain Ward with Juan-Carlos Capelli, Longines Vice President and Head of International Marketing and Ingmar De Vos, President of the FEI

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 magnificent 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.

The trophies and Longines timepieces given to the 2017 Longines World’s Best Jumping Horse and Rider Awards winners

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.