There had been speculation for months that the Rolex Central Park Horse Show would not be held this year, because entrepreneur Mark Bellissimo’s team was busy putting on the World Equestrian Games in the same time frame.
Word finally came that the show isn’t happening this year, with a promise that it will be held Sept. 18-22, 2019, with a 5-star jumper competition. Interestingly, however, the Longines Global Champions Tour has just announced it will be holding its first show in Canada on approximately the same dates (Sept. 19-22) in the Old Port of Montreal. The war of the watches continues… .
The Longines Global Champions Tour specializes in interesting and exotic locales, from oceanside in Miami Beach to the base of the Eiffel Tower in Paris. It is also listed on the 2019 FEI calendar with a show at Randall’s Island off Manhattan, Queens and the Bronx. The park is a public/private operation that hosts many sporting events, including track meets at Icahn Stadium
The change for Central Park this year was due to competition conflicts in its time frame .The American Gold Cup, which was moved from its usual date earlier in the month to the last weekend in September, is running at the same time as Central Park would have been held. FEI rules would not allow the 5-star Gold Cup to be held during the WEG. And on top of that, the Nations’ Cup final in Barcelona is the next weekend.
The conflicts are “not conducive to our competitors’ schedules or for their horses’ welfare,” Mark explained.
The Central Park show debuted five years ago in the Wollman Rink, putting to rest doubters’ contention that such a competition could not be done. Highlights included jumpers, hunters and Grand Prix dressage, all against the backdrop of soaring skyscrapers. The 2016 show featured an exhibition by Charlotte Dujardin and her multi-gold medal mount, Valegro.
However, last year the show didn’t jibe with the high-level dressage riders’ calendars, so arena eventing was substituted. It has always been multi-discipline, with polo and Arabians among the presentations, along with a family day.
Thinking ahead to next year, Mark said, “With the new CSI 5* rating in 2019, we will attract some of the sport’s most notable athletes, as the Rolex Central Park Horse Show will join the exclusive list of CSI 5* equestrian competitions supported by Rolex.
“Our team is already orchestrating what we plan to be one of the greatest RCPHS experiences, which will bring top athletes from around the globe to compete in front of the world’s most iconic city skyline next fall.”