Longines yesterday signed a 10-year partnership agreement with the Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI) in the Olympic capital Lausanne. Worth a nine-digit Euro sum over its term, the agreement sees Longines become the federation’s first Top Partner and both the Official Timekeeper and Official Watch of the FEI.

The partnership covers a number of major rights packages related to events organised by the FEI, which is the world governing body for equestrian events across seven disciplines, three of which are included in the programme of the Olympic Games. Longines will thus become the naming sponsor of the FEI World Rider Rankings for Jumping, official timekeeper of the Furusiyya FEI Nations CupTM from 2013 onwards and of the FEI World Equestrian Games^TM in 2018 and 2022. Additionally, Longines will be title sponsor of the FEI World Endurance Championships in 2016 and 2020. The brand will also be the new title sponsor of the FEI World Cup^TM Jumping when the 2013/2014 season starts in October of this year.

Furthermore, Longines will harness the Swatch Group’s know-how and experience to work on developing cutting-edge timekeeping and data handling services specifically for equestrian sport.

From left to right: Ingmar De Vos, FEI Secretary General; HRH Princess Haya, President FEI; Nayla Hayek, Chair of the Swatch Group Board of Directors; Juan-Carlos Capelli, Vice-President Longines and Head of International Marketing during the press conference in Lausanne.

FEI President Princess Haya explained that this is the biggest partnership agreement signed by the federation since it was founded in 1921. “It is really wonderful to be able to welcome Longines as the FEI’s first Top Partner,” she said. “Today is a truly historic day for the FEI and for equestrian sport. Longines and the FEI share a passion for horses, and this long-term agreement more than proves Longines’ commitment to our sport. We are delighted to bring Longines into the FEI family and look forward to an enduring collaboration that will benefit equestrian sport in so many different ways.”

Longines was represented at the press conference by the Swatch Group’s horse-loving Chair of the Board of Directors, Nayla Hayek, who said, “This partnership marks a giant step for Longines in the field of equestrian sports. It reinforces the traditional and long-lasting commitment of Longines in equestrian sports and makes the brand a major player in this field.”

The signature of this partnership came just one day after Swatch Group announced the acquisition of Harry Winston, Inc.