Los Angeles Times<\/a><\/em>. Another 17 Olympians, including California native Lucy Davis, competed at the LA venue as well.\u00a0<\/p>\nThis year\u2019s event is expected to be no different, with the world\u2019s elite flocking to the Long Beach shoreline to watch world champion horse riders in an event that has been in the process of developing for over 10 years.<\/p>\n
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The Longines Masters Series first expanded to the US in 2014, coming to the LA Convention Center as part of a trilogy of competitions, with the others in Paris and Hong Kong, becoming the self-proclaimed \u201cGrand Slam Indoor of Show Jumping.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Longines Masters of Los Angeles is one of the most prestigious equestrian events in the world, and the City of Long Beach is proud to host the American leg of the series,\u201d said Long Beach Mayor Robert Garcia in a statement. \u201cLong Beach offers a unique blend of urban sophistication and beach city charm. Our downtown waterfront Arena is a perfect setting for both riders and spectators, with hotels, shopping, entertainment and 125 quality restaurants just steps away.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve gotten to know more about the city in the last year and a half\u2014we\u2019ve put in the effort, and when you look at the convention center, downtown Long Beach, the shots and restaurants…to me, they don\u2019t have to envy anything from any other city,\u201d said Gheysen.<\/p>\n
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He said the convention center\u2019s proximity to the relatively hassle-free Long Beach airport also helped the organizers make their decision, as the speed of the commute stood in stark contrast to that of LAX to downtown Los Angeles.<\/p>\n
The event will formally kick off on September 29 and last through October 2, 2016, with spectator access to a warm-up paddock inside the Convention Center, the arenas, and an outdoor stable area for the horses.<\/p>\n
The Speed Challenge will occur on Friday September 30, followed by the Pro-Am style competition for charity and a Gold Cup on that Saturday (Kaley Cuoco and Jennifer Gates competed last year, among others), with the most prestigious part of the competition, the Longines Grand Prix, taking place that Sunday.<\/p>\n
Dubbed an \u201cOlympic-level class with a course featuring jumps up to 1.60m in height,\u201d the Longines Grand Prix has its competitors participate in tough courses, performing double and triple combinations. The winner has the chance to win 2.25 million Euros for winning each competition within the series consecutively.<\/p>\n
Simultaneously, highly regarded chefs will concoct dishes of culinary delight around the arena. Brussels’ most decorated chef Yves Mattagne of Sea Grill, who also stars on shows like Masterchef France, will serve as one of the main draws of the event’s hospitality. The event will bring an elite crowd to the streets of Long Beach, something that may be repeated for years to come, in addition to luxury brands showcasing their wares in the Prestige Village section.\u00a0<\/p>\n
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