Organized by EEM World, creator and owner of prestigious indoor equestrian events, the 4th Gucci Paris Masters, the Parisian stage of the Masters Grand Slam Indoor, was yet another glittering success.
Exceeded expectations for the event…
Over the three days the Gucci Paris Masters played host to no fewer than 50,000 visitors, with the grandstands 86% full average, treating spectators to a thrilling cocktail of show, surprises and emotions.
The event proved a triumph, bringing together many of the world’s very best riders in Villepinte, including top 25 names such as Steve Guerdat, the reigning Olympic Champion, Edwina Tops-Alexander, the world’s top female show jumper since 2009, Pénélope Leprevost, European Team Vice-Champion in 2011, and Kevin Staut, currently n°5 in the FEI World Rankings. Ticket sales for this fourth Gucci Paris Masters were impressive : the Friday’s evening session had an attendance rate of 70% up compared to 2011, with four in five seats full. It was a similar story on the Saturday, which saw a 25% increase in attendance compared with 2011, while the highlight of the three days – the Gucci Grand Prix – was a total sell-out.
In a difficult economic climate, the Gucci Masters Club – Masters VIP – experienced optimum visitor rates. Yves Mattagne, the new Michelin-starred chef, in collaboration with Fleurs de Mets, offered a menu totally in line with the exceptional quality of the event.
A Global event
While the Gucci Paris Masters brilliantly succeeded in combining elegance with wide popular appeal, it also confirmed its formidable international reputation. The event received exceptional global exposure, being shown in over 190 countries, including by five new broadcasters – Horse & Country in England and the Netherlands, Qiyi and Youku in China, PTS in Taiwan and SNTV – not to mention Europe, the Middle East, Africa and South America. Thanks to its already renowned success, EEM World has also signed an agreement with the Indian channel Tensport, which reaches an audience of some 60 million homes.
EEM World is bringing to life its dream of creating a genuine equestrian Grand Slam, destined to become a fixture on the international calendar of major sporting events. The winner of the competition will walk away with the ‘Super Prize Money’.
The Parisian meeting is now the starting point for a global adventure that will continue around the world from next year onwards with the two new prestigious stages, the Longines Hong Kong Masters and the New York Masters.
For its second Indoor Masters Glam Slam meeting, EEM World is heading off to Asia for the Longines Hong Kong Masters, which will take place from February 28th to March 2nd 2013. Fresh from its sponsorship of the Longines Speed Challenge in Paris, the luxury Swiss watchmaker Longines will be lending its name to the Hong Kong Masters.
« It’s a high quality competition and it’s a real pleasure to partner an event that combines glamour, elegance, sport and precision, in front of packed grandstands. It’s a great outcome and also a media success. Our event, the Longines Speed Challenge, was a format I wasn’t familiar with. The riders played the game and it was a thrilling moment that was clearly much appreciated by the spectators. This event, which blends sport and spectacle, will also feature in Hong Kong. », said Juan-Carlos Capelli, Vice-President and Head of International Marketing at Longines.
Explaining the thinking behind the prestige watchmaker’s decision to partner the Chinese event, Juan-Carlos Capelli added: « Longines has been present in China since 1867, and has been associated with the equestrian world for 180 years. Lending our name to the Hong Kong Masters seemed like an obvious choice. All the ingredients are there to make this new meeting an unforgettable sporting experience. »
See you in Hong Kong!
La Cavalière masquée / @MaskedHorse
partenaire du Gucci Paris Masters
et du Salon du Cheval de Paris
