International Equestrian Group Announces Postponement of 2018 Rolex Central Park Horse Show; Will Welcome Inaugural CSI 5* Jumping Competition in 2019

The International Equestrian Group (IEG), managing entity of the Rolex Central Park Horse Show (RCPHS), has announced the postponement of the 2018 edition of the show due to competition conflicts slated during the event’s time frame. IEG has also confirmed the 2019 Rolex Central Park Horse Show will welcome FEI CSI 5* competition for the first time in the event’s history. The fifth annual RCPHS was initially scheduled to take place from September 26-30, 2018 in Wollman Rink.

The 2019 RCPHS will take place from September 18-22, 2019. “Our organization is disappointed to announce the postponement of the 2018 Rolex Central Park Horse Show this year due to incompatible FEI competition dates during the month of September and early October,” said Mark Bellissimo, CEO of IEG. “Running the competition only a week after the FEI World Equestrian Games Tryon 2018 and competing simultaneously with the American Gold Cup CSI-W, followed by FEI Nations Cup Final™ in Barcelona only a week later is not conducive to our competitors’ schedules or for their horses’ welfare.”

The Rolex Central Park Horse will return to Wollman Rink in 2019 with upgraded FEI CSI 5* competition.

“I would like to extend our most sincere gratitude to our longstanding partners at Rolex for their trust and understanding in the decision to postpone this year. 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,” continued Bellissimo. “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.”

Mark Bellissimo and team conceptualized RCPHS five years ago in an effort to bring mainstream equestrian sport to the masses through the organization of an elite competition in the heart of New York City. The competition, hosted over five days annually in Wollman Rink, has showcased the equestrian disciplines of Dressage, Jumping, Arena Eventing, Hunters, Arabians, Arena Polo, and Pony Club Games throughout its duration. The weeklong event concludes with the immensely popular Family Day, which allows city-goers and horse enthusiasts alike the opportunity to experience the magic of horses for free throughout the day on Sunday. Children’s activities, equine demonstrations, athlete Meet & Greets, and more have made Family Day a staple of the competition week.

To learn more about the Rolex Central Park Horse Show (RCPHS) and the 2019 edition of competition, please visit www.centralparkhorseshow.com.

About Rolex Central Park Horse Show

Originally launched in September 2014, Rolex Central Park Horse Show is the first-ever outdoor, multi-day equestrian sporting event in New York City, showcasing some of the best show jumpers and dressage riders in the world as they vie for top prizes against a backdrop of skyscrapers in one of the world’s most iconic venues. As the event founder, Mark Bellissimo is the CEO of Equestrian Sport Productions and International Equestrian Group LLC; Managing Partner of Wellington Equestrian Partners (WEP), Tryon Equestrian Partners and Colorado Equestrian Partners, and Publisher of The Chronicle of The Horse magazine. The Rolex Central Park Horse Show will feature five days of multi-discipline equestrian sport and performances, ranging from Arabians and Dressage to Hunters and Show Jumping.

For more information, visit www.centralparkhorseshow.com or Facebook at www.facebook.com/CPhorseshow and follow @cphorseshow on Twitter and Instagram.

Suzanne Ashton

Suzanne Ashton, Founder of Everything Horse (Est, 2012), has a BA Hons in Marketing Management and a Diploma in Equine Science. Suzanne has ridden and owned horses all her life and has twelve years of experience in marketing, writing, design, SEO, and website creation.