Rolex Discontinues Title Sponsorship Of Kentucky Three-Day Event

[mmeqcenter]

@Janet

I may be misremembering, but isn’t there another watch company (Longines maybe) that has an overall sponsorship deal with FEI. I seem to remember that the conflict between Longines (if that is who it was) FEI sponsorship deal and Rolex’s K3DE sponsorship deal was a major “fly in the ointment”. That may be part of the motivation.

Thank you for using “misremembering.” My boyfriend is adamant that I just made it up. :lol:

[Marigold]

@ShandyB

All that RK3DE logo wear is now outdated…

The polos are already gone. I had one on the list for years, but never bought because they didn’t have the year printed and I figured that made them less of an urgent buy. HUGE regret now. I will treasure what I have.

[fooler]

Sad to see the relationship end.
Timekeeping is integral to our sport. Rolex provided that service and valued prizes for not only R3DE but other international sporting events worldwide. Longines has worked hard to overtake Rolex and now has the contract with the FEI. The Rolex company has to fight back or accept being #2, at least for many sporting events.

[bornfreenowexpensive]

@Janet

I may be misremembering, but isn’t there another watch company (Longines maybe) that has an overall sponsorship deal with FEI. I seem to remember that the conflict between Longines (if that is who it was) FEI sponsorship deal and Rolex’s K3DE sponsorship deal was a major “fly in the ointment”. That may be part of the motivation.

Omega also does a lot of sponsorship with the FEI. They do/did the WEG and they were also sponsors at the Olympics. These sort of conflicts are common…and probably why FEI should NOT have title sponsors.

I love all the support that Rolex has given for especially horse sports…but I will confess. When I treated myself for a fancy expensive watch…I ended up with an Omega. It just fit me a bit better

But the read I got was Rolex was still going to be a sponsor…just not title sponsor.

[caryledee]

@Janet

I may be misremembering, but isn’t there another watch company (Longines maybe) that has an overall sponsorship deal with FEI. I seem to remember that the conflict between Longines (if that is who it was) FEI sponsorship deal and Rolex’s K3DE sponsorship deal was a major “fly in the ointment”. That may be part of the motivation.

You are correct. This came up as a major issue when KHP was in the running for WEG.

[JenJ]

wait … Rolex is a watch company?

When i hear Rolex, I think Kentucky 3day event. I think I may have forgotten that there are watches named Rolex.

[merrygoround]

@Groom&Taxi

Well, we don’t call Badminton the Mitsubishi or Burghley the Land Rover, so in that sense, it’s probably good to re-shape it as Kentucky Three Day event rather than Rolex. It seems to me that EEI had been trying to do that with some of the merchandise for a while.

I do hope they will find a title sponsor that is worthy of the event and following in Rolex’s tradition. Yum Brands anyone? :winkgrin:

I’m old enough to remember when we in the East spoke of going “to Lexington”. My only hope is that going “to Lexington” can and will continue.

Not that the Rolex connection has not been great, but then I can’t help but notice the obvious presence of Land Rover at Rolex.

[riderboy]

And no more Grand Slam? Just when I was almost ready…

[vineyridge]

They’ve signed on for the Grand Slam until something like 2020.

It’s interesting that the main Rolex Equestrianism sponsorship page already has deleted the Lexington 4* but continues to mention the Eventing Grand Slam. The only other equestrian sponsorship that they show in North America is the Central Park Horse Show. Most of their other sponsorships, other than Aachen, are in show jumping.

Maybe they’ve decided to ditch eventing completely but to fulfill their Grand Slam commitment.

[amb]

@Equibrit

Rolex, I’m sure, can get more bang for their bucks elsewhere

I was thinking “Rolex Tryon Three-Day Event”, or maybe “Rolex Fair Hill”? (Whoever wins the FEI bidding!)

[dappled]

Wow, this is pretty unbelievable. I don’t think I’ll ever be able to refer to it as anything other than Rolex. Wonder what they’ll call it now? I apologize if that was already mentioned… didn’t read the whole thread.

[SlamDunk]

@vineyridge

They’ve signed on for the Grand Slam until something like 2020.

It’s interesting that the main Rolex Equestrianism sponsorship page already has deleted the Lexington 4* but continues to mention the Eventing Grand Slam. The only other equestrian sponsorship that they show in North America is the Central Park Horse Show. Most of their other sponsorships, other than Aachen, are in show jumping.

Maybe they’ve decided to ditch eventing completely but to fulfill their Grand Slam commitment.

They’re also big sponsors at Spruce Meadows, Spruce actually lost the Nation’s Cup because of it. Same with Aachen, they both run Nation’s cups but they aren’t associated with the league. They also are big sponsors of the show jumping Grand Slam

[ctab]

I am sad to see that Rolex is no longer the title sponsor. Good to know they still will be involved until 202 in some way. It will always be Rolex for me. But once upon a time it was the Kentucky 3 day event so just going full circle. IT sounds like only the name is changing but everything else will remain the same so that is huge good news.
Anyway, it is BOGO at the store for this years stuff so grab it while you can.
https://shop.kentuckythreedayevent.com/

[Madison]

@dappled

Wow, this is pretty unbelievable. I don’t think I’ll ever be able to refer to it as anything other than Rolex. Wonder what they’ll call it now? I apologize if that was already mentioned… didn’t read the whole thread.

They’ll call it the Kentucky Three Day Event – right up until they get their next title sponsor!!

It’s going to be hard to adjust to calling it anything other than Rolex!

[SMK]

That’s not good, I’m still having a hard time calling Eckerd’s CVS.

It is a bit funny for non equestrians that we call it “Rolex”. I forget Rolex means ‘really expensive watch’ to most people, and told my boss I was taking a few days off for Rolex this year, and I got a “am I paying you too much?” look.

[Miss_Woodford]

@vineyridge

The KHP has been undergoing some serious review by the current Kentucky government administration. One of the points that was raised in one of the articles was the relationship between the park and its event renters. I wonder if that had anything to do with Rolex pulling out.

It is truly the end of an era. For 35 years Rolex has been the major sponsor for EEI at the Horse Park. 35 years is one heck of a long time.

The Rolex sponsorship was a “major fly in the ointment” when the KHP was considering a bid for WEG after Bromont imploded. More recently, the KHP withdrew a bid for the 2022 WEG because they couldn’t afford it.

Given all the other horsey things they sponsor, I’m willing to bet that the end of the relationship with the 4* had something to do with KHP’s new management.

KHP is broke broke broke, they’ve been mismanaged for quite some time. Go visit on any given day and the park is mostly empty. Hopefully they can find another big money sponsor for the 3-day but it’ll be difficult.

[OverandOnward]

I wonder of Rolex pulling out actually opens the way for other sponsors that are more what the event needs now? As mentioned above, the conflict with Longines, and Land Rover also likes being a title sponsor for certain events. And other opportunities as well?

[NCRider]

Does any of the money the FEI gets from Longhines actually benefit domestic shows or does it all sit in FEI coffers? The naming of Longines was very controversial at the time because other watchmakers had longstanding relationships with a lot of equestrian venues all over the world.

[NCRider]

What’s behind the fall of the horse park? I remember visiting as a child and there were tons of people there. Is it not a tourist destination anymore?

[vineyridge]

Land Rover is already the title sponsor for Burghley. Would they be interested in being the title sponsor of a second 4*?