Ride On Time

In its patronage of two of the world’s most prestigious equestrian events, Rolex continues a six-decade tradition of supporting competitive riding

ince 1957, when the Swiss watchmaker forged an alliance with British showjumper Pat Smythe, Rolex has been closely aligned with equestrianism. Today, the brand counts among its testimonees numerous leading competitive riders, including Kent Farrington, Scott Brash, Eric Lamaze, Meredith Michaelsbeerbaum, Bertram Allen and Zara Tindall. Additionally, Rolex is the headline sponsor of a number of the most prestigious equestrian events, not least the Royal Windsor Horse Show in London and the Rolex Central Park Horse Show in New York.

The watchmaker feels its values of elegance, precision and testing the very limits of performance are wonderfully reflected by events such as these, which attract the best riders on earth. One such outstanding equestrian, leading showjumper Kent Farrington, describes the Royal Windsor Horse Show as “five days of top-flight competition, set against the backdrop of historic Windsor Castle,” boasting “worldclass showjumping, dressage, carriage driving and endurance riding competitions.”

Farrington, who picked up a silver medal at the 2016 Olympics as a member of the US showjumping team, and won the Rolex Grand Prix at Royal Windsor in 2017 and the Grand Prix at the Rolex Central Park Horse Show that same year, chooses to wear a Rolex Gmt-master II. The watch, very handily, allows him to track the time simultaneously in Berkshire and Manhattan, home to these two illustrious events.

Of the annual Royal Windsor Horse Show, Farrington says, “I was privileged to win there in 2016, as that year the show included 90th birthday celebrations for Her Majesty the Queen.” (We might add that Queen Elizabeth II competed in the show before her ascension to the throne, as did her sister, Princess Margaret.) “I even got to meet her.”

Originally known as the Windsor Horse and Dog Show, the event was established in 1943 to aid the war effort, and performed