Beach Buzz: Longines Show horse jumping event set for South Beach

First it was Polo on the sands of South Beach; now comes show jumping. The Longines Global Champions Tour comes to the USA for the first time April 2-4 at 2100 Collins Park (behind the Setai).

More than 220 horses and their riders will participate in the three-day world class jumping competition, which offers $1 million in prizes across 14 classes, including the $600,000 Longines GCT Grand Prix and the prestigious American Invitational.

Star riders (men and women compete on equal grounds) slated to jump include: World No. 1 Scott Brash, double Olympic Gold Medalist Beezie Madden and rising U.S. star Jessica Springsteen.

Over the past decade, the Longines GCT Championship series has grown from six to 15 events, including this year’s inaugural shows in Miami Beach and Rome.

Jumping runs from approximately 8 a.m. through 6 p.m. daily. While VIP hospitality tables are already sold out, admission is free for grandstand spectators on a first-come, first served basis. There’s also a shopping village offering equestrian gear and a Longines store.

To learn more, visit www.globalchampionstour.com.

WALKING FOR A CURE

The sixth annual Wendy Walk Miami (5K) for Liposarcoma cancer research takes place from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. April 12 at Palm Island Park in Miami Beach.

The Wendy Walk was founded in 2010 by the children of L.A. resident Wendy Landes as she battled the rare (and currently incurable) form of soft tissue cancer. Landes passed away in 2013 at age 58, but the walks have continued — and expanded.

To date, Wendy Walks in Los Angeles, New York, Park City and Miami have raised more than $2.1 million for research, receiving support from celebrities including Matthew Perry, Sugar Ray Leonard, Katie Couric and Patrick Dempsey.

Co-chairs for the Miami Walk are Michael and Stephanie Rosen (Landes’ brother and sister-in-law) and their children, Alec, Kayla and Sierra Rosen of Miami Beach, Jackie Landes (Wendy’s daughter) and Emily Carter, a student at University of Miami.

“The Wendy Walk continues to expand nationally in the fight against Liposarcoma through the Liddy Shriver Sarcoma Initiative,” Stephanie Rosen said. “The events also help to promote Wendy’s motto, which was ‘I am not my scans.’”

Walk registration is $65 (adult); $30 (child/student); $100 (family). To sponsor, participate or donate, visit www.wendywalk.org.

HONORING WOMEN BUSINESS LEADERS

The Commonwealth Institute of South Florida will host its 10th annual awards luncheon honoring top women-led businesses in Florida on Thursday, at the Hilton Miami Downtown, 1601 Biscayne Blvd.

The program will feature a panel of four executive honorees: Ginger Martin (American National Bank); Kuky Salazer (Private Jet Services); Gillian Thomas (Frost Museum of Science), and Alexandra Villoch (Miami Herald Media Co.).

The nonprofit TCI helps women CEOs, entrepreneurs and Senior Executives through peer mentoring, education and high-level networking.

Luncheon tickets are $125 each (members); $150 (nonmembers). To attend, call 305-799-6547 or go to: www.commonwealthinstitute.org.

A NIGHT TO REMEMBER

More than 450 patrons attended the March 11 Bass Museum event dubbed “A Night at The Museum: a Film Noir Experience.”

Attendees (most in themed attire) sipped Grey Goose cocktails, enjoyed bites by STK Miami and desserts by Chef Kris Wessel (Oolite Restaurant and Bar) and explored the museum’s galleries, transformed into retro lounges with projections of classic Hollywood crime dramas.

The evening, which featured a Film Noir photo contest (winners were WPBT’s Art Loft host Kayln James and husband, TV producer Rico James) and an auction of contemporary works donated by artists including Emmett Moore, Cristina Lei Rodriguez, Typoe and Agustin Woodgate, raised more than $120,000 for museum programs.

VIP partygoers included Bass Museum Executive Director Silvia Karman Cubiñá, Director Emeritus Diane Camber, President of the Board George Lindemann, Susan and Dennis Richards and Yolanda and Jeff Berkowitz. Event chairs were Criselda Breene, Diane Lieberman and Soledad Pićon.

The Bass Museum is at 2100 Collins Ave. in Miami Beach. For details, call 305-673-7530 or visit www.bassmuseum.org.

JUMP TEAM HONORED

The Hebrew Academy JUMP Team was recognized by the Miami Beach City Commission on March 18 for participating in the National Jewish Unity Mentoring Program Competition, a four-month leadership program for Jewish day school students across North America.

The JUMP program addressed four topics: “Chesed” (Kindness), Fundraising, Israel Awareness and Texting and Driving. For the latter, students partnered with the Miami Beach police and the City to print cards saying “Don’t text and drive — it can save a life” and “It can w8” thumb bands, both to be handed out by police.

Hebrew Academy students and faculty honored included Michael Bixon, Adina Bronstein, Elinor Dahan, Merah Frank, Avraham Hilu, Ariela Israelov, Alix Klein (co-captain), Jacob Mitrani (co-captain), Aliza Posner, Malka Suster and Oshrat Twito (Teacher Mentor).

This story was originally published March 25, 2015 at 4:08 PM with the headline "Beach Buzz: Longines Show horse jumping event set for South Beach."