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World Equestrian Games
The World Equestrian Game (WEG) are held every 4 years and are made up of eight equestrian disciplines with the top horse and riders from each country taking part.
Federation Equestre Internationale ( FEI)
Formed in 1921 the FEI is the international governing body for equestrian competition disciplines and organises the World Equestrian Games.
History of Games
The WEG first started having all the equestrian disciplines at the same time and in the same place in 1990.
- 1990 Stockholm hosted the games which had six disciplines included, which were show jumping, eventing, dressage, driving, vaulting and endurance.
- 1994 The Hague hosted the WEG and had all six disciplines included.
- 1998 Rome played host to the WEG with dressage, show jumping, vaulting, eventing and driving taking pat at the Hague and the endurance taking part later on in the year in Dubai.
- 2002 Jerez hosted the games which had all six disciplines included and also for the first time Reining.
- 2006 Aachen hosted the games with all seven disciplines included.
- 2010 Kentucky will host the games with all seven disciplines and Para dressage as well.
Disciplines Involved
- Combined Driving - This involves a team of four horses being driven in three phases of the competition. Combined driving includes a dressage test followed by a cross country track that involves driving around a course which has water crossings, banks and turns and the last phase is around an obstacle course which is made up of cones , the combined driving competition demands a great amount of skill and accuracy as well as suppleness, courage and fitness.
- Dressage - Horse and rider have to ride three different dressage tests to decide the team and individual competition which culminates with the popular Grand Prix Freestyle where riders choose their own music and the order of movements to be performed.
- Jumping - There are separate competitions to determine the team and individual medals with horse and rider having to complete their show jumping rounds with as few penalties as possible whilst jumping around a course.
- Endurance Riding - Endurance riders have to complete 100 miles with the fastest horse and rider winning. There are several vet checks along the way which have to be passed in order to allow the competitors to continue.
- Eventing - Horse and rider have to complete three phases of dressage, show jumping and cross country course to decide the winners. Horse and rider must complete all three phases with as few penalties as possible.
- Reining - There are both Team and Individual competitions. Horse are rider have to show a number of reining movements such as the spin, stop, circles and lead change, stop and roll back, stop and back up and the stop. All these movements are assessed and marked to determine the winning combination. Competitors are marked with a plus or minus 1 or a 1/2 or a 0, for each movement that is performed.
- Vaulting - There are Team and Individual competitions that allow each competitor to show off their athleticism and Gymnastic ability on board their horse who must be equally talented. Music is chosen for each routine with movements that can include handstands, lifting up another team member, standing positions, dismounting and mounting and all done while the horse is in canter on a lunge line. It is not just the vaulters that are graded but also the person who is lunging and of course the horse who must stay in balance throughout the routine.
- Para equestrianism - Riders with physical disabilities compete in both team and individual dressage competitions.
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Event Schedule For Kentucky 2010
These dates are provisional and can be subject to change.
Reining
- 25th September - Team Competition
- 26th September - Team Competition
- 28th September - Individual Qualifier
- 30th September - Individual Final
Endurance
- 26th September - Competition for the Team and Individual medals.
Dressage
- 27th September - Team Grand Prix Competition.
- 28th September - Team Grand Prix Competition.
- 29th September - Grand Prix Special Competition.
- 1st October - Grand Prix Freestyle Competition.
Eventing
- 30th September - Dressage Phase.
- 1st October - Dressage Phase.
- 2nd October - Cross Country Phase.
- 3rd October - Show Jumping Final.
Driving
- 7th October - Dressage Phase of the Competition
- 8th October - Dressage Phase of the Competition
- 9th October - Cross Country Phase
- 10th October - Obstacle Course.
Jumping
- 4th October - Speed Competition.
- 5th October - Team Competition.
- 6th October - Final for the Team Competition.
- 8th October - Individual Competition.
- 9th October - Final Competition.
Vaulting
- 6th October - Team Competition and Male and Female Individual competition.
- 7th October - Individual Male and Female Freestyle competition.
- 8th October - Freestyle Team Competition and Male and Female individual competition.
- 9th October - Freestyle Male and Female Final.
- 10th October - Freestyle Team Final.
Para Dressage
- 5th October - Individual Team Competition.
- 6th October - Individual Championship Test Competition
- 7th October - Individual Championship Test Competition.
- 8th October - Individual Freestyle Competition.
- 9th October - Individual Freestyle Competition.
- 10th October - Individual Freestyle Competition.
Location
Kentucky Horse Park is situated 4 miles North of Lexington and 3 miles South Of Georgetown.
By Air
You can fly to Blue Grass Airport (LEX), The Louisville International Airport (SDF) and Cincinnati International Airport (CVG) are within driving distance of Lexington. |
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