2018 FEI World Equestrian Games
The 2018 FEI World Equestrian Games were held in Mill Spring, North Carolina, U.S. at the Tryon International Equestrian Center, from September 11 to September 23, 2018. This is the eighth edition of the games, which are held every four years and run by the International Federation for Equestrian Sports. This is the second time that North America is hosting the Games, the previous time being in 2010, when the United States were also the hosts. United States were the first nation to host the Games twice.
Bidding process
The initial bidding process for the 2018 edition of the World Equestrian Games started in 2011 with the initial application stage. Eight countries expressed their interest, and five of them became official candidates in 2012: Rabat, Bromont, Budapest, Vienna and Wellington. Australia, Russia and Sweden withdrew before the official candidature phase.By 2013, four of the official candidates dropped out, leaving only Bromont in the running. However, instead of awarding the Games to Canada, FEI decided to re-open the bidding process on July 1, 2013, as the Bromont bid was lacking financial support. Bromont remained in the running and was joined by two USA candidates as well as Great Britain.
Great Britain and Wellington dropped out, leaving only Bromont and Lexington in contention. Bromont was finally awarded the hosting rights on June 9, 2014.
Bromont withdrew from hosting in 2016, as the financial support was not secured. Following Bromont's withdrawal, Tryon, North Carolina and Šamorín, Slovakia expressed their interest in hosting the event. Tryon was awarded the Games on November 3, 2016.
Venues
- Tryon International Equestrian Center, Mill Spring, North Carolina
- * U.S. Trust Arena – Jumping, Dressage and Eventing
- * Tryon Stadium – Ceremonies, Eventing and Para-dressage
- * Covered Arena – Reining and Vaulting
- * Driving Stadium – Driving
- * White Oak Course - Eventing and Driving
- * TIEC and surrounding farmland - Endurance
Officials
;Dressage
- Anne Gribbons
- Katrina Wüst
- Mariëtte Sanders-van Gansewinkel
- Andrew Gardner
- Hans-Christian Matthiesen
- Annette Fransen-Iacobaeus
- Susan Hoevenaars
- Cara Whitham
- Frances Hesketh-Jones
- David M. Distler
- Joachim Geilfus
- John Taylor
- Neill O'Connor
- Leopoldo Palacios
- Anne-Mette Binder
- Jane Hamlin
- Andrew Bennie
- Stephan Ellenbruch
- Martin Plewa
- Hanneke Gerritsen
- Anne Prain
- Marco Orsini
- Kristi Wysocki
- Suzanne Cunningham
- Sarah Leitch
- Marc Urban
- Jan Holger Holtschmidt
Logistics
Schedule
All times are Eastern Daylight Time● | Event Competitions | 1 | Number of Gold Medal Events |
September | 12 Wed | 13 Thu | 14 Fri | 15 Sat | 16 Sun | 17 Mon | 18 Tue | 19 Wed | 20 Thu | 21 Fri | 22 Sat | 23 Sun | Gold medal events |
Dressage | ● | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | ||||||||
Driving | ● | ● | 2 | 2 | |||||||||
Endurance | 2 | 2 | |||||||||||
Eventing | ● | ● | ● | 2 | 2 | ||||||||
Jumping | ● | ● | 1 | 1 | 2 | ||||||||
Para-dressage | 3 | 2 | ● | 1 | 5 | 11 | |||||||
Reining | 1 | ● | 1 | 2 | |||||||||
Vaulting | ● | 1 | 1 | 3 | 5 | ||||||||
Total gold medal events | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 8 | 3 | 29 |
Cumulative total | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 9 | 9 | 12 | 15 | 16 | 18 | 26 | 29 | 29 |
Ceremonies
Dressage
Driving
Endurance
Eventing
Jumping
Reining
Vaulting
Para-Dressage
Participating nations
68 nations are scheduled to take part.- Argentina
- Australia
- Austria
- Bahrain
- Belgium
- Bermuda
- Bolivia
- Brazil
- Canada
- Chile
- China
- Colombia
- Costa Rica
- Czech Republic
- Denmark
- Ecuador
- Egypt
- Finland
- France
- Georgia
- Germany
- Great Britain
- Guatemala
- Hong Kong
- Hungary
- India
- Ireland
- Israel
- Italy
- Japan
- Jordan
- Kazakhstan
- Kuwait
- Latvia
- Lebanon
- Luxembourg
- Macedonia
- Mexico
- Morocco
- Netherlands
- New Zealand
- Norway
- Oman
- Palestine
- Peru
- Philippines
- Poland
- Portugal
- Qatar
- Romania
- Russia
- Saudi Arabia
- Singapore
- Slovakia
- South Africa
- South Korea
- Spain
- Sri Lanka
- Sweden
- Switzerland
- Chinese Taipei
- Thailand
- Ukraine
- United Arab Emirates
- United States
- Uruguay
- Venezuela
- Virgin Islands
Medal summary
Dressage
Driving
Endurance
Eventing
Jumping
Reining
Vaulting
- individual, - squadPara-dressage
Medal table
Host nationHurricane Florence
Hurricane Florence is expected to hit the Tryon Internation Equestrian Center and the surrounding area during the first week of the World Equestrian Games. Possible impacts could include heavy rainfall and increased gusts of wind. A special contingency plan has been addressed for the situation.Depending on the severity of the storm, the contingency plan will include accommodating all horses on-venue in permanent barns, moving grooms accommodated on-site to permanent buildings at the venue, advising shelter locations for all personnel, continuing discussions with airports and Emirates airline on any necessary steps regarding horse arrivals/departures, ensuring smaller tents in the vendor area are tie-strapped together for security, carrying out additional drainage/water channeling to prevent flooding, purchasing additional fuel tanks and filling all fuel tanks to run the generators, preparing to remove fence scrim already installed and taking down flags.
WEQx Games
Alongside the World Equestrian Games, Tryon International Equestrian Center will simultaneously host the inaugural WEQx Games. WEQx Games are scheduled to feature nine spectator-friendly equine competitions that should "highlight the accessibility, diversity, athleticism, and passion for horses and horse sport for athletes of all ages".WEQx Events:
- U-25 U.S. Open Championship
- U.S. Open Speed Horse
- DerbyX
- Battle of the Sexes
- Match Race
- Puissance
- Six Bar
- Pony Jumpers
- Gladiator Polo