Tryon, NC – September 4, 2018 – The World Equine Expo™ (WEE) and the EQUUS Film Festival (EFF) presented by Mustang Leadership Partners are working together to bring a new experience for those attending this year’s FEI World Equestrian Games™ (WEG) Tryon 2018 from September 11-23 at Tryon International Equestrian Center (TIEC) in Western North Carolina.

For the first time ever, equestrian-themed movies will be added into the mix of entertainment and activities at WEG, giving those from near and far the opportunity to watch films they may never have had the chance to see, ranging from documentaries to feature-length productions. From noon until 5:00 p.m. EST every day, beginning on the 11th and continuing through the 23rd, a variety of films, many related to the eight FEI disciplines showcased at WEG, will be featured in the all new EQUUS Theater located near Legends Plaza as part of the World Equine Expo™, thanks to presenting sponsor, Mustang Leadership Partners.

Evening programs will run from 6:30 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. EST on all days except for September 11, 17, and 23.

A Sampling of the Films

The EFF will offer the opportunity for spectators and attendees a chance to not only see the top competitors vie for medals at this prestigious event, but enjoy a variety of movies about horses from all around the world.

Endurance riders will be featured in All the Wild Horses, highlighting an intense cross-country race that takes place in Mongolia. Enthusiasts of the sport of Driving will appreciate The Caravan, showcasing the journey of a five-month carriage trek across America. Dressage fans will enjoy learning the true story of Totilas, following this iconic athlete’s journey after his 2010 WEG Gold medal victory.

For those interested in Reining and Para-Dressage, It’s Reining and Para Reining will give an insider’s view of these fascinating and heart-warming disciplines. Eventers will want to see Riding High, which dives into the robust history of Eventing in Australia. Vaulters will love The Horse Dancer, a feature-film about the discipline Vaulting, starring two of the Canadian Vaulting team horses.

Harry and Snowman has become an instant classic and will be a thrill for fans of Jumping, as the story about the horse who after being saved from the slaughterhouse became a world champion, and Desert Flight, a love letter to the sport.

There will also be films for polo fans, because The Four Horsemen will get to the heart of the sport.

While this is only a sampling of the many films being shown, it doesn’t matter what discipline you enjoy because the 100+ films in 84 hours over the 13 days will appeal to any audience.

Thinking outside the Box

With the goal of creating a unique experience at a World Equestrian Games, leadership is thinking outside the box and incorporating new and different opportunities. Knowing that the six-year-old EQUUS Film Festival is all about national and international horse films, they invited founder, Lisa Diersen, and Co-Organizer, Diana De Rosa, to map out a plan to include horse films designed to entertain an audience that will be coming from all over the world.

Not only will those attending have the opportunity to witness fabulous films but also get a chance to meet over 35 of the filmmakers and equine movie stars up close and personal. In addition to the films, there will be filmmaker and Q&A panels on the Coca-Cola Stage and meet & greets outside the theater. Some of those attending will also be doing demonstrations.

“Misty was the first horse movie I fell in love with as a child and my love for horse films has never stopped. I feel honored to be able to share my passion with the world at this amazing event. Our filmmakers work tirelessly creating the wonderful films that we have in the EQUUS Film Festival collection. By bringing our equine movie star horses along with EFF authors and artists to the world stage in Tryon, the dream of sharing horse movies with the world is coming true! I’m grateful for my amazing EFF Co-Organizer Diana De Rosa and our EFF team; thank you all for helping to make this happen,” commented Diersen.

“As an equine journalist, I’ve covered eight Olympic Games and every World Equestrian Games and this will be my ninth. I join Lisa noting how excited we are for the over half million expected attendees to have the chance to see so many wonderful horse films,” added De Rosa.

“We’re thrilled to welcome the EQUUS Film Festival to the programming of the World Equine Expo during the inaugural year,” said Paige Bellissimo, Director of the World Equine Expo™. “The films and stories are inspirational and moving, aligning perfectly with what we’re showcasing at Tryon International Equestrian Center during the World Equine Expo as well as during the FEI World Equestrian Games. There’s an element to film that people are passionate about and integrating the love for horses and equestrian sport will be a welcomed addition to what we anticipate will be a fantastic Expo.”

Presenting Sponsor Mustang Leadership Partners

With the support of presenting sponsor, Mustang Leadership Partners, films at the ninth World Equestrian Games have become a reality, as they will be the key sponsor for the building of the EQUUS Theater where the films will be shown.

The Mustang Leadership Partners is part of the Chattanooga Girls Leadership Academy, Tennessee’s first all-girls public charter school, which Sue Anne Wells founded in 2009. Realizing the powerful leadership lessons that mustangs can provide, Wells decided to launch an equestrian program. The students meet two hours each week and are challenged to make connections between their work with mustangs and their own lives. Wells will be at WEG with four mustangs and ten girls from the Academy.

Wells made the decision to become presenting sponsor after her film, When the Dust Settles, was shown at the Festival in 2017 where it won both the Wild Horse Full Length Documentary and Best of Festival about Wild Horses WINNIE Awards. This film shows the parallel struggles and triumphs that mustangs and disadvantaged girls from inner city Chattanooga have faced in their lives. It gave Wells a chance to realize that not only did she have a wonderful platform to showcase her film, but so did all the other hardworking filmmakers.

“Horses have become such a meaningful and essential part of these girls’ lives; seeing films that honor these animals will be life changing for them,” remarked Wells. “We all will enthusiastically celebrate the filmmakers who come from parts unknown to share their films with the World Equestrian Games’ audience.”

It’s Not Too Late to Watch World Class Competition and See a Host of Horse Films

If you haven’t already put this year’s FEI World Equestrian Games™ Tryon 2018 on your schedule, here’s your chance to not only watch the top equestrians in the world but also be entertained by some of the best horsemen. And in between be sure to stop at the EQUUS Theater to not only enjoy excellent films but to support the passionate work of the many filmmakers. Knowing you are taking the time to watch their film makes all the long hours and hard work worth it.

For a complete list of films being shown, the filmmakers and talent coming to support their films and those doing demonstrations, go to www.equusfilmfestival.net. For more about the FEI World Equestrian Games Tryon 2018, visit www.Tryon2018.com and http://www.fei.org/tryon-2018.

ABOUT THE EQUUS FILM FESTIVAL

Founded in 2013 by director Lisa Diersen and adding Diana De Rosa as co-organizer in 2015, the EQUUS Film Festival has grown into the “don’t miss” equestrian film industry event. In 2017, over 80 films were shown with the opportunity to win coveted WINNIE Awards for being the best in the herd, including Equestrian Art Film, Director, Documentary, Commercial, International, Music Video, People’s Choice and Best of Festival. EQUUS has also created WINNIE Award categories for Literature and Art, which has rounded out its commitment to being the home to the storytellers of the horse world.

Contact: Press Link
Phone: 516-848-4867
Email: dderosa1@optonline.net

TRYON, NC, USA – August 23, 2018 – The World Equine Expo™, hosted September 11-23, 2018 alongside the FEI World Equestrian Games™ Tryon 2018 (WEG) at Tryon International Equestrian Center (TIEC), is set to host an abundance of diverse programming including a highlight piece featuring the Equus Film Festival, presented by the Mustang Leadership Partners, LLC. Access to the World Equine Expo™ and all programming is included with any WEG competition ticket, but Grounds Passes, which offer access to the general public facility grounds, can be purchased individually at www.Tryon2018.com for $20 per adult and $10 for children 3-12 years old, with free admission for children 2 years old and younger.

The EQUUS Film Festival, presented by Mustang Leadership Partners, LLC, will take place over the two weeks of the World Equine Expo™ airing inspiring, heart-warming, and informative films screened throughout each day. The festival will showcase films from 12:00p.m. to 5:00p.m. every hour, and then Featured Films will air each night from 6:00p.m. to 8:30p.m.

The Coca-Cola® Stage will also host an EQUUS Filmmakers Q&A each morning at 10:00a.m. and again at 5:00p.m. to discuss films aired throughout the day and featured films set to play each evening.

View the schedule of featured films and descriptions for each week below.

Week 1 Featured Films:

Wed. Sept. 12th: “Down the Fence” – 94 min – Each year, horse trainers journey to Reno, Nevada to compete for one of the most challenging equestrian championships in the world. For the trainers, winning means putting food on the table and hay in the barn for another year. For the world, it means another year of survival for a culture at risk and the continued refinement of the art of vaquero-style horsemanship that dates back to the first Spanish missions in California.

Thurs. Sept. 13th: “Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Requiem” – 70 min – The French equine artist and theatrical genius Bartabas presents Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s Requiem. Horses and riders from the formidable Academie Equestre de Versailles join forces with the Musiciens du Louvre, conducted by Marc Minkowski, the Salzburger Bachchor and ”an excellent quartet of soloists.” An absolute highlight of Salzburg’s Mozart Week with ”highest art of sound and riding.”

Fri. Sept. 14th: “The Story of Totilas” – 83 min – The most-talked about horse in the world came, saw, and conquered the Dressage world with his rider Edward Gal. Together they won the heart of millions all over the world, winning three titles at the FEI World Equestrian Games™ and setting multiple record scores in Kentucky in 2010.

Sat. Sept. 15th: “Healing with Horses” – 17 min – A documentary about a local mission with a global message, using vaulting horses to help with the healing process.

“When the Dust Settles” – 45 mins – The film shows how the struggles of wild horses mirror those of disadvantaged girls, resulting in an earned trust when they’re given an opportunity to prove their worthiness to the world.

Sun. Sept. 16th: “All the Wild Horses” – 90 min – “All the Wild Horses” follows five international riders from the USA, Canada, South Africa, Ireland, and the UK as they compete in the Mongol Derby horse race in Mongolia. This multi-horse, multi-station race over a 1000 kilometers of Mongolian steppe is the longest and toughest horse race on the planet. The riders are out on their own and navigate with GPS from horse station to horse station, where they change their horses every 40 kilometers.

Week 2 Featured Films:

Tues. Sept. 18th: “The Horse Dancer” – 114 min – When one of America’s most promising young gymnasts, Samantha Wick, is cut from the Olympic team, she decides to follow her dreams of horseback riding by joining a girl’s horse camp. With financial troubles threatening to shut the camp down, Samantha uses her gymnastic prowess to start an equestrian vaulting (“horse-dancing”) team to raise money and save the camp!

Wed. Sept. 19th: “Li’L Herc A Horse” – 7 min – “Li’l Herc”: The Power of Kindness shares how Li’l Herc helps ‘Marie’ heal from a difficult time in her life due to a lifelong illness. Because she is unable to run and play or even go to school, Marie feels “different” than other kids, and worries things may never change for her. “Li’l Herc” is based on Hercules, the real-life Lusitano bay colt. Li’l Herc is brought into Marie’s life by Frida to help Marie overcome her sadness and frustration.

“The Wild Ponies of Chincoteague” – 59 min – The ponies swam free of the sinking ship and reached the New World. Decedents of that lost band live today, wild and free, on the barrier island, Assateague, Virginia. The local fire company owns the herd now. To keep the population in check foals are auctioned each year. Sabrina Dobbins made a winning bid and took a pony home. For Sabrina it was a pivotal moment.

Thurs. Sept. 20th: “Golden Genes” – 53 min – Show jumping horses bred in the Netherlands are some of the best in the world. It is no coincidence that foreign riders won gold and silver medals in the Olympic Games of 2008 on Dutch horses. This is big business and passionate breeders have everything they need available in the Netherlands.

Fri. Sept. 21st: “Harry & Snowman” – 84 min – Dutch immigrant, Harry deLeyer, journeyed to the United States after World War II and developed a transformative relationship with a broken-down Amish plow horse he rescued off a slaughter truck bound for the glue factory. Harry paid 80 dollars for the horse and named him Snowman. In less than two years, Harry & Snowman went on to win the triple crown of show jumping, beating the nation’s blue bloods. They became famous and traveled around the world together. Their chance meeting at a Pennsylvania horse auction saved them both and crafted a friendship that lasted a lifetime. Eighty-six-year-old Harry tells their Cinderella love story firsthand, as he continues to train on today’s show jumping circuit.

Sat. Sept. 22nd: “The Caravan” – 110 min – An inside look aboard The Caravan where adventurers grapple with route-finding, mother nature & group dynamics in an epic horse-drawn experience across America. The film follows carriage drivers & horse riders who alter their lives for a five-month pilgrimage. Aged from 11 to 80, they travel from California to Florida over 2,500 miles. Gerard Paagman leads the group with his team of Friesian horses.

For more information and descriptions on all of the EQUUS Films and Featured Films, click here.

Learn more at www.Tryon.com.