Tag Archives: World Equestrian Games

Phelps Media Group, Publications/Media, World Equestrian Games

Horse & Country TV’s Coverage of World Equestrian Games Begins on Thursday

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Left to right: Patrice Delaveau (FRA), Jeroen Dubbeldam (NED) and Beezie Madden (USA) on the podium at the 2014 World Equestrian Games in Normandy, France. Photo: Arnd Bronkhorst.

London, U.K. – Sept. 11, 2018 – As the 2018 FEI World Equestrian Games™ (WEG) officially kicks off, Horse & Country TV (H&C TV) is gearing up to bring exclusive, in-depth coverage of the prestigious championship straight to its viewers with its Daily Review and highlight shows.

Don’t miss a minute of the action! Cheer on your team and join H&C TV today to watch all of the competition from WEG here.

H&C TV will be showing daily one-hour recaps throughout the games in addition to coverage of all Olympic and non-Olympic events.

WEG is held every four years in the middle of the Olympic cycle and is one of the biggest events on the equestrian calendar. It features a total of eight equestrian disciplines: show jumping, dressage, para-dressage, eventing, driving, endurance, vaulting and reining. It is the major global championship of 2018.

The 2018 games are being held at the Tryon International Equestrian Center in Tryon, North Carolina, Sept. 11-23.

With a new episode broadcasting each day throughout WEG, Daily Reviews will premiere at 1 p.m. EST and will replay at 5 p.m. EST and 8 p.m. EST each day they air. The first Daily Review will premiere on Thursday, Sept. 13.

In addition, viewers can watch highlights from each discipline at the following schedule (all times EST):

  • Team dressage: Thursday, Sept. 20, at 9:30 p.m.
  • Dressage Grand Prix Special: Friday, Sept. 21, at 9:30 p.m.
  • Endurance: Friday, Sept. 21, at 10:30 p.m.
  • Dressage Grand Prix Freestyle: Saturday, Sept. 22, at 9:30 p.m.
  • Reining: Saturday, Sept. 22, at 10:30 p.m.
  • Eventing: Tuesday, Sept. 25, at 8 p.m.
  • Team jumping: Saturday, Sept. 29, at 8 p.m.
  • Para-dressage: Monday, Oct. 1, at 8 p.m.
  • Vaulting: Monday, Oct. 1, at 8:30 p.m.
  • Driving: Tuesday, Oct. 2, at 7:30 p.m.
  • Individual jumping: Tuesday, Oct. 2, at 8 p.m.

H&C TV broadcasts in Europe, Australia and in the United States on cable, satellite and broadband television, including Roku, and online at www.horseandcountrytv.us.

Art/Photography, Community/Charity, World Equestrian Games

EQUUS Film Festival to Showcase a Host of Equestrian Films at World Equestrian Games

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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

Art/Photography, Community/Charity, World Equestrian Games

EQUUS Film Festival at World Equine Expo to Feature Inspiring and Educational Films

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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.

Competitions, Dressage, Driving, Endurance Riding, Eventing/H.T., Para-Equestrian, Show Jumping, Vaulting, Western/Reining, World Equestrian Games

“Generation Z” Athletes Aiming to Shine at FEI World Equestrian Games Tryon 2018

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Photo: Liz Gregg/FEI.

Lausanne (SUI), 17 August 2018 — Over 100 “Generation Z” athletes – born between the mid-1990s and early 2000s – have been named on the nominated entry list for next month’s FEI World Equestrian Games™ Tryon 2018, the pinnacle of equestrian sport, in North Carolina (USA).

Amongst these athletes are three 10-year-old vaulters who, alongside their fellow “Gen Zs” from 27 countries in Africa, Asia, Europe, North and South America and the Middle East, are bidding to represent their nation at the FEI World Equestrian Games™.

A total of 71 countries are included in the nominated entries, a massive increase on the 58 that contested the medals at the FEI World Equestrian Games™ Kentucky 2010 when the multi-discipline event was first held outside Europe.

The full nominated entries (listed by discipline) for the FEI World Equestrian Games™ Tryon 2018, from which the final entries will be selected next month, is here: https://inside.fei.org/fei/fei-weg/2018.

The next and final stages in the Games entry process are the deadlines for definite entries: 3 September for the first week’s competition in Dressage, Eventing, Endurance and Reining, and 10 September for the second week’s events in Driving, Para-Dressage, Jumping and Vaulting.

With an anticipated 800 athletes and over 820 horses from six of the world’s seven continents scheduled to attend, the FEI World Equestrian Games™ Tryon 2018 will be one of the biggest sporting events on US soil this year, and will be held at the Tryon International Equestrian Center, set against the stunning backdrop of the Blue Ridge Mountains.

Year of youth

Young equestrian athletes are really taking centre stage in 2018. Just one month after the FEI World Equestrian Games™ Tryon 2018, 30 nations will send equestrians aged between 15-18 years to the Buenos Aires 2018 Youth Olympic Games held from 6 to 18 October 2018.

#BeOne

Equestrian fans, athletes and teams from across the globe are coming together to celebrate the sport as one and as part of the FEI campaign for the FEI World Equestrian Games™ Tryon 2018 – #BeOne.

To buy tickets for the FEI World Equestrian Games™ Tryon 2018, go to https://tryon2018.com/tickets/event-tickets and for more information on the Games, visit www.Tryon2018.com and www.fei.org/events/fei-world-equestrian-games-tryon.

Media contact:

Shannon Gibbons
Media Relations and Communications Manager
shannon.gibbons@fei.org
+41 78 750 61 46

*Featured/Spotlights, World Equestrian Games

World Equine Expo to Feature Renowned Exhibitioners, Authors, Film and Art Festivals

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Guy McLean ©Katy Driver.

TRYON, NC, USA – August 2, 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 array of diverse programming that includes renowned exhibitions, demonstrations, authors and speakers. The Equus Film Festival and an extensive Art Festival will accompany more than 200 vendors in a family-friendly, immersive and interactive experience for all World Equine Expo™ attendees. 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.

Equestrian Exhibitions

This unprecedented celebration of human-equine interaction will allow WEG and World Equine Expo™ attendees to experience nationally and internationally renowned clinicians and performers such as Guy McLean, Double Dan Horsemanship, and Monty Roberts, among many others. From informative and interactive to jaw-dropping and innovative, the exhibitions, entertainment, and experiential components of the World Equine Expo™ are a key component of the programming curriculum, and these equestrian exhibitions will be highlighted in Ring 1 alongside the Vendor Village at the heart of TIEC property.

Guy McLean, an Australian horseman and entertainer is known around the globe for his liberty performance teams, which feature Australian Stock Horses and will provide inspiring and educational exhibitions appealing to the young and old alike.

Monty Roberts, known worldwide for his “Join-Up” technique will be present two exclusive exhibitions, including working with an “unworkable” horse and collaborating with a U.S. veteran and an unschooled horse to teach each how to listen, respond, and ultimately heal each other. Roberts has trained horses for celebrities and world-changers including Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and the legendary Spanish Riding School and will bring his expertise to the Expo on September 19-20.

The World Equine Expo™ will also feature the World Breeding Federation of Sport Horses (WBFSH) Developing Jumpers Exhibition, presented by Spy Coast Farm, focusing on the evaluation of developing jumpers to educate the public on the criteria for judging young jumpers, including the height of fences and technical abilities five and six-year-old horses are required to demonstrate. This demonstration will serve to draw attention to Young Horse Championships, such as the World Breeding Jumping Championships. While the format will be similar in principle, it will vary from the annual competition in Lanaken, Belgium. Twenty-two horses will compete in jumping exhibitions from on September 20th and 21st at the World Equine Expo™.

Michael Gascon of Gascon Horsemanship has finessed his expertise with gaited horses, as well as his demonstrations and clinics on topics including Paso Soccer, 30 Minute Wild Horse Starting, Horsemanship 101, Obstacles, Solving Problem horses, and much more. Gascon will be joining the World Equine Expo™ with his incredible equine Paso Fino partners.

Showcasing unique classical Dressage skills and bridle-less riding expertise, J. P. Giacomini will be perform over 24 separate demonstrations throughout the course of two weeks at the World Equine Expo™ with his four talented Andalusian and Lusitano homebred stallions. Giacomini will be covering topics from classical Dressage at the Grand Prix level to lunging for balance, contact and bridle-less riding, preparing for a classical piaffe, work in-hand for biomechanics development, Endotapping™ and much more.

Kim Van Kampen, a founding partner of the Adequan® Global Dressage Festival (AGDF) and a longstanding partner of the Wellington Equestrian Partners (WEP), will bring eight horses to perform quadrilles on the September 13 and 14, at midday throughout Dressage competition days during Week One of the WEG. A quadrille is a riding team comprised of four dressage riders who will compete together to music. Quadrilles are easily compared to a drill team and originated from the Spanish Riding School.

Mustang Leadership Partners, LLC will be present on-site during the World Equine Expo™ as title sponsor of the Equus Film Festival and will provide a unique demonstration programming schedule. Mustang Leadership Partners, LLC provides girls and young women with an opportunity to develop, practice, and improve relationship skills, responsibility, social accountability, self-awareness and self-confidence through interactions with Mustangs.

Equus Film Festival & Art Festival

The Equus Film Festival, presented by Mustang Leadership Partners, LLC, will showcase eight discipline-dedicated films and host meet-and-greets with directors and producers to an extensive celebration of equestrian art. The Equus Film Festival will air films from 12:00 p.m.-5:00 p.m. every hour with special screenings of popular films airing each evening between 6:30 p.m.-8:00 p.m. The Art Festival will also feature galleries of local and international artists exploring all facets of horse and human interaction.

The Coca-Cola® Stage

At the Coca-Cola® Stage, a key focal point of the World Equine Expo™, attendees can experience readings and signings with New York Times Best Selling authors, learn from innovators making waves across the equestrian industry, and be entertained by brilliant performances and musical acts. The Coca-Cola® Stage programming will run at 10:00 a.m., 12:00 p.m., 2:00 p.m., and 4:00 p.m. daily.

Mary Alice Monroe’s award-winning novels have been named to many prestigious lists, including the New York Times, USA Today and SIBA. She has received numerous awards, including several Readers’ Choice Awards; the 2014 SC Book Festival Award for Excellence in Writing; the 2015 SW Florida Book Festival Distinguished Author Award; and the RT Lifetime Achievement Award. Most recently, Monroe was named by the South Carolina Academy of Authors as a member of the Literary Hall of Fame. Monroe will speak about the inspiration for her upcoming novel, The Summer Guests, set in the Tryon and Wellington equestrian communities, and the power of story to connect people and the animal world. Guests will receive a gift of the first three chapters of The Summer Guests. A portion of the proceeds from pre-orders during WEG will benefit Brooke USA, sister organization to Brooke, the Official Charity of the FEI World Equestrian Games™ Tryon 2018.

George H. Morris, former Chef d’Equipe of the U.S. Show Jumping Team, renowned rider, coach, clinician, and author, will present an inside look at the international equestrian industry from the 1950s to present day, including a special emphasis on the rich equestrian legacy of the Tryon region. Join Morris throughout both weeks of the World Equine Expo™ as he shares stories about significant equestrian events, answers questions about riding, competition and horsemanship then and now.

Week one attendees will have the chance to learn from United States Dressage Federation Bronze, Silver, and Gold Medalist Jessica Jo (J. J.) Tate, as she presents “What the Heck is Horse Ballet” and explains the ins-and-outs of the intricate and beautiful discipline of Dressage. Tate has competed at the top level of the sport around the world, and her presentation will be both entertaining and educational, whether attendees are completely new to Dressage or a seasoned competitor.

Veterinarian and zoologist Dr. David Jones is an adventurer and world traveler with a passion for wildlife and equines who will present “Tales of Tails and Toenails from This Year’s ‘Equine Industry Vision Award-Winner.'” The former director of the North Carolina Zoological Park and CEO of the Zoological Society of London, Jones has spent his 45-year career in the wildlife and zoo management fields, chasing his passion across 50 countries. He is also the chairman of the world’s largest international equine welfare charity, Brooke, the official charity of the FEI World Equestrian Games™ Tryon 2018. David currently chairs Brooke USA and is the founder and chairman of “Wild Welfare,” which seeks to improve animal welfare in zoos needing assistance in their husbandry and management. His stories from around the world can be heard from September 19-21.

CEO of Journeys Equestrian Travels Debbie Dos Santos will recount her equine experiences across the globe through her boutique, luxury travel design company that provides experiential travel, private yacht charters and villas for individuals, groups, corporate and business loyalty programs. Debbie’s Equestrian Travels are designed for the all things equestrian such as bespoke itineraries, world equestrian events and preferred properties. Attendees can catch Debbie Dos Santos between September 19-21.

Petra Ingram, CEO of Brooke, the world’s largest international equine welfare charity, will speak on the connection and love between horse and riders and educate about Brooke’s efforts to lift both horses and humans out of poverty in developing nations around the world.

British Olympic Gold Medalist in Eventing and Lady-In-Waiting to HRH The Princess Royal Jane Holderness-Roddam will discuss her amazing career in Eventing, including competing at the age of six at Madison Square Garden and share her stories of the abiding relationship between the Royals and horses, from the rural paddocks of England to the grounds of Buckingham Palace.

Leslie Munsell, Founder of Beauty for Real, has been described as a makeup maverick, innovator, trend forecaster, educator and entrepreneur. With 25 years’ experience as a celebrity makeup artist, Leslie has worked with the biggest talents in the advertising and fashion worlds. Now, in her crowning role as the creator of Beauty for Real cosmetics, Munsell will demonstrate the use of her cruelty-free cosmetics. As a lifelong Dressage rider, Munsell will also explain why her cosmetics are perfectly formulated for equestrians and how proceeds improve the welfare of horses, donkeys, and mules around the world through Brooke USA. Munsell will be on-site for both weeks of the World Equine Expo™.

To learn more about the World Equine Expo™ and preview schedules, click here.

Competitions, Dressage, World Equestrian Games

US Equestrian Names Dressage Team for World Equestrian Games Tryon 2018

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Lexington, Ky. – US Equestrian has named four athlete-and-horse combinations to The Dutta Corp. U.S. Dressage Team for the FEI World Equestrian Games (WEG) Tryon 2018, which will take place September 11-23, in Mill Spring, N.C.

After competing in designated Observation Events throughout the summer, the following athlete-and-horse combinations have been selected to represent U.S. dressage at the WEG under the leadership of Chef d’Equipe Robert Dover (in alphabetical order):

Laura Graves (Geneva, Fla.) and Verdades, a 16-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding she owns with Curt Maes

Adrienne Lyle (Ketchum, Idaho) and Salvino, Betsy Juliano LLC’s 11-year-old Hanoverian stallion

Kasey Perry-Glass (Wellington, Fla.) and Goerklintgaards Dublet, Diane Perry’s 15-year-old Danish Warmblood gelding

Steffen Peters (San Diego, Calif.) and Rosamunde, Four Winds Farm’s 11-year-old Rheinlander mare

The Dutta Corp. U.S. Dressage Team will compete beginning September 12 and 13, with the Grand Prix Team competition and Individual Qualifier. On September 14, teams will contest the Grand Prix Special, and the Grand Prix Freestyle on September 16.

From the US Equestrian Communications Department

Competitions, Dressage, Para-Equestrian, World Equestrian Games

US Equestrian Announces Para-Dressage Team for World Equestrian Games 2018

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Lexington, KY – US Equestrian has named four athlete-and-horse combinations to the U.S. Para-Equestrian Dressage Team presented by Deloitte for the FEI World Equestrian Games (WEG) Tryon 2018, which will take place September 11-23, 2018. Following the 2017-2018 selection period, the US Equestrian Board of Directors approved the following combinations for the FEI Nominated Entry List.

Rebecca Hart (Wellington, Fla.), Grade III, with El Corona Texel, Rowan O’Reilly’s nine-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding

Angela Peavy (Wellington, Fla.), Grade IV, with Royal Dark Chocolate, Rebecca Reno’s 10-year-old Oldenburg mare

Kate Shoemaker (Peoria, Ariz.), Grade IV, with Solitaer 40, the 11-year-old Hanoverian stallion she owns with Craig and Deena Shoemaker

Roxanne Trunnell (Rowlett, Texas), Grade I, and Kate Shoemaker’s Dolton, a six-year-old Hanoverian gelding

For more information about FEI World Equestrian Games™ Tryon 2018, visit Tryon2018.com.

For more information about the USPEA, please visit www.USPEA.org or contact USPEA President: Hope Hand by e-mail: hope@uspea.org or by phone: (610)356-6481.

*Featured/Spotlights, World Equestrian Games

The FEI World Equestrian Games Tryon 2018 Countdown Is Underway

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There’s no event quite like it! The FEI World Equestrian Games™ is the pinnacle of equestrian sport and it is two months to go to the opening ceremony for Tryon 2018.

With an anticipated 1,000 athletes, 1,500 horses, and 500,000 spectators from more than 70 countries scheduled to attend, this edition will be one of the biggest sporting events on US soil this year and will attract an expected on-site audience of over 500,000.

The eighth edition of the Games is generating huge excitement at the prospect of the world’s best partnerships from across all the FEI disciplines uniting for a showcase of horse sport at the spectacular Tryon International Equestrian Center venue. With so many incredible stories to tell, both from past Games and a preview of those special moments to come, the two-month countdown marks the perfect occasion to launch the FEI campaign for the Games … #BeOne.

Equestrian fans, athletes, and teams from across the globe will come together to celebrate the sport – as one. We will #BeOne and stand proud as a global community united by sport and horsemanship as we honour the unrivalled bond between horse and human.

We ask equestrian fans to come together and show their love of the sport at one of the biggest events in the world. It’s the chance to celebrate everything that makes equestrianism one of the most loved sports worldwide.

It’s time to be passionate.

Be epic. Be free. Be united. Be fearless. Be spectacular. Be victorious. Be one.

“We are very pleased to launch our BeOne campaign today as the excitement really kicks off in the countdown to the FEI World Equestrian Games Tryon this September,” said FEI Secretary General Sabrina Ibáñez. “When you look at equestrian sport, which is intense and emotive, our sport thrives on passion, not only from our athletes but our fans, this campaign will clearly showcase the diversity of our disciplines and will demonstrate that it really all comes down to one partnership & one sporting effort. A true celebration of the sport and as for the Games, there’s really is no event quite like it!”

To learn more about the #BeOne campaign, click here.

For more information on the FEI World Equestrian Games™ Tryon 2018, go to: www.Tryon2018.com and www.fei.org/events/fei-world-equestrian-games-tryon.

Media contact:

Shannon Gibbons
Media Relations and Communications Manager
shannon.gibbons@fei.org
+41 78 750 61 46

*Featured/Spotlights, Western/Reining, World Equestrian Games

USA Takes Top Three at World Equestrian Games FEI CRI 3* Reining Test Event

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Dan Huss and Ms Dreamy. Photo Credit ©Sportfot.

TRYON, NC, USA – May 13, 2018 – The all-American podium stood tall after the completion of two days of FEI CRI 3* competition hosted at Tryon International Equestrian Center (TIEC), in Tryon, North Carolina, alongside the first installment of the Carolina Classic at TIEC. The week served as the eighth and final Test Event ahead of the FEI World Equestrian Games™ Tryon 2018 coming to the venue this fall, from September 11-23.

FEI combinations took to the newly constructed Indoor Arena, located at the main entrance of TIEC, to test their skills against some of the discipline’s biggest names from Thursday, May 10-13. The first day of competition saw 22 competitors contest the USEF Selection Trial First Go on Thursday, May 10, before welcoming back 20 of the original entries. Ultimately, Jordan Larson (USA) and Dan Huss (USA) both walked away with the blue ribbon, tying on a composite score of 450.

Huss entered the second round sitting in first place after scoring 224 points aboard Frederick Christen’s Ms Dreamy, a 2010 Quarter Horse mare (Magnum Chic Dream x A Gal With A Gun). Larson improved upon his first-round score of 222.0 to share top honors riding ARC Gunnabeabigstar, a 2011 Quarter Horse stallion (Gunnatrashya x Wimpys Little Chic) owned by HDC Quarter Horses, to an impressive second-round score of 228. The young Cade McCutcheon (USA) followed just behind on a total score of 446 points aboard Custom Made Gun, a 2011 Quarter Horse stallion (Colonels Smoking Gun x Custom Made Dunit) owned by McQuay Stables, after receiving a 222.5 in the first round and a 223.5 in the final competition.

All three riders are hoping to return to represent the United States at the FEI World Equestrian Games™ (WEG) in September and Huss commented that he’s been waiting for the right horse to come along in order to pursue contention.

“Basically for me, I was just waiting for the right horse,” he explained. “I usually share [Ms Dreamy] with a Non-Pro, but obviously the mare is too old to do the derbies, so Fredrick [Christen] said I could show her at the FEI level. It would mean a lot to me to represent the U.S. I came with the intention of winning here. I’m not a guy that has a big ego, but I wanted to win here and I want to win at the WEG. I have some room to improve yet and I’d have to beat my fellow teammates because they’re tough.”

Huss, of Scottsdale, AZ, complimented the TIEC show organizers for hosting the venue’s first reining event. “I think Tryon did a great job hosting their first reining competition. From what I understand they’re putting stalls in here in the Indoor Arena, so it’ll all be under one roof and I think it’ll be pretty nice.”

Larson, a seasoned WEG competitor based in Valley View, TX, echoed Huss’ sentiments about what a USA-hosted Games means, stating, “It’s awesome to have the WEG return to the US. It’s really cool to be able to represent our country here at home. It was awesome to go to France, but there’s even more pressure I think to represent well here, so we’ve got our work cut out to get ready for the next one and be even better.”

Commenting on his significant improvement in score between the first and second round, Larson had nothing but praise for his mount. “This horse is a good one,” he emphasized. “He’s been really good to me. It seems like he keeps getting better and better and when it counts he’s at his best. In the first round I tried to play it safe and he was kind of messing around with me a little bit, but when I call on him for everything he is great.”

The pressure of the USA team selections definitely weighed heavily on all competitor’s minds, Larson explained, saying, “There’s always a lot of pressure. We have really high expectations of ourselves and because we’re hoping to be on the team to represent the USA, the pressure goes up,” he admitted. “But, that’s what we thrive on, so we have fun doing it.”

Cade McCutcheon, whose 18th birthday is in a few short weeks, is also looking for the chance to represent his country, with his sights set on being the youngest reining competitor to ever compete in the history of the WEG.

The Aubrey, TX native ran the stallion Custom Made Gun, whom his family raised and his grandparents own, to third place after putting in a near perfect round. “It means a lot to come here with the likes of Jordan [Larson], Casey [Deary], my dad [Tom McCutcheon], Shawn [Flarida] – I’ve never had to do that. I’ve always been in the Non-Pro, which isn’t easy, but it’s easier than this. It meant a lot and it was a big honor to just show here, and a bigger honor to be where I’m at.”

Riding beside his father, WEG Gold Medalist Tom McCutcheon this week, the young talent commented, “It’s a cool deal being a third generation reining competitor. Not a lot of people can say that. I just hope I do as well as they did if I make it on the USA Team. It means a lot to me to be able to do this sport with my family. It makes it way more fun, and they have the experience that will help me get through the team and the individual phases.”

Further discussing his family legacy, McCutcheon also noted the incredible accomplishments of his multi-generational equestrian family. Despite being the youngest rider in the FEI CRI 3* this week, McCutcheon commented on the benefit of the experience as he looks towards a bright future.

“Maybe there’s a little more pressure coming from a reining family, but I don’t think very much. My parents don’t put any pressure on me, and it wouldn’t make a difference to them if I marked a 208 or a 220, as long as I’m having fun.”

For more information, visit www.Tryon2018.com.

*Featured/Spotlights, Western/Reining, World Equestrian Games

Larson and Huss Tie for Gold, McCutcheon Bronze at WEG Reining Test Event

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Larson and Arc Gunnabeabigstar (Photo by Waltenberry)

Mill Spring, N.C. – In an important step towards being named to the U.S. Reining Squad for the FEI World Equestrian Games™ (WEG) Tryon 2018, U.S. reining athletes contested the WEG Reining Test Event and USEF Selection Trial this week at the Tryon International Equestrian Center on Thursday, May 10 and Saturday, May 12.

With scores compiled from both evening’s rounds, it was Jordan Larson and Dan Huss leading the way for a gold-medal tie and ending on a combined score of 450.0. Larson (Valley View, Texas) and Arc Gunnabeabigstar, a seven-year-old Quarter Horse stallion owned by HDC Quarter Horses USA, LLC, sat fourth after Thursday’s round with a score of 222.0. Huss (Scottsdale, Ariz.) and Ms Dreamy, an eight-year-old Quarter Horse mare owned by Christen R. Frederick, won Thursday’s round on a score of 224.0.

Larson was part of the gold-medal U.S. Reining Team for WEG in Normandy, France in 2014 and is excited about the possibility of representing the U.S. again. “It was cool to go to France, but I think it is even more pressure to represent well here. We have our work cut out to get ready. That horse is a good one. [Arc Gunnabeabigstar] has been really good to me and it seems like he just keeps getting better. When it counts, he’s his best. When I ask him for everything, he’s his best.”

“For me, I was just waiting for a nice horse,” laughed Huss. “She is a Magnum daughter out of a Gunner mare. It would mean a lot to me [to represent the U.S. at WEG]. I’m not a guy with a big ego, but I came here to win this and I want to win the WEG. I have some room to improve. I have to beat my fellow teammates, because they are tough.”

A third-generation reiner and on the cusp of his 18th birthday, Cade McCutcheon claimed the bronze medal at the USEF Selection Trial. McCutcheon (Aubrey, Texas) and Custom Made Gun, a seven-year-old Quarter Horse stallion owned by Tim and Colleen McQuay, were tied for second after Thursday’s round. The combination held their own in the second round to end on a score of 446.0. Should McCutcheon’s place on the U.S. Reining Team for WEG be finalized, he would become the youngest U.S. athlete to represent reining at the Games.

“It means a lot to come here with the likes of Jordan [Larson] or Casey [Deary], my dad, and Shawn [Flarida],” said McCutcheon. “I’ve always been in the non-pro, which isn’t easy, but it’s a lot easier than this. It is a big honor to get to show here and a bigger honor to be where I am at. It means a lot to be able to do this sport with my family; it makes it way more fun. My parents don’t put any pressure on me. It wouldn’t make a difference to them if I marked a 208 or a 220, as long as I am having fun.”

Full results for the WEG Reining Test Event and USEF Selection Trial can be found here.

From the US Equestrian Communications Department