All you need to know about the World Equestrian Games

After the championship is before the championship: The World & European Championships 2017 have just ended, but the athletes already have to get prepared for the FEI World Equestrian Games™ 2018, coming very soon.

The event will take place at the Tryon International Equestrian Center in North Carolina, USA, from the 10th to the 23rd of September 2018.

We all remember the fabulous arena in Normandy, France, where the emotion was palpable and where we shared the beauty of our sport to the world. Four years of waiting and the fever rises again. We gathered for you some essential information about the Games:

1) A bit of history

The games have been held every four years since 1990 including the following disciplines: combined driving, dressage, endurance riding, eventing, para-equestrianism, reining, show jumping and vaulting. They are a wonderful occasion for us to meet riders from other disciplines, open our minds, and be a Vaulting Ambassador in any occasion.

2018 was expected to happen in Bromont, Canada but because of a financial disagreement between the stakeholders and after a massive wave of resignations into the Organizing Committee, the FEI needed to find another host.

Kentucky, USA and Samorin, Slovakia have both been selected as potential hosts for the FEI World Equestrian Games 2022. Kentucky withdrew its candidacy meanwhile. Australia has also shown interest in hosting the event.

2) Vaulting & the WEG

Vaulting is part of the WEG from the first edition, in 1990. We had only 61 participants from 15 differents countries at that time, whereas in 2014 we had 179 vaulters from 22 countries. 2014 was also the first year when Pas-de-Deux was included.

To qualify for the WEG vaulters need to meet some FEI criteria of course (not for squads, the nations can choose their squad):

(Source: FEI)

There is no separation between Juniors and Seniors, that’s why we could see Lambert Leclezio competing with his elders in 2014.

The WEG are a good reference point to observe the growth of our sport: The number of countries is growing, but very slowly. The number of vaulters is much higher from 2010, a proof that the discipline is gaining popularity in the countries which have been practicing it for several decades:

Don’t miss the wall of medallists, where we bet you can recognize some of the familiar names of the vaulting world:

> 1990: 61 participants (15 countries)

> 1994: 76 Participants (18 countries)

> 1998: 75 participants (19 countries)

> 2002: 77 participants (19 countries)

> 2006: 80 participants (23 countries)

> 2010: 149 participants (17 countries)

> 2014: 179 participants (22 countries)

 (Sources: FEI & www.thehorse.com)