It is full steam ahead in the United States with less than 500 days until the 2018 World Equestrian Games. The Games, being held in September 2018, were awarded to Tryon, North Carolina, late last year after the withdrawal of the original host Bromont in Canada.
Recently, leaders from 15 national federations attended the chefs de mission meeting to discuss event logistics, travel, hospitality, lodging and sport with the event’s organising committee. Attending on New Zealand’s behalf as proxy chef de mission was Graeme Thom. The two days were spent discussing the finer details of the event.
“The group of organisers at Tryon have committed 110% to make WEG 2018 horse, rider, owner and sponsor-friendly,” says Thom. “By all accounts, from my visit, this will most certainly be successful. “
He was quick to remind everyone that this organising committee will not have the long lead-in most others do. “Let’s not forget that Tryon stepped in to save this games and inherited an 18-month time line where other nations get four years. The foundations are already well in place to meet the needs of all disciplines at these Games.”
There was confidence the accommodation on-site for team athletes and grooms will surpass expectations, and there’s a “new luxury” been added for grooms, who will be two to a room with a shared kitchen.
Riders will have individual accommodation with a kitchenette. “Fingers crossed this all happens but I have been assured when it comes to Mark Bellissimo, be prepared to leave on a gravel driveway at night and return to a paved one in the morning!”
Bellissimo is the Tryon Equestrian Partners managing partner and creator of the Tryon International Equestrian Centre. He presides over an organisation boasting more than 150 full-time staff and 1000 part-time staff. It operates more FEI competitions than any other organiser in the world, with 38 weeks of CDI and CSI events through four venues – Wellington, Tryon, Colorado and Central Park.
The collective organisations own and operate three of the largest facilities and some of the most prominent events in the world – The Palm Beach International Equestrian Centre in Wellington, Florida, which hosts the Winter Equestrian Festival and the Global Dressage Festival. In its peak the event week will have more than 3500 horses competing within the 12-week winter circuit; The Colorado Horse Park; and the Tryon International Equestrian Center venue which hosts 10 FEI weeks.
So it is probably no surprise this organising committee has picked up the ball and are running with it.
Thom said he had been welcomed by many local people during his time at the meeting. “The people of Tryon and the area have offered the necessary accommodation for support staff, owners and federation officials. The community has bought into this event big time,” he said. “All of the staff on site have been incredibly welcoming and seem committed to a successful 2018.”
More than 500,000 spectators are expected at the Tryon International Equestrian Centre for the event.
Chief operating officer Sharon Decker said it is an honour to be hosting the 2018 FEI WEG in Tryon."We have a lot of work to do over the course of the next 18 months and an amazing team to do it,” she said. “We are incredibly excited for this opportunity and we are pleased with what we accomplished this week."
The Tryon International Equestrian Centre is situated on 647 hectares at the foothills of the Blue Mountains. The venue has 1200 permanent stables, 12 arenas – including a floodlit international arena with potential spectator seating capacity of 12,000 and VIP seating for up to 1500, a covered arena with 5000 seats, and a world class cross country course that will be used for both eventing and driving.
The venue is surrounded by hundreds of miles of equestrian trails for endurance and boasts excellent facilities for athletes and spectators, including restaurants, hospitality, accommodation, retail and resort amenities. An on-site state-of-the-art veterinary facility is currently under construction.
It is the second time the United States has hosted WEG – the first being in 2010 at Kentucky.
by Diana Dobson
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