Two Horses Up for Reinspection as 2018 World Equestrian Games are About to Begin

The 2018 World Equestrian Games in Tryon, U.S.A. began on the opening day, 11 September 2018, with the horse inspection for the dressage riders on Tuesday morning. Two horses - Portugal's Bariloche and Australia's Bluefields Floreno - failed the trot up and are up for re-inspection on Wednesday morning 7.30 AM. 

While construction kept going on in full swing with workmen carpenting, cementing, painting, constructing, ploughing, dragging, etc all over the show grounds, the main stadium and warm up rings are all ready for the horses and the stable facilities have been highly praised by the riders. The unfinished under-construction look of the 2018 WEG is reminiscent of the 1994 World Equestrian Games in The Hague, and is mind blowing. Some parking lots are flooded and crew (volunteers, press, etc) have to park quite far aware, requiring shuttle and golf car services to be brought to the action. 

Despite non-stop work, the area for the dressage trot-up looked prim and proper, with beautiful flower decorations and regular rolling of the surface. The judges' panel gathered with FEI vet Mike Tomlinson supervising the inspection. Riders, grooms and a huge herd of photographers gathered round the arena to watch the trot up. 

The inspection ran smoothly but unfortunately for two horses they verdict was "held for re-inspection". Portugal's Vasco Mira Godinho's Lusitano stallion Bariloche was not level, and neither was Australia's Allexis Hellyer's Bluefields Floreno.

The footing was quite soft, despite the rolling, and some riders jogged their horses in such senior-citizen tempo and for such short stretches, with plenty of walking, thinking and preparing what to actually do, that it was hard to see some horses in full movement and in fair representation of the levelness of their gait. Some riders carried a whip during the jog. Year after year the Dutch riders are the best decked out with the men wearing stylish and fitted suits and the ladies in proper business attire: no casual t-shirts

Both horses will re-appear for inspection on Wednesday morning 12 September 2018 at 7.30 AM right before the Grand Prix starts at 9 AM. 

Photos © Astrid Appels - No reproduction allowed

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Eurodressage Coverage of the 2018 World Equestrian Games