Wednesday, May 12, 2010

The 2010 World Equestrian Games

Because I am still finishing my review of Wild Horse Annie, a not-quite-review; news, some nice photos from the chock-full-o-photos book Show Jumping, by Pamela Macgregor-Morris, and a little list of interesting contests related to the World Equestrian Games in September.

Bruce Davidson on Irish Cap at the 1974 World Three Day Event Championship at Burghley, UK. The photo is from the book Show Jumping, by Pamela Macgregor-Morris.


September 25, 2010 kicks off the first World Equestrian Games to be held in the United States. In what appears to be an effort to convince the Europeans to never repeat this experiment, officials have scheduled Wynonna Judd to sing My Old Kentucky Home at the opening ceremony. It's not that I don't like reining or country music - wait, I don't like country music - but do we always have to play the yokel card? Remember those cheerleaders and supersized pick-up trucks at the opening ceremonies of the 1996 Atlanta Olympics? Everyone north of the Mason-Dixon line simultaneously wished we'd lost the Civil War. But I digress.

The World Equestrian Games began in 1990, bringing together the championships for six major equine disciplines. In 2010, the championships include those for jumping, dressage, eventing, driving, endurance, vaulting and reining.

And ways you can get there without selling your firstborn:

Volunteer - The American Morgan Horse Association (AMHA)'s exhibit at the WEG is looking for helpers. Quite a gig, you need to be available for the 16 days of the WEG and pass a Homeland Security clearance.

Get lucky - UK
Win a trip from Bailey's Feed/Horse & Hound (UK residents)

Get lucky - US
Win a trip from Farnam (US residents)
Win a trip from Ariat (deadline May 16)
Win a trip from Southern States (US residents) (deadline June 30)

Or just stay home and hold your commemorative medallion
Win official WEG medallions at The Horse Radio Network


Hans Winkler on Halla at the Show Jumping World Championships at Aachen in 1955. He won the gold for the second year in a row, returning the event to Aachen. The photo is from the book Show Jumping, by Pamela Macgregor-Morris.

Links
Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games
Bruce Davidson Eventing
Jane Badger Books - Pamela Macgregor-Morris's pony books

1 comment:

Jane Badger said...

Wow, those trucks at the Atlanta opening are scary. I had completely forgotten that opening ceremony until you mentioned it.... it's certainly up there with the London bus and David Beckham effort the UK did at the end of the Beijing Olympics.