WORLD EQUESTRIAN GAMES
The Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI) oversees the FEI World Equestrian Games, which are the main international competitions for equestrian sports (FEI). Since 1990, the games have been held every four years, in the middle of cycles of succeeding Summer Olympic Games. All 10 of the FEI’s individual disciplines had their own championships up to that point, which were typically held in different nations. Similar to the Olympics, the current WEG lasts for two weeks and rotates locations throughout the globe. Each participating nation sends teams that have shown themselves through competition as the nation’s best in each particular discipline. Riders and horses competing at WEG go through a rigorous selection process. 800 athletes and their horses represented 57 nations in the 2010 Games.
Eight of the ten FEI disciplines, including combination driving, dressage, endurance riding, eventing, paraequestrianism, reining, show jumping, and vaulting, were eventually added to the WEG. Horseball and tent pegging, the two remaining regional sports recognized by the FEI, continue to have their own championships.
The 2010 FEI World Equestrian Games in Lexington, Kentucky, set a number of firsts in WEG history, including the first time the competitions were held outside of Europe, the first time eight FEI disciplines’ championships were held in the same venue (the Kentucky Horse Park), and the first time the competitions had a title sponsor (in this case the animal health and nutrition group corporation Alltech, headquartered in the nearby city of Nicholasville). Prior to the event, the Kentucky Horse Park underwent permanent improvements that included the installation of a 7,500-seat outdoor stadium and a 6,000-seat climate-controlled indoor arena.
The 2018 FEI World Equestrian Games were held in the Tryon International Equestrian Center, close to Mill Spring, North Carolina.
2022 FEI WORLD EQUESTRIAN GAMES
In Denmark’s Herning, the ECCO FEI World Equestrian Games will take place. It will be the ninth iteration of the events, which are organized by the International Federation for Equestrian Sports and conducted every four years (FEI). These Olympics will serve as the initial qualifying competition for the 2024 Summer Olympics for team events in the dressage and show jumping disciplines.
VENUES
The following competitions were held in the Messe center Herning’s venues:
- Herning
- Stutteri Ask Stadium – Jumping, Dressage
- BB Horse Arena – Para-equestrian Dressage, international youth classes in dressage, show-jumping
- Jyske Bank Boxen – Vaulting, side-events