The 2018 FEI World Equestrian Games were held in Mill Spring, North Carolina, U.S. at the Tryon International Equestrian Center, from September 11 to September 23, 2018. It was the eighth edition of the games, which are held every four years and run by the International Federation for Equestrian Sports (FEI). This was the second time that North America hosted the Games, the previous time being in 2010, also in the United States.
Bidding process The initial bidding process for the 2018 edition of the World Equestrian Games started in 2011 with the initial application stage. Eight countries expressed their interest, and five of them became official candidates in 2012: Rabat, Bromont, Budapest, Vienna and Wellington. Australia, Russia and Sweden withdrew before the official candidature phase.
By 2013, four of the official candidates dropped out, leaving only Bromont in the running. However, instead of awarding the Games to Canada, FEI decided to re-open the bidding process on July 1, 2013, as the Bromont bid was lacking financial support. Bromont remained in the running and was joined by two USA candidates (Wellington and Lexington) as well as Great Britain.
Great Britain and Wellington dropped out, leaving only Bromont and Lexington in contention. Bromont was finally awarded the hosting rights on June 9, 2014.
Bromont withdrew from hosting in 2016, as the financial support was not secured. Following Bromont's withdrawal, Mill Spring, North Carolina and Šamorín, Slovakia expressed their interest in hosting the event. Mill Spring was awarded the Games on November 3, 2016.
With the 2018 games, United States became the first nation to host the World Equestrian Games twice.
Venues Tryon International Equestrian Center, Mill Spring, North Carolina U.S. Trust Arena – Jumping, Dressage and Eventing (stadium jumping) Tryon Stadium – Ceremonies, Eventing (Dressage) and Para-dressage Covered Arena – Reining and Vaulting Driving Stadium – Driving (Dressage, Obstacle Cones) White Oak Course - Eventing (Cross-country) and Driving (Marathon) TIEC and surrounding farmland - Endurance
Officials Appointment of (Olympic disciplines) officials was as follows:
Dressage Anne Gribbons (Ground Jury President) Katrina Wüst (Ground Jury Member) Mariëtte Sanders-van Gansewinkel (Ground Jury Member) Andrew Gardner (Ground Jury Member) Hans-Christian Matthiesen (Ground Jury Member) Annette Fransen-Iacobaeus (Ground Jury Member) Susan Hoevenaars (Ground Jury Member) Cara Whitham (Technical Delegate)
Jumping Frances Hesketh-Jones (Ground Jury President) David M. Distler (Ground Jury Member) Joachim Geilfus (Ground Jury Member) John Taylor (Ground Jury Member) Neill O'Connor (Ground Jury Member) Leopoldo Palacios (Technical Delegate)
Eventing Anne-Mette Binder (Ground Jury President) Jane Hamlin (Ground Jury Member) Andrew Bennie (Ground Jury Member) Stephan Ellenbruch (Jumping judge) Martin Plewa (Technical Delegate)
Para-Dressage Hanneke Gerritsen (Ground Jury President) Anne Prain (Ground Jury Member) Marco Orsini (Ground Jury Member) Kristi Wysocki (Ground Jury Member) Suzanne Cunningham (Ground Jury Member) Sarah Leitch (Ground Jury Member) Marc Urban (Ground Jury Member) Jan Holger Holtschmidt (Technical Delegate)
Logistics Horses competing in the championships were flown in and out of Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport in Greer, South Carolina. They were then transported by horse trailers up to Tryon.
Schedule All times Eastern Daylight Time (UTC−4)
●Event Competitions1Number of Gold Medal Events
September12Wed13Thu14Fri15Sat16Sun17Mon18Tue19Wed20Thu21Fri22Sat23SunGold medal events Dressage ! style="background-color:#3399ff;" |● ! style="background-color:#ffcc00;" | 1 ! style="background-color:#ffcc00;" | 1 | ! style="background-color:#ffcc00;" | 1
| 3 Driving
! style="background-color:#3399ff;" |● ! style="background-color:#3399ff;" |● ! style="background-color:#ffcc00;" | 22 Endurance ! style="background-color:#ffcc00;" | 2
|2 Eventing | ! style="background-color:#3399ff;" |● ! style="background-color:#3399ff;" |● ! style="background-color:#3399ff;" |● ! style="background-color:#ffcc00;" | 2
| 2 Jumping
! style="background-color:#3399ff;" |● ! style="background-color:#3399ff;" |● ! style="background-color:#ffcc00;" | 1 | ! style="background-color:#ffcc00;" | 12 Para-dressage
! style="background-color:#ffcc00;" | 3 ! style="background-color:#ffcc00;" | 2 ! style="background-color:#3399ff;" |● ! style="background-color:#ffcc00;" | 1 ! style="background-color:#ffcc00;" | 5 |11 Reining ! style="background-color:#ffcc00;" | 1 ! style="background-color:#3399ff;" |● | ! style="background-color:#ffcc00;" | 1
| 2 Vaulting
! style="background-color:#3399ff;" |● ! style="background-color:#ffcc00;" | 1 ! style="background-color:#ffcc00;" | 1 | ! style="background-color:#ffcc00;" | 3 |5Total gold medal events 3 1 1 1 3 0 3 3 1 2 8 3 29Cumulative total 3 4 5 6 9 9 12 15 16 18 26 29
Ceremonies Event date Starting time Event details 11 September 19:30 Opening Ceremony 23 September 17:30 Closing Ceremony
Dressage Event date Starting time Event details 12 September 08:45 Grand Prix Day 1 13 September 08:45 Grand Prix Day 2 14 September 10:30 Grand Prix Special 16 September 08:30 Grand Prix Freestyle
Driving Event date Starting time Event details 21 September 11:00 Dressage 22 September 11:00 Marathon 23 September 09:30 Obstacle Cones
Endurance Event date Starting time Event details 12 September 07:00 Team and Individual Competition
Eventing Event date Starting time Event details 13 September 09:00 Dressage Day 1 14 September 09:00 Dressage Day 2 15 September 11:00 Cross Country 16 September 15:15 Jumping
Jumping Event date Starting time Event details 19 September 09:00 Speed Competition 20 September 09:00 Team Competition Day 1 21 September 13:30 Team Competition Day 2 23 September 10:00 Individual Competition
Reining Event date Starting time Event details 12 September 08:30 Team Competition & 1st Ind. Qual. Round 1 13 September 14:00 2nd Ind. Qual. Competition 15 September 18:00 Individual Final Competition
Vaulting Event date Starting time Event details 18 September 09:30 Compulsory Competitions (Men's, Women's, Squad) 19 September 09:30 Freestyle Competitions (Men's, Women's), Pas-de-Deux Qual., Team Freestyle Final 20 September 12:00 Freestyle Competition (Squad), Technical Competitions (Men's, Women's), Pas-de-Deux Final 22 September 12:00 Freestyle Finals (Men's, Women's, Squad)
Para-Dressage Event date Starting time Event details 18 September 08:30 Ind. Champ. Test Grade II, IV & V 19 September 08:30 Ind. Champ. Test Grade I & III 20 September 09:00 Team Test Grade II, IV & V 21 September 09:00 Team Test Grade I & III 22 September 09:30 Ind. Freestyle Test Grade I, II, III, IV & V
Participating nations 68 nations are scheduled to take part.
Argentina (16) Australia (30) Austria (23) Bahrain (5) Belgium (26) Bermuda (2) Bolivia (2) Brazil (32) Canada (34) Chile (11) China (5) Colombia (6) Costa Rica (3) Czech Republic (12) Denmark (9) Ecuador (6) Egypt (4) Finland (7) France (29) Georgia (1) Germany (44) Great Britain (31) Guatemala (4) Hong Kong (5) Hungary (7) India (1) Ireland (15) Israel (7) Italy (33) Japan (18) Jordan (1) Kazakhstan (1) Kuwait (2) Latvia (1) Lebanon (1) Luxembourg (1) Macedonia (1) Mexico (14) Morocco (2) Netherlands (36) New Zealand (13) Norway (5) Oman (4) Palestine (1) Peru (2) Philippines (2) Poland (3) Portugal (16) Qatar (4) Romania (2) Russia (14) Saudi Arabia (5) Singapore (2) Slovakia (4) South Africa (9) South Korea (2) Spain (17) Sri Lanka (1) Sweden (17) Switzerland (29) Chinese Taipei (1) Thailand (1) Ukraine (1) United Arab Emirates (4) United States (43) Uruguay (7) Venezuela (4) Virgin Islands (1)
Medal summary
Dressage Individual special dressage Individual freestyle dressageCompetition cancelled due to Hurricane FlorenceTeam dressageJessica von Bredow-Werndl on TSF Dalera BBDorothee Schneider on Sammy Davis Jr.Sönke Rothenberger on CosmoIsabell Werth on Bella RoseSteffen Peters on SuppenkasperAdrienne Lyle on SalvinoKasey Perry-Glass on Goerklintgaards DubletLaura Graves on VerdadesSpencer Wilton on Super Nova IIEmile Faurie on Dono di MaggioCarl Hester on Hawtins DelicatoCharlotte Dujardin on Mount St John Freestyle
Driving Individual drivingTeam drivingJames FaircloughMisdee Wrigley-MillerChester WeberBram ChardonKoos de RondeIJsbrand ChardonDries DegrieckGlenn GeertsEdouard Simonet
Endurance Individual enduranceCompetition abandoned due to excessive heat and humidityTeam enduranceCompetition abandoned due to excessive heat and humidity
Eventing Individual eventingTeam eventingRosalind Canter on Allstar BPiggy French on Quarrycrest EchoTom McEwen on Toledo de KerserGemma Tattersall on Arctic SoulPadraig McCarthy on Mr ChunkySarah Ennis on Horseware Stellor ReboundSam Watson on Horseware Ardagh HighlightCathal Daniels on Rioghan RuaThibaut Vallette on Qing du Briot ENE HNMaxime Livio on Opium de VerrieresSidney Dufresne on Tresor MailDonatien Schauly on Pivoine des Touches
Jumping Individual jumpingTeam jumpingDevin Ryan on Eddie BlueAdrienne Sternlicht on CristallineLaura Kraut on ZeremonieMcLain Ward on ClintaHenrik von Eckermann on Toveks Mary LouMalin Baryard-Johnsson on H&M IndianaFredrik Jönsson on Cold PlayPeder Fredricson on H&M Christian KSimone Blum on DSP AliceLaura Klaphake on Catch Me If You Can OLDMaurice Tebbel on Don DiaradoMarcus Ehning on Pret A Tout
Reining Individual reining Team reiningCasey Deary on Heavy Duty ChexCade Mccutcheon on Custom Made GunDaniel Huss on Miss DreamyJordan Larson on ARC GunnabeabigstarDries Verschueren on Smart'n'SparkinAnn Poels on Made In WallaCira Baeck on Gunners Snappy ChicBernard Fonck on What a WaveGrischa Ludwig on Ruf Lil DiamondMarkus Süchting on Spotlight CharlyRobin Schoeller on Wimpy KaweahJulia Schumacher on Coeurs Little Tyke
Vaulting Men's individual Women's individual SquadThomas BrüsewitzTorben JacobsJana ZelesnyChiara CongiaJustin van GervenCorinna Knaufon Danny Boy OLD lunged by Patric LooserNadja BüttikerRamona NäfElisabeth BieriAline KollerKyra SeilerSamira Kolleron Rayo de la Luz lunged by Monika Winkler-BischofbergerLisa WildKatharina LuschinMagdalena RieglerBarbara HruzaNikolaus LuschinLeonie Poljcon Alessio l'Amabile lunged by Maria LehrmannPas-de-deuxLorenzo LupacchiniSilvia Stopazzinion Rosenstolz lunged by Laura CarnabuciJasmin LindnerLukas Wacha on Dr. Doolittle lunged by Klaus HaidacherJanika DerksJohannes Kayon Dark Beluga lunged by Barbara RosinyTeamKristina Boe (i)on Don de la Mar lunged by Winnie SchlüterJannik Heiland (i)on Dark Beluga lunged by Barbara RosinyThomas Brüsewitz (s)Torben Jacobs (s)Jana Zelesny (s)Chiara Congia (s)Justin van Gerven (s)Corinna Knauf (s)on Danny Boy OLD lunged by Patric LooserNadja Büttiker (i)on Acardi van de Kapel lunged by Monika Winkler-BischofbergerLukas Heppler (i)on Acardi van de Kapel lunged by Monika Winkler-BischofbergerNadja Büttiker (s)Ramona Näf (s)Elisabeth Bieri (s)Aline Koller (s)Kyra Seiler (s)Samira Koller (s)on Rayo de la Luz lunged by Monika Winkler-BischofbergerKatharina Luschin (i)on Fairytale lunged by Maria LehrmannLisa Wild (i)on Fairytale lunged by Maria LehrmannLisa Wild (s)Katharina Luschin (s)Magdalena Riegler (s)Barbara Hruza (s)Nikolaus Luschin (s)Leonie Poljc (s)on Alessio l'Amabile lunged by Maria Lehrmann (i) - individual, (s) - squad
Para-dressage