Let the Games Begin!

The F E I World Equestrian

G a m e s ™ Tryon 2018 will bring a world of topclass competition to the mountains of North Carolina September 11-23. The

WEG only comes around once every four years: make the most of the

2018 Tryon edition with our spectator’s guide to the eight WEG disciplines.

It’s a vintage year for the World Equestrian Games, which return in 2018 to the United States for only the second time and for the first time since 2010. As equestrians from around the globe converge on the Tryon International Equestrian Center in scenic Mill Spring, N.C., these world championships present a rare opportunity for equestrians of all stripes—from intrepid trail riders to champion competitors—to experience the finest athletic performances from vast range of horse sports, all in a single international event.

Whether you’re on the grounds at Tryon, tuning in from your tack room, or hosting a WEG party at home, get a taste of all the WEG disciplines—combined driving, dressage, para-equestrian dressage, endurance, eventing, jumping, reining, and vaulting—and marvel at the athletic versatility and sheer joy of the horse/human partnership. The world is coming to WEG—join us there, too.

DRESSAGE

Dressage is often referred to as ballet on horseback, but its origins are military. It dates back to classical Greek horsemanship, which focused on training horses for precise maneuvers during battle. In recent centuries, these movements became more stylized for pageants and, today, competition. But dressage has never lost sight of its history. Much of modern dressage training is based on the founding principles of the Spanish Riding School of Vienna, established in 1572. Graceful dressage movements such as pirouettes, the passage (a rhythmic, animated, slow trot with a moment of suspension), and tempi changes (flying changes in sequence) are beautiful, but they also test important principles of horsemanship, including the partnership of horse and rider, their precision, and the horse’s happy willingness to complete each movement.

“It has not only the riding and horsemastership, but also the gymnastic training of a horse,” said George Williams, president of the United States Dressage Federation and US Equestrian’s Dressage Youth Coach. “The movements that a dressage test asks for are ones we consider natural to a horse, so dressage is the development of fundamental movements that you would see horses doing at play in a pasture.

“The aids should be as quiet and invisible as possible, so that it looks like the horse is performing on his own,” Williams added. “To do that takes a tremendous amount of body control and both large and small motor coordination from the rider. It’s like a ballerina who is smiling and making it look easy while doing things that are very difficult. That’s the art of it, but it also requires tremendous athleticism, and the horse is very much your dance partner.”

What’s Special About Dressage?

“To be very good at dressage requires a partnership with the horse that is built on confidence and trust, as well as the training that’s involved in creating that partnership,” Williams explained. “There’s also a certain beauty to it, because through the training you’re creating movements that show off the movement, strength, and flexibility of the horse. Centuries of the study of riding have developed the aids, which are the common language the rider shares with the horse. There are nuances with each rider and each horse, but the basic aids are ones we’ve learned and developed over centuries.”

How the Dressage Competition Works at WEG

The WEG dressage competition consists of three parts: the Grand Prix test, the Grand Prix Special, and the Grand Prix Freestyle.

The Grand Prix test is a team championship; all riders and horses participate. The test consists of a set order and pattern of compulsory movements that each horse/rider pair must perform. “It tests the fundamental training of a Grand Prix horse,” Williams said. “An important part of the training and the judging is that the quality of the horse’s gaits should be maintained or improved from what the horse naturally has.” And although the pattern tests advanced movements, it also tests key fundamentals, like the horse’s ability to stand squarely and immobile at the halt.

The Grand Prix decides team medals, with the winning team having the highest total percentages for their three best athletes. The top 30 individuals from the Grand Prix test move on to the Grand Prix Special. Countries which are unable to field a full team also participate in this class in order to move forward to the Grand Prix Special.

The Grand Prix Special, an individual championship, is a shortened version of the Grand Prix test. “It has the same movements, but it’s a little more difficult,” Williams said. “The movements are combined in a way that there are quicker transitions. The same qualities from the Grand Prix test are being tested here, but in a more demanding manner with more emphasis on the transitions.” The top 15 finishers from the Grand Prix Special move on to the Grand Prix Freestyle. The Grand Prix Freestyle is also an individual championship. In this popular class, the test is set to each rider’s choice of music. There are certain required movements, but each rider is free to create their own order and pattern using those elements. The pattern must be submitted prior to being judged.

Each of the three classes is its own competition with its own set of medals. As in all FEI competitions, horses are subject to formal inspections during the competition to ensure that they are fit to compete.

How it’s scored: In dressage scoring, each movement or combination of movements receives a score ranging from 0 (not performed) to the rare 10 (excellent); fractional scores of .5 between 1 and 10 are allowed (e.g., 1.5 or 9.5, etc.). Some movements

All times ET. Times subject to change; check Tryon2018.com for updates.

feature a coefficient that multiplies their value. Scoring also includes a collective mark for the rider’s position and seat and the correctness and effect of the aids.

The judges’ marks are totaled, then added together and converted to a percentage. The winner is the horse/rider pair with the highest total percentage.

As in figure skating, the Freestyle judging also takes into account both artistry and degree of difficulty, which rewards putting certain combinations of movements together. In case of a tie, the higher artistic mark will determine final placing, and 0.1 decimals are allowed in artistic scores (e.g., 5.2, 9.3). There are also scores for harmony and choreography.

What to Look for

The judges are looking for the purity of the gaits and their rhythm, the correctness of the movement, the horse’s impulsion and energy level, the harmony of horse and rider, and “throughness”—that the horse is using its whole body, with energy and impulsion powered from the hind end forward to the bit. Among the trot movements, keep your eye out for the piaffe (a highly collected, cadenced trot-like movement in which the horse gives the impression of remaining in place), the passage, and the extended trot. At the canter, pirouettes and tempi changes (flying changes every two strides and then every other stride) are crowd-pleasers. Of course, as in figure skating, the judges are looking for correct technique, accuracy, and precision.

There should be a sense of an overall happy partnership. “Does the ride flow and have a dance-like lightness?” Williams said. “That’s what you want to see.”

LEARN MORE

Visit the United States Dressage Federation at usdf.org.

Find videos and more about dressage in US Equestrian’s online Learning Center at USequestrian.org/learn.

-EQUESTRIAN

BY GLENYE CAIN OAKFORD

Para-equestrian dressage, the only equestrian discipline in the Paralympic Games, is one of several para-equestrian disciplines that have gained international recognition. The “para” prefix in para-equestrian dressage indicates that it is parallel to dressage, and it employs the same fundamental training, gaits, and movements.

In para-equestrian dressage competition, each rider is classified according to functional ability. Competitors are grouped under their grade classification—from Grade I for the most severely impaired to Grade V for the least impaired—to ensure a level playing field. Within each grade classification, they are judged on their individual skills on their horse, without regard to their impairment.

What’s Special About Para-Equestrian Dressage?

“To me, what makes it very special is that the sport is also a cause,” said Michel Assouline, US Equestrian’s Head of Para-Equestrian Coach Development and High-Performance Consultant. “It gives people a better life and often a reason to live an active life again. Dressage to start with is very difficult; I think it’s one of the most complex equestrian sports, because it’s the utmost harmony and chemistry between a horse and its rider. On top of that, you’re under the scrutiny of a panel of judges. Then if you have a disability, you can imagine how challenging it is. For a para athlete, who often will have a physical weakness, you have to have the horse extremely finely tuned to respond to the smallest signal.”

While the exact method of delivering that signal might vary according to the rider’s particular circumstances, the principles are the same ones that have guided dressage training for centuries. And the rider is held to the same high standards when it comes to executing a test with precision, harmony, and quality.

“In para-equestrian, we use the same classical guidelines in training that are used in dressage, but with the utmost finesse,” Assouline said.

How the Para-Equestrian Dressage Competition Works at WEG

The WEG competition consists of three phases for each grade: the Individual test, the Team test, and the Freestyle, which are roughly equivalent to the dressage

All times ET. Times subject to change; check Tryon2018.com for updates.

82 FALL ISSUE 2018

competition’s Grand Prix Special, Grand Prix, and Freestyle test. In the Individual and Team tests, horse and rider must perform a series of compulsory movements in a set order and pattern; the Team test, unlike the Individual test, is performed to music. The Freestyle also is performed to music of the rider’s choice; there are certain required movements, but each rider is free to create their own order and pattern using those elements.

FEI para-equestrian dressage tests vary according to the competitor’s grade. “Grade I tests are basically all walk, Grade II has walk and trot, Grade III allows canter, and Grade IV also is walk, trot, and canter,” Assouline explained. “Grade IV is the equivalent of third-level dressage, although the Freestyle test is often up to fourth-level standard. Grade V is also walk, trot, and canter. It is equivalent to third and fourth level in the Team and Individual test, but, in the Freestyle, Grade V is equivalent to Prix St. Georges—it’s quite a difficult level.”

Individual Test Grade IV Sept. 18 8:30 a.m. Individual Test Grade II Sept. 18 12:30 p.m. Individual Test Grade V Sept. 18 3:30 p.m.

WEG competition begins with the Individual test, followed by the Team test and then the Freestyle. Each of the three classes is its own competition with its own set of medals, but the Individual test also serves as a qualifier for the Freestyle. The top eight finishers from each grade in the Individual test move on to the Freestyle, provided all participants have reached a minimum score of 60% as an average of their Individual tests.

As in dressage, judges are looking for harmony, the quality and regularity of the gaits and their rhythm, the correctness of the movement, and the horse’s impulsion and “throughness”— that the horse is using its whole body, with energy and impulsion powered from the hind end forward to the bit.

As in all FEI competitions, horses are subject to formal inspections during the competition to ensure that they are fit to compete.

Individual Test Grade III Sept. 19 8:30 a.m. Individual Test Grade I Sept. 19 12 p.m. Team Test Grade IV Sept. 20 9 a.m.

Team Test Grade II Sept. 20 12 p.m. Team Test Grade V Sept. 20 2:30 p.m. Team Test Grade III Sept. 21 9 a.m.

How it’s scored: Para-equestrian dressage tests, which have a five-judge panel, are scored in the same manner as dressage tests. Each movement or combination of movements receives a score ranging from 0 (not performed) to the rare 10 (excellent); fractional scores of .5 between 1 and 10 are allowed (e.g., 1.5 or 9.5, but not 0.5 or 10.5). Some movements feature a coefficient that multiplies their value. Scoring also includes collective marks for the rider’s skill, harmony between horse and rider, and the horse’s paces.

The judges’ marks are totaled, then added together and converted to a percentage. The winner is the horse/rider pair with the highest total percentage.

Freestyle judging also takes into account such elements as artistry, choreography, and interpretation of the music. In case of a tie, the higher artistic mark will determine final placing, and 0.1 decimals are allowed in artistic scores (e.g., 5.2, 9.3). Top international scores across the grades at this level of competition can vary from the mid-70% marks to around 80%.

Team Test Grade I Sept. 21 12 p.m. Freestyle Test Grades IV and V Sept. 22 9:30 a.m. Freestyle Test Grades I, II, and III Sept. 22 1 p.m.

What to Look for

If you’re on the grounds, Assouline suggests a swing by the warm-up area, where para athletes arrive to meet their horses. “Many arrive on crutches and in wheelchairs, and then they get on their horses and they are suddenly transformed,” he said. “It’s as if they are flying with wings on their back. They suddenly have no limitations on mobility.”

During the tests, look for a balance between expression, harmony, and relaxation in the horse, Assouline said. “It’s no good having a flashy, expressive horse if it is tense, and it’s no good having full harmony but a horse that looks flat and lacking quality,” he said. “It’s the same in pure dressage: you want the ‘wow!’ but with relaxation. But the judges will give priority to harmony. If horse and athlete are in perfect synchronization and relaxed, if the horse is happy working for the rider, and the rider is having a good ride, that comes first. If you get a little more expression on top of that, it’s a bonus, and that’s the horse that is more likely to give you that gold medal.”

LEARN MORE

Visit the United States Para- Equestrian Association at uspea.org.

Find videos and more about para-equestrian dressage in US Equestrian’s online Learning Center at USequestrian.org/learn.

Combined driving is a carriage driving discipline that takes place over three phases modeled on the dressage, cross-country, and show jumping phases in eventing: driven dressage, marathon, and cones. Combined driving requires horses and driver to master both the highly technical (driven dressage and cones) and the challenge of boldly negotiating obstacles in natural terrain (marathon). The WEG competition is for teams of four horses—two leaders and two wheelers—collectively called a four-in-hand.

“Driving harkens back to a time when the horse was used for transportation and utility. Horses united communities across long distances,” said Heather Briggs, chef d’equipe for the 2018 U.S. Singles Driving Team, a member of US Equestrian’s Driving Sport Committee, and a longtime driving competition organizer. “Combined driving is the modern-day heritage honoring the driving horse. It is a celebration of the incredible flexibility that our equine partners have always shown—their perseverance, stamina, and power, but also their fluidity of movement. It’s a combination of classical beauty with sheer power.”

What’s Special About Combined Driving?

Combined driving tests the driver’s skill; the fourin-hand’s obedience, speed, and athleticism; and the teamwork of the horses themselves. The driver’s aids are different from a rider’s: instead of seat and leg, the driver signals the horses with voice and a touch of the whip.

“When you’re sitting behind a horse, there’s a lot of trust they are giving you, especially when there are noises from the carriage going on behind them,” said Briggs. “You have to have a very special connection with them for them to be able to trust you.”

There’s also human teamwork involved during the competition. In addition to the driver, two grooms are in the carriage during the dressage and cones phases; during the marathon, the driver is accompanied by a groom and a navigator. Grooms cannot speak during dressage, but groom and navigator can speak (and play a big role) during the marathon, and grooms also may help during the cones phases.

COMBINED DRIVING

All times ET. Times subject to change; check Tryon2018.com for updates.

Driven Dressage (Session 1) Sept. 21 11 a.m. Driven Dressage (Session 2) Sept. 21 2:30 p.m.

Marathon Sept. 22 11 a.m. Cones Sept. 23 9:30 a.m.

How the Combined Driving Competition Works at WEG

The WEG competition, which offers both team and individual medals, begins with driven dressage, in which competitors drive a prescribed pattern of maneuvers—including circles and loops, collected and extended trot, rein back, driving with the reins in one hand, and more—in a set order.

How it’s scored: Each movement or combination of movements receives a score ranging from 0 (not executed) to the rare 10 (excellent); fractional scores of .5 between 1 and 10 are allowed (e.g., 1.5 or 9.5, but not 0.5 or 10.5). Some movements feature a coefficient that multiplies their value. Scoring also includes marks for the regularity and freedom of the horses’ paces; the horses’ impulsion, obedience, and lightness; the driver’s use of aids, handling of the whip and reins, and position; and the overall accuracy of the figures. There’s also a mark for presentation, including the overall turnout.

The marathon takes place over natural terrain. It’s composed of two sections with a “transfer” period in between; the transfer is a walk break to cool horses between sections. Section A, which covers between five and eight kilometers, has no obstacles and allows the four-in-hand to warm up while following a prescribed course, which is flagged. After Section A, which typically is done at the trot, the driver enters the transfer. There is a 10-minute veterinary hold at the end of the transfer, during which horses can be watered and cooled.

The four-in-hand then moves into Section B, a six- to nine-kilometer course that contains a series of eight obstacles along a set track. This is where teams must race: they’re timed from the moment they enter the obstacle until they exit, and every second counts toward penalties.

How it’s scored: Seconds spent in an obstacle accrue penalties. Obstacles also have gate letters A through F, and four-inhands must go through the obstacle’s gates in alphabetical sequence and in the correct direction (with the red entry and exit flags on the driver’s right). Some obstacles also feature a cup that holds a ball, and competitors can incur penalties by dislodging the ball. There are penalties for a number of other infractions, including going off course or a groom needing to get out of the carriage to help. The team must complete each section within a window of time that allows for a regular pace throughout the whole course, so a team also can incur penalties for completing a section too quickly or slowly. Marathon penalties are added to the dressage penalty score.

Cones are the final test. Athletes must negotiate a course of up to 20 pairs of cones, driving through each pair on a set course within a time allowed—and without dislodging the ball that rests on top of each cone. The time allowed, the space to drive between the cones, and the turns required to get around the course are all tight, challenging the horses’ accuracy and obedience. The course can require zig-zags, rollbacks, serpentines, and more.

How it’s scored: There are penalty points for going over the time allowed, dislodging a ball from a cone, and a variety of disobediences, like refusing to negotiate an obstacle, running out, or refusing to go forward. Penalty points are applied to the athlete’s cumulative score, and the athlete with the lowest collective number of penalty points is the gold medalist. For teams, each team’s top two scores from each phase are combined, with the lowest of the group’s three scores dropped. The team with the lowest combined number of penalty points after the drop takes gold.

As in all FEI competitions, horses are subject to formal inspections during the competition to ensure that they are fit to compete.

What to Look for

The horses with the smoothest, most accurate dressage tests will be ones to watch through the rest of the competition, Briggs said, because a good dressage test shows a four-in-hand working well together and with their driver. That teamwork is key.

Also look for the difference between leaders and wheelers, and how they complement each other. “Wheelers tend to be a little bigger, because they are directly attached to the carriage,” Briggs said. “They’re the brawn. The leaders tend to be a little smaller and sharper. You want them to be willing to go forward and be brave, because you can’t reach them as well as you can your wheelers. And you’ll have that one key horse that kind of unites the team.”

LEARN MORE

Visit the American Driving Society at americandrivingsociety.org.

Find video and more about driving in US Equestrian’s online Learning Center at USequestrian.org/learn.

Horses and riders take to the trail for endurance, a timed long-distance competition that covers 160 kilometers (about 100 miles) over the rolling hillsides and forested trails at the Tryon International Equestrian Center and surrounding farmland. The sport has its origin in both the military and, more recently, in the Pony Express of the 1800s—both of which required horse and rider to navigate natural terrain over long distances and in all weather conditions. Today, the sport focuses on the close partnership between horse and rider, honed over hours together in training and on the trail, and it’s enjoyed by equestrians of all ages—including some who are competing at age 80.

“Endurance riding competitions are like marathons and ultramarathons for horses,” explained Steve Rojek, who competed in the first WEG endurance competition in 2002 and has since represented the U.S. in numerous international championships. “The competitions are on trails that highlight the area’s terrain. Distances may be as short as 50 miles or as long as 100 miles in a day, and each ride is broken up into a series of phases— usually six on a 100-mile ride.”

Between each phase is a compulsory halt, a rest period lasting a minimum of 40 minutes after Phases 1, 2, 4, and 5, and a minimum of 50 minutes after Phase 3. “During each hold, a team of veterinarians will inspect each horse, with attention to the horses’ welfare and soundness,” Rojek said. “Only horses who are approved by the Veterinary Commission are allowed to continue.”

There’s a final veterinary check at the end of the competition, as well, which must take place within 30 minutes of a horse’s arrival at the finish line.

What’s Special About Endurance?

“Endurance riding is special because of the relationship formed between horse and rider, which is developed over months and years of conditioning with an eye on the 100-mile competition,” Rojek said. “Endurance riding is a partnership of one rider and one horse over many hours in the saddle. Riders are always amazed and appreciative of our horses’ stamina.

“Using the principles of dressage keeping the horse balanced and straight is important, along with pacing, in order to finish a 100-mile event,” he added. “You never know what to expect, due to the challenges of weather and terrain.”

How the Endurance Competition Works at WEG

The WEG endurance competition takes place on September 12 and begins at 7 a.m. ET. All of the horses and riders start together as a group. After each of the race’s six phases, the horses undergo a veterinary examination that includes monitoring of each horse’s heart rate. Between each phase during the race, the maximum pulse allowed at each vet check is 64 beats per minute within 20 minutes of the horse’s arrival at the hold; at the final examination after the race, the maximum pulse allowed is 64 beats per minute within 30 minutes of the horse having crossed the finish line.

The holds involve more than checking heart rate. “The Veterinary Commission inspects the horses from head to tail, checking for metabolic or physical anomalies,” Rojek explained. “The horses are then trotted out to evaluate their level of soundness. If all criteria

All times ET. Times subject to change; check Tryon2018.com for updates.

Team and Individual Ride Sept. 12 6:30 a.m.

Medal Ceremony Sept. 13 12:30 p.m.

are deemed acceptable by the Veterinary Commission, the horses will proceed to a mandatory rest period before continuing back out on to the trail. All horses that do not pass the criteria and are withdrawn from the event must go to a panel of veterinarians for a more detailed analysis.”

The WEG endurance competition takes place against the clock, with a time limit of 14 hours and 10 minutes.

How it’s scored: “The first horse-and-rider combination to cross the finish line and successfully pass the veterinary inspection within 30 minutes is the winner,” Rojek said.

The single-day competition determines both the team and individual medals, which will be awarded the following day in the Tryon Stadium. There’s also a Best Conditioned Award.

What to Look for

“One of the most interesting places to observe endurance horses is at the holds, where one can often watch pulse statistics on a monitor,” Rojek said. “It might be fun to choose a horse and follow their progress through the competition. It can be exciting watching horses come into the holds and observing the crewing strategies involved with obtaining a quick pulse recovery. The hold time begins when the horse reaches the set pulse parameter. After the mandatory hold time is up, the horse is allowed to continue the race.”

LEARN MORE

Visit the American Endurance Ride Conference at aerc.org.

Find video and more about endurance in US Equestrian’s online Learning Center at USequestrian.org/learn.

EVENTING

Eventing is essentially an equestrian triathlon that challenges athletes and their horses in three disciplines: dressage, cross-country, and show jumping. It originates from military tests developed to assess cavalry horses’ obedience, bravery, and agility.

“Eventing is looking for the ultimate athlete: brains and brawn,” explained Sinead Halpin, veteran of the 2014 Alltech FEI WEG in Normandy and the 2011 USEF CCI4* Eventing National Champion. She noted the close similarities to today’s eventing with the military tests of the past, saying, “The cavalry needed horses that were disciplined and obedient (dressage); brave enough to jump whatever they encountered across the country, including navigating tricky terrain, water, ditches, and banks (cross-country); and then have the smarts required to be incredibly careful and obedient after being asked to be bold and daring (show jumping).”

What’s Special About Eventing?

“Eventing requires a partnership and communication between horse and rider that is unparalleled,” said Halpin. “Due to the intricacies of the sport, the horse has to be focused and trusting of his rider in order to rise to the challenge of each independent discipline. In turn, the rider is not only responsible for making sure the horse is fit and educated enough for the job, but that he is careful throughout the horse’s training to develop a consistent communication that secures the trust of the animal. The partnership between horse and rider needed to compete at the World Equestrian Games is established over years and, when presented well, can look more like art than sport.”

How the Eventing Competition Works at WEG

The three phases of WEG eventing competition takes place over four days (Sept. 13-16). Each combination in eventing receives a penalty score, and the lowest penalty score at the end of the competition wins. The dressage phase, the first phase of the eventing competition, takes place over two days in Tryon Stadium with each athlete-and-horse combination performing the same test, FEI Test CCI4* (B) 2017, consisting of a series of movements executed at specific points around an arena.

How it’s scored: “Each individual movement is given a score zero to 10: 0 being ‘not executed’ and 10 being the best,” explained Halpin. “The total marks received are divided by the amount of good marks possible and then subtracted from 100, leaving the penalty score.” Any penalty points incurred in the subsequent jumping phases will be added to the dressage penalty score.

The most exciting phase of eventing is the cross-country phase, with the WEG course taking place on a course of solid jumps over varied terrain on Tryon’s White Oak Course. There can be up to 42 jumping efforts, and the combinations will be traveling approximately 570 meters per minute, or about 21 miles per hour.

How it’s scored: The cross-country course should be completed within an optimum time, so both jumping and time penalties can potentially be added to a combination’s score. For the cross-country phase, “you are eliminated if you have a rider or horse fall. If you have a refusal, 20 penalties will be added to your score. Four-tenths of a time penalty will be added with each second over the optimum time,” continued Halpin. Other jumping penalties can be incurred as well, such as if a combination does not go between the flags on a jump (50 penalties) or breaks a frangible safety device (11 penalties).

The show jumping phase requires combinations to navigate a course of 11 to 13 brightly colored jumps that are 1.30 meters in height in the International Arena to conclude the competition. This final phase decides the team and individual medals for the WEG eventing competition.

How it’s scored: Once again, the show jumping course should be completed within an optimum time, so both jumping and time penalties are a possibility. “For a refusal, the rider receives four faults, but the clock will not stop, so, most likely, time penalties will also be acquired,” explained Halpin. “For every jump lowered, four faults will also be added to the penalty score that has been accumulated from the original dressage marks and anything added on cross-country. Time penalties in show jumping are one penalty per second, so more expensive than the cross-country.”

At the end of the competition, the combination with the lowest penalty score wins. For the team portion of the competition, four combinations make up the team, but the highest penalty score can be dropped from the team’s total penalty score. The team with the lowest combined penalty score claims top honors.

What to Look for For athlete and horse to be successful in eventing, they must be a versatile combination

All times ET. Times subject to change; check Tryon2018.com for updates.

Dressage Sept. 13-14 9 a.m.

Cross-Country Sept. 15 11 a.m.

Show Jumping Sept. 16 3:15 p.m.

LEARN MORE!

Visit the United States Eventing Association at useventing.com.

Find videos and more about eventing in US Equestrian’s online Learning Center at USequestrian.org/learn.

able to excel in three different disciplines, and the skills that they possess make the sport seem effortless. “When watching eventing for the first time, you should be looking for the partnership between horse and rider. The work should seem smooth and well communicated. The horse should seem focused on the task at hand, as well as the rider. The communication between horse and rider should almost be invisible,” said Halpin.

While three separate disciplines make up eventing, the skills required for the phases are interrelated. “The dressage sets up the language tools of ‘forward, slower, go left, go right, change your balance,’ and a few other tools the rider will need on the cross-country and show jumping at a faster pace. Normally, the horses that are the most obedient and smooth in the dressage are the most obedient and smooth in the jumping phases. There are some exceptions to that rule as in any sport … some extreme athletes may not always conform to the rules, and sheer athleticism takes them to the top! You might see a few of those behave a little cheekily in the dressage because all they want to do is run and jump, but those on the podium will be master combinations in all three disciplines.”

JUMPING

Jumping, or show jumping, is one of three Olympic equestrian events, alongside dressage and eventing. The sport has a straightforward object: to negotiate a set pattern of obstacles within an allowed time, without knocking down any element of the jump that would lower its height and without refusing to jump any of the obstacles. The subtlety of the sport involves each rider’s strategy and the specific challenges a course presents to horse and rider.

“There are a variety of distances between the jumps, which asks the horse and rider different questions: can they lengthen? Can they shorten? Can they jump high? Can they jump wide?” explained two-time Olympic silver medalist and Show Jumping Hall of Fame member Anne Kursinski. “The riders walk the course on foot the day of the competition to devise their strategy for negotiating the course. You’re penalized for knocking poles down and for going over the time allowed, so you’re looking for a clear round within the time.”

The NetJets ® U.S. Show Jumping Team for the FEI World Equestrian Games™ Tryon 2018 was to be named no later than September 10.

What’s Special About Jumping?

This sport combines exciting athleticism, the element of speed, and the beauty of both the horses and the fences they’re jumping. The sport displays not only the horse and rider’s athletic skill, but also their bravery and their partnership.

“For me, it’s about becoming one with your horse,” Kursinski said. “It’s exciting to really know your horse, this horse you’ve trained and developed over years, to master the course the designer has built, and to test yourself against the best in the world. Regardless of the level you’re competing at, it’s really about the connection between you and your horse.”

The jumping competition also tests horse and rider’s ability to conquer increasing challenges over several days, which demands physical and mental fitness.

How the Jumping Competition Works at WEG

The jumping competition opens with a Speed Class, in which each horse-and-rider combination jump 12 to 14 obstacles against the clock. The jumps have a maximum height of 1.50 meters and a maximum width of two meters (there are width exceptions for triple-bar jumps, which can be as wide as 2.20 meters, and for water jumps, which can be up to 4.00 meters wide).

The Speed Class is the first competition for both teams and individuals. “The riders will be looking at the course to see where they can make short turns or gallop a little faster to have the fastest time over the course,” explained Kursinski.

How it’s scored: In the Speed Class, athletes receive a four-second penalty for each obstacle knocked down, which is added to their time. Their total time then is converted into points. The horse-and-rider pair with the lowest number of points receives zero penalties, and all others will be credited with the number of penalties representing the difference in points between each of them and the leader. This makes it easier to understand the cumulative faults.

The Team Competition, which also serves as the second competition for the Individual Final, consists of two rounds over two days. The maximum jump height rises to 1.65 meters, and a water jump is mandatory in Round 1 (it’s optional in Round 2). The rounds are not against the clock (except to break a tie) but must take place within a challenging time allowed, and each round has a different course. The goal: a clear round within the time allowed. The top 10 teams from Round 1 return to contest Round 2.

How it’s scored: Athletes incur penalties for knocking obstacles down and/or exceeding the time allowed; there are also penalties for refusals and for not clearing a water jump. In the Team Competition, the best three scores for each four-member team are counted, while the lowest score is dropped. The combined score from both rounds determines the final team rankings, while individual scores continue to accumulate through the Individual Third Competition.

Team medals are awarded after Round 2 of the Team Final, and Olympic qualification is secured for teams finishing in the top six.

The Individual Third Competition also consists of two rounds. The top 25 horse-and-rider combinations, based on cumulative scores from the Speed Class and the Second Competition, compete in Round A. The top 12 combinations based on cumulative scores tallied after Round A move on to compete in Round B.

Round A and Round B have different courses, with a maximum height of 1.65 meters and a maximum width of 2.00 meters (or 2.20 meters for a triple bar and 4.00 meters for a water jump, if used).

As in the Second Competition, the object is to have a clean round within the time allowed.

“The courses don’t get any smaller,” Kursinski said. “If anything, they get a little bigger as the competition goes along.”

How it’s scored: The Individual Third Competition, which decides individual medals, is scored in the same way that the Second Competition is, with penalty points for obstacles knocked down, exceeding time allowed, etc. In the event of a tie for the gold medal, there will be a jump-off against the clock. For all other placings, ties will be broken by placing the rider with the fastest combined time from Rounds A and B ahead of the rider with the slower combined time.

As in all FEI competitions, horses are subject to formal inspections during the competition to ensure that they are fit to compete.

Look for combinations that are maintaining consistent good performance, and keep an eye out for the different routes riders take and the strategies they employ. “Some horses are better at tighter turns, and others might be better at galloping,” Kursinski said. “Some horses might be smaller and hotter, and others might be scopier but slower. Because it’s a long competition, some people might be a little conservative in the Speed Class, but others might go too fast and have a bad round.

“The other things I love to watch are the style of riding and the type of horses and what seems to be winning,” she added. “For example, the Americans are known for our position and really being one with the horse. Each country can have its own style, and looking for those differences is fun.”

Individual 3 rd Competition Round B (Top 12) Sept. 23 12:35 p.m.

LEARN MORE

Visit the United States Hunter Jumper Association at ushja.org.

Find videos and more about jumping in US Equestrian’s online Learning Center at USequestrian.org/learn.

REINING

Reining is an international sport today, but its roots go back to the critical role horses played on working livestock ranches in America’s Old West. Then, as now, the work of moving stock long distances across the open range required horses to be sturdy, athletic, agile, quick, and highly responsive to their riders.

Today’s reining competitions test those skills in a show pen, requiring competitors to perform highly refined and technically precise movements based on the ones they would have needed while working livestock. The sport’s 13 approved reining patterns include compulsory movements like small, slow circles; large, fast circles; flying lead changes; spins; sliding stops, and more. At the WEG, reiners must be prepared to run three of these patterns: Pattern 5, Pattern 8, and Pattern 12.

What’s Special About Reining? “We raise that degree of difficulty and the technique by asking the horse to make big moves explosively and athletically and then shut down again as quiet as a lamb,” explained professional reining trainer Troy Heikes, a member of the 2016 FEI World Reining Championships Team and the reining squad for the 2014 WEG in Normandy, France. “That’s tough, especially with the adrenaline factor. When you watch it, you want to say, ‘Wow, that was incredible!’ and yet have it look effortless.

“In reining, there’s an element of ‘boom!’ but it’s also a ballet. The communication you can have with horses is just a remarkable thing. Being able to educate a horse over time to be able to execute these maneuvers is something special.”

How the Reining Competition Works at WEG

The WEG competition begins Sept. 12 with the Team Competition, which also serves as the First Individual Qualifying Competition. All horse and riders compete. Each performs Pattern 8, a set pattern of movements, from memory. “Each reining pattern has a set of maneuvers that have to be done in both directions,” explained Heikes. The pattern includes spins, circles, lead changes, figure eights, and stops followed by either a rollback or a back-up.

The top 15 individual finishers (including ties) in the Team Competition move on to the Individual Final, which determines individual medals, on Sept. 15. Athletes ranked 16 th to 35 th (including ties) after the Team Competition have a second chance to make it to the Individual Final by contesting the Second Individual Qualifying Competition. Scores do not carry over from one round to another.

In the Second Individual Qualifying Competition, athletes ride Pattern 5. The horse/rider combinations ranked first through fifth earn berths into the medal round, the Individual Final.

In the Individual Final, competitors ride Pattern 12, with the highest score winning the gold. In case of a tie, there will be a run-off, using the same pattern and fresh scoring.

How it’s scored: Each competitor starts their test with an automatic score of 70 (“average”) from each of the five judges and gains or loses points with each maneuver. The judges score each maneuver in half-point increments from a low of -1.5 to a high of +1.5, with a score of zero denoting a movement that is correct with no degree of difficulty. A competitor can also incur penalties, ranging from a half-point to two points, for a variety of infractions, such as over- or under-spinning, being on the wrong lead, a delayed lead change, failing to pass a specified marker before doing the sliding stop, or holding the saddle horn with either hand. A horse that kicks out or bucks will receive a five-point penalty, and if a horse and rider go off pattern, their overall score automatically plummets to zero.

The highest and lowest total scores are dropped, with the other three judges’ total scores counting.

The team with the highest total points for their three best athletes takes the gold medal. In case of a tie, all five judges’ scores are added for the top three team members.

In addition to looking for accuracy and cleanness of execution, the judges also consider the horse’s quality of movement and overall presentation.

“You want to show that the horse is willingly guided in a pattern, and you don’t want him to be bulging in or out on a circle or not running that straight line to a stop,” Heikes said. “All of those things come into evaluating a maneuver.”

Medals are awarded for team competition on Sept. 12, and individual medals are awarded after the Individual Final on Sept. 15. As in all FEI competitions, horses are subject to formal inspections during the competition to ensure that they are fit to compete.

REINING

All times ET. Times subject to change; check Tryon2018.com for updates.

Team Competition and First Individual Qualifying Competition (Session 1) Sept. 12 8:30 a.m.

Team Competition and First Individual Qualifying Competition (Session 2) Sept. 12 4 p.m.

Second Individual Qualifying Competition Sept. 13 2 p.m. Individual Final Sept. 15 6 p.m.

What to Look for “We work on guiding and speed control,” Heikes said. So transitions— like the change from a large, fast circle to a small, slow circle, with a lead change and a change of direction—are key. “Those elements together have a high degree of difficulty, because you have a lead change, guiding, and speed control, all within a stride.” For spins in the center of the arena, the patterns require four complete revolutions for each spin, and competitors begin each spin facing a central cone. Horses must complete their spin lined up exactly with the cone or risk penalties, so look for a stop that’s dead on, says Heikes. And consider the cadence and rhythm of the horse’s front feet as he spins. “You want a horse to have a good, even cadenced step,” he said. In the sliding stop, a horse should make his running approach “like a plane taking off—you want it to be smooth with a continual build,” Heikes said. “When you pull the trigger for the stop, the horse’s hind end should go into the ground very aggressively, but the front end should stay very loose so they’re able to step to the stop. “The hallmark maneuver is the sliding stop,” he concluded. “It’s what will bring people to their feet. Those horses thunder down there as fast as their legs can go, then gather themselves up, sit on their hind end, slide across that dirt, and then crack back through themselves through a rollback—it will give you goosebumps. It’s that dynamic.”

LEARN MORE

Visit USA Reining at usareining.us.

Find video and more about international reining in US Equestrian’s online Learning Center at USequestrian.org/learn.

VAULTING

Vaulting is often described as gymnastics on horseback. It involves a vaulter or vaulters, a horse cantering on a longe line, and a longeur working together to present a routine with artistic and acrobatic skills displayed by the vaulter or vaulters on the back of the horse. “The ideal vaulting performance should look like it is difficult and exciting, but look amazingly controlled,” said Linda Bibbler, the chair of the USEF Vaulting Sport Committee and co-founder of Woodside Vaulters in Woodside, Calif., a top U.S. vaulting club.

Vaulting has three different competitions: individual (separated into females or males), pas-de-deux (a pair of vaulters), and squad (a team of six, with up to three vaulters on the horse at once).

What’s Special About Vaulting?

Vaulting has much to offer. “You develop an independent seat and a harmony with the horse, and it can be safe for kids who are a younger age, because someone else is controlling the horse,” Bibbler said. Whether someone is starting up with horses or competing at the elite level, vaulters do not have to own a horse and can borrow one from their local club or a club away from home.

Another distinct difference with vaulting is that it truly is a team effort to achieve a score. Bibbler pointed out that the vaulter(s), horse, and longeur are a competitive unit, with both the vaulter(s) and the longeur receiving medals.

How the Vaulting Competition Works at WEG

For WEG, each country may enter three individual females, three individual males, two pas-de-deux pairs, and one squad. FEI vaulting competitions typically have four judges located at four spots around a circle, but at WEG, there will be eight judges at four locations. Judges award scores between 0 and 10, with 0 being “not executed” and 10 being “excellent.” Judges at certain locations focus on specific scores for the three different tests: the compulsory test, freestyle (or free) test, and technical test.

The Compulsory Test examines the vaulter’s ability to perform eight standard exercises. “The judges have very specific expectations for each compulsory exercise,” Bibbler explained. Individuals and squads perform compulsory tests with the judges at A awarding a horse score and the judges at B, C, and D awarding exercise scores. The horse score focuses on the quality of the canter; vaultability of the horse, including the understanding between horse and longeur; and general marks for the horse’s entrance into the arena. The exercise score awards marks for each exercise, with the final exercise score being the average.

The Freestyle Test is a choreographed routine set to music. Individuals, pas-de-deux pairs, and squads perform freestyle tests with judges at A awarding a horse score, judges at B and D awarding a technique score, and judges at C awarding an artistic score. The technique score focuses on the performance and difficulty, while the artistic score focuses on structure and choreography. Bibbler said that, for WEG, the degree of difficulty should be 10 and the judges want to see variety in the movements.

The Technical Test is also a choreographed routine set to music that further tests the vaulters’ skills. It consists of five technical exercises and additional freestyle exercises chosen by the vaulter that demonstrate balance, timing/coordination, strength, jump force, and suppleness. Only individuals perform technical tests, with judges at A awarding a horse score, judges at B and D awarding exercise scores, and judges at C awarding an artistic score. “The technical test is what really separates people in the individuals,” Bibbler explained.

VAULTING

Compulsory Tests for Squad, Individual Female, and Individual Male Sept. 18 9:30 a.m.

Freestyle Tests for Individual Female, Individual Male, and Pas-de-Deux Sept. 19 9:30 a.m.

Nations Cup (Squad and Individual Freestyle) Sept. 19 5:30 p.m.

For the Individual Competition, there are four tests in two rounds. Round one consists of a compulsory test and a one-minute freestyle test, while round two is made up of a technical test and a second freestyle test for the top 15 individuals from round one.

How it’s scored: In round one, the compulsory and freestyle scores are averaged to determine the round-one score. In round two, the technical and second freestyle scores are averaged to determine the round-two score. The final score is the average of the two rounds’ scores.

The Pas-de-Deux Competition has two rounds, with a two-minute freestyle test in each round. The top 12 pairs after round one move on to round two.

How it’s scored: The final score is the average of the round-one and round-two scores.

In the Squad Competition, there are three tests in two rounds. Round one consists of a compulsory test (each member performs the exercises one at a time) and a four-minute freestyle test, while round two involves a second freestyle test for the top 12 squads after round one.

How it’s scored: The final score is the average of the three tests.

A Nations Cup Competition will also take place at the WEG with each country’s team, consisting of two individuals and one squad, performing their respective freestyle tests to determine the medals.

How it’s scored: The final score is the total of the three freestyle tests, and the nation with the highest score is the winner.

What to Look for

Bibbler suggests paying attention to how the choreography complements the music and takes place everywhere from the horse’s neck to croup. The vaulters aim to have unique artistic and challenging movements to impress the judges. “Remember when looking at the scores that the judges are judging different things,” Bibbler said. “In general, [the judges at] A and C will have lower scores.”

Freestyle Tests for Squad and Pas-de-Deux, Technical Tests for Individual Female and Individual Male Sept. 20 12 p.m.

Freestyle Tests for Individual Female, Individual Male, and Squad Sept. 22 12 p.m.

LEARN MORE

Visit the American Vaulting Association at americanvaulting.org.

Find video and more about vaulting in US Equestrian’s online Learning Center at USequestrian.org/learn.

Visit US Equestrian and Our Affiliates at WEG!

The US Equestrian booth will be hopping at WEG—come join us! Stop by every day of WEG for free fan memberships, giveaways, the new official US Equestrian Team Ariat merchandise, and opportunities to learn more about the WEG disciplines and about US Equestrian’s breed and discipline affiliates.

Where: Find US Equestrian in the center of the vendor village, next to the United States Equestrian Team Foundation booth and the USEF Affiliates booth.

What We’ll Be Doing: Having fun and spreading joy!

Sign up for a free fan membership to US Equestrian (a $25 value).

Spin our prize wheel every day for a chance to win great prizes, including hats signed by athletes competing at WEG.

U.S. athlete autograph signings. Check the booth daily for signing times!

Shop exclusive merchandise. US Equestrian and Ariat will debut a new line of co-branded apparel at WEG—get yours early!

Get a snapshot in our interactive photo booth. Get your photo taken in front of one of our green screen backgrounds—we’ll have fun props! Then share your snaps with friends on social media.

Get spotted for fun surprises! Pick up a free US Equestrian button at the booth and wear it every day. If our staff spots you, you’ll get a special gift, like free US Equestrian merchandise, behind-thescenes access, and more!

Explore US Equestrian’s Breeds and Disciplines: Stop by every day to learn more about our featured affiliate, score some free stuff, and find out how you can get involved in the breed or sport you love. Participating organizations include the American Hackney Horse Society, American Morgan Horse Association, American Saddlebred Horse Association, American Vaulting Association, Arabian Horse Association, Paso Fino Horse Association, United States Dressage Federation, United States Eventing Association, United States Hunter Jumper Association, United States Para- Equestrian Association, and more!

Get Social with US Equestrian: Follow @USequestrian on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for all things WEG, including behind-the-scenes moments with our equine and human athletes, on-the-spot news, video clips, and lots more. Use #Tryon2018 and, for your favorite disciplines, use #USADressage, #USAParaDressage, #USADriving, #USAEndurance, #USAEventing, #USAJumping, #USAReining, #USAVaulting.

WATCH THE GAMES

IN PERSON Buy tickets online at tryon2018.com/tickets/ event-tickets.

LIVE STREAM FEITV.org Follow all the action live. OlympicChannel.com and the Olympic Channel app,

over 50 hours of live coverage. NBCSports. com and the NBC Sports app, nearly 15 hours of live coverage combined.

ON TELEVISION NBC, NBCSN, and the Olympic Channel will cover select events. Check local listings.