Behind the Scenes at WEG

The final day of WEG competition started with the Closing Press Conference. FEI president Princess Haya and Alltech leader Pearse Lyons were joined by Jamie Link and John Long, addressing media questions about the success and business aspect of the event.

Princess Haya and Pearse Lyons

Driving is a Must See!

Driving was a discipline I had heard about but not seen. Made up of three sections like Eventing, Driving has Dressage, Marathon and Obstacle. Driving dressage was beautiful to watch. Driving Marathon, a cross country course of osbstacles and sharp precise turns over undulating terrain and through water was spectacular. And the Obstacle course was a lot more difficult than I imagined. Netherlands took the Team Gold with Boyd Exell of Australia winning the Individual Gold.

Here are a few images from four amazing days of Driving competition.

Mike McLennan with USA enters Obstacle 2 “Head of the Lake.”

Light reflects over Joshua Rector with USA and a huge crowd at the lake.

Daniel Wurgler of Switzerland up close at the Walnut Hill obstacle.

The Event veterinarian Dr. Catherine Kohn was ready with her hose in the Vet Check area.

Part of Ijsbrand Chardon’s winning Gold Medal team for Netherlands included his daughter Lianne shown holding a horse in front of a misting fan.

Working as a team stride for stride, team 8 from Germany entered the final obstacle.

Boyd Exell of Australia celebrates his Individual Gold.

For more Driving images please visit the slideshow: www.TheHorse.com/Photos/Slideshow.aspx?id=16

In the final week of the Games I managed to break away from the hospital and see some more of the competitions, which was an unexpected treat! The cross country was definitely the highlight. The course was amazing and proved a challenging task. The carnage on the scoreboard speaks for itself--of the 79 competitors that performed in the dressage phase, only 55 got through to the showjumping phase. Some combinations were lost through elimination or falls on the course, and others failed to pass the second vet check.

On Sunday morning, before the showjumping commences, the horses must trot sound in front of the veterinary judging panel. After the grueling course of 28 solid fences, there were undoubtedly some people up all night massaging stiff backs, and icing and hot-packing sore and tired legs to get the horses sound for the scrutiny of the vets the following morning.  It is against FEI rules to give the horses any pharmaceutical drug during the competition, so eventing is a test of not only the horse and rider's skill and ability to perform but also their natural endurance.

I also got to see some of the showjumping--both for the eventing and the team final of the pure showjumping, which was spectacular. It was interesting to see how different the styles of showjumping are between the two disciplines. In eventing, the fact the horses have ridden a hard cross-country the day before, so that has been taken into account, and the showjumping is relatively smaller. However, the course still stands at 130 cm, which is no mean feat for tired legs! The pure showjumpers ride much quicker as time is more of an issue. The course was unbelievably technical and the jumps stood at a massive 160cm high and wide, which makes for entertaining viewing!

Now the games are finished; the mass exodus from the Kentucky Horse Park and the return of the thousands of spectators to their respective countries has left Lexington feeling like a ghost town by comparison. I too have returned home and back to reality. I thoroughly enjoyed my time at the World Equestrian Games and in Kentucky but unfortunately all good things must come to an end!

Here are a few photos...

This is a barrier put up around an injured horse on the course, to care for the horse in a secluded environment.

This is the horse ambulance, which was present at all times on the cross-country course. If any horse got injured on the course, it received prompt treatment and was safely removed from the course to be treated in either the clinic or the hospital.

I finally broke away from my daily routine (shoot/edit/transmit event images for this blog and slideshows) and ventured into the Trade Village, Equine Village, and Alltech Experience. Everyone should do this. It was amazing and well done and even with the crowds it was easy to get around.

Horse demonstrations were abundant and visitors even had opportunities to ride a horse. The Rood and Riddle Pavilion gave insights into the equine veterinary world of technology while the Kid Zone educated kids on all animals.

On my way back to the Media Village I walked by the competitors’ barn area where the onsite Equine clinic is based and where Security monitored everyone’s credentials.

Here are a few of the people I met along the way.

Stacy Vollet, Vendor, Booth 124

Vollet owns Clay Chick Ceramics (http://www.claychickceramics.com/) Booth 124 in the Trade Village.

“This has been a really good show for us,” said Vollet. “It’s fun to see the different nationalities. Columbia and Ireland have loved us.”

Working 8 am to 7 pm daily, Vollet has had a steady stream of customers and one of her ornaments was the featured “Souvenir of the Day” in Lexington’s local newspaper. Riding boots and horsehoe ornaments that have WEG on them have been her most popular items.

“In the end the profit margin will be well worth it, “ said Vollet. “ My only regret is not getting out of the booth to see the show!”

Allie Hembree, Alltech Public Relations Coordinator

Hembree gives tours of the Alltech Experience venue and is in charge of the Media Chill Zone.

“It’s a wonderful atmosphere with so many fun things to do,” Hembree said. “All the options for kids are exciting like the Dippin’ Dots and petting sharks and penguins.”

Lynn Johnson, Security Sector Coordinator

Working 12-hour shifts for Hamilton-Ryker security firm, Johnson is based outside the stable gate where all competitors are located.  Questions about ‘how to find things” are the most common according to Johnson.

“It’s been  good to talk with people from so many countries,” said Johnson.  “I’ve been most impressed with the Para Equestrians. It is amazing what they can do. They are incredible riders.”

Tim O’Hagan, Irish student intern at the Rood and Riddle Veterinary Clinic.

l-r, Dr. Denis Goulding, Tim O’Hagan and Dr. Kent Allen

Located inside the restricted stable area where all the horses are housed, the vet clinic attends to all veterinary needs of the athletes

Working every day shift since the horses started arriving, O’Hagan has assisted the veterinarians with ultrasounds, radiographs, passports, bloodwork, billing and generally whatever is needed.

“Getting to meet and work with veterinarians from around the world has been a great experience,” said O’Hagan. Among those international vets are Kent Allen, official veterinary coordinator of the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games, imaging specialist Jean-Marie Denoix, and Chris Newton (lameness exams) with Rood and Riddle. 

An avid rider, O’Hagan has enjoyed meeting the riders as well and viewing some of the Eventing Cross Country.

Well, I have my credentials and uniform in hand and am anxiously awaiting saturday's marathon day for the driving portion of the WEG!!  We are meeting on friday to have a briefing with all the people who will work this huge effort for what is known as the marathon day.  I will be the Vet in charge of the D 10 minute hold box, and while this is the 4th time I have perfomed this job, it is extra special this year because of the WEG!! I have spent many days thus far at the horse park as a spectator and have seem fantastic dressage riding by many world class riders and some of the most fantastic horses that I have ever seen in real life!!  I also watched the paradressage yesterday and was in complete amazement at the blind rider from Norway who rode a flawless test, sat an amazing trot lengthening and rode deep into all 4 corners!!