Length of Tryon's World Equestrian Games Cross Country Course in Question

[Larksmom]

Well the ones I saw were many years ago, when it was just eventing. The first one was Kentucky, '78. I really didn’t have a clue, but just knew it was running and jumping. I didn’t even know enough to walk the xc course, But I fell madly in love with the sport. I saved my pennies, and studied up and after the fiasco of the '80 Olympics, I was able to go to the WC in 1982. I went on a tour put together by Dressage and CT magazine.
The first week was spent in Switzerland, watching the Dressage championships. It was the year for Alerich and Reiner Klimke. I still remember Chris Bartle rode a Kur to Walk in the Black Forest. It was wonderful. I do not think it was scored. It was maybe a demonstration. I was staggered that when people went to lunch, they left their cameras set in place!
The next week, we went to Luhmuelen. I remember someone pointing out to me Reiner who was spectating. I didn’t at that time know he had already won the 3 day Olympic Gold in 1960! There were about 80 competitors, so the xc went on all day long. We had plenty of time to get around the course and get set at the various jumps. In '84, I went to the Olympics. We ended up staying at Lake Arrowhead. I had a good time, but it wasn’t as memorable as the foreign locals. Then I went all out and sprang for the trip to Australia in '86.

That trip was sponsored by COTH. I had the best time of my life down there. We went out on a catamaran to have lunch on the Great Barrier Reef, and swim with the fishies. The xc was very challenging, with the water complex being especially tricky.
The last one I saw was Kentucky in '88. It was a trial for the Olympics. IIRC, there were very few alternative routes. And that nasty broken bridge where Kerry fell was a giant thing. We were all sort of joking that it was a bad spot for a chip in.
After that one, I got credit cards and have been more or less broke since then.

[JER]

@ozjb

I like the WEG concept as well. I have enjoyed watching the best of the best in the various disciplines…

Except that designation - ‘the best of the best’ - isn’t all that accurate across the disciplines.

In driving, for example, the only category at WEG is four-in-hand. I love the fours as much as anyone but it’s a very small division in the sport. Singles and pairs are far more popular as those divisions are much more doable for drivers in terms of costs and training. They run over the same marathon course and take the same obstacles (and at a faster pace).

But if your only exposure to competitive driving is WEG, you’re likely to go home thinking, ‘I could never do that. Four-in-hand is too hard and way too expensive.’ Singles/pairs OTOH might inspire you to try driving which is a seriously awesome sport.

FWIW, driving does have its own world championships for all of the divisions. Unfortunately, USEF gives little-to-no support to drivers for competitions like this, although there is money for WEG. (And if you can afford to drive/campaign a top four-in-hand, you usually don’t need USEF support.)

[Benchmark]

@Mango20

They’ve already booked USPC for 2019. I stayed for the “Saturday Night Lights” both in 2016 and this year. Both times featured the senior Pony Club mounted games teams. I don’t know if all of their Saturday nights are like this, but both times, they really seemed to draw in a whole lot of locals to watch for free (and spend their money on food, etc). They had a lot of free variety entertainment, like a guy on stilts, a juggler, face painters, bubble blowers, etc. It was very carnival-like on the walkway out front. I think they really are trying to make it more accessible to the public while having a world-class facility. Whether it will succeed in the long run remains to be seen.

This is what’s really gotten me on board with TIEC. I’ve been to multiple Saturday Night Lights classes and every single time, whether it’s a smaller GP or a big $300k class, it has been absolutely packed with people from the community. For me personally, it was a huge breath of fresh air to see so many people embrace the sport and just generally having a great time at a horse show. I’ve never seen anything like that before.

And these people are not just there to sit at the bar and drink, they’re extremely engaged in the competition and really want to learn more about the sport. The last time I was out, I sat beside a super nice, working class family who had zero exposure to equestrian sports prior to TIEC. They politely asked if they could ask me some questions about the sport, to which I enthusiastically agreed. We had a great conversation and I was so impressed by how much they really wanted to learn about the sport. They told me their 10 year old son had caught the bug after he watched his first Grand Prix. They came back the following Sunday morning to watch some of the smaller classes. Their son, a super cute and outgoing little guy, apparently struck up a conversation with a local trainer who offered his parents some pro bono lessons to get their son started with riding.

I realize this is a one-off anecdote, but experiences like this are what we so desperately need in U.S. horse sports. From what I’ve seen, Tryon is doing a better job of bridging the accessibility gap than any other program or facility in America.

A little off topic, but I think this is an important intangible aspect of what the vision for Tryon really is. Just my two cents.

[amb]

@Benchmark

This is what’s really gotten me on board with TIEC. I’ve been to multiple Saturday Night Lights classes and every single time, whether it’s a smaller GP or a big $300k class, it has been absolutely packed with people from the community.
[…]
I realize this is a one-off anecdote, but experiences like this are what we so desperately need in U.S. horse sports. From what I’ve seen, Tryon is doing a better job of bridging the accessibility gap than any other program or facility in America.

I agree that that’s what we need, and reading accounts like this has made me want to visit TIEC more than any number of WEG ads. (Thank you, I think!) I’m with JER on lack of love for anything FEI/IOC-related, but I feel a lot more charitable towards TIEC now.

[Benchmark]

Great news:

“Preparation work on the footing has progressed greatly following a very wet spring and, in consultation with Course Designer Captain Mark Phillips and the Tryon Organising Committee, it is confirmed that the full 5,700m track is ready for the WEG Eventing Cross Country according to the technical level specified in the Eventing Rules.”

https://inside.fei.org/fei/disc/eventing

[Jealoushe]

Wow great news!

[Jealoushe]

In other WEG news, MJ is competing Fischer Rocana this weekend and she just scored a 24 in dressage I think she will be the one to beat.

[JenJ]

@Benchmark

Great news:

“Preparation work on the footing has progressed greatly following a very wet spring and, in consultation with Course Designer Captain Mark Phillips and the Tryon Organising Committee, it is confirmed that the full 5,700m track is ready for the WEG Eventing Cross Country according to the technical level specified in the Eventing Rules.”

https://inside.fei.org/fei/disc/eventing

Now the nations that were waiting on this info to finalize their team can do so … and perhaps Canada might actually name its prospective team members.
I know there are only 6 or 7 qualified combos, but it seems unfair to those riders / horses / owners etc. to wait so long to have the team named.

[Jealoushe]

@JenJ

Now the nations that were waiting on this info to finalize their team can do so … and perhaps Canada might actually name its prospective team members.
I know there are only 6 or 7 qualified combos, but it seems unfair to those riders / horses / owners etc. to wait so long to have the team named.

LOl right! What is up with Canada…so strange.

[barnmaven]

I’m local. I drove by the park on Saturday, if you told me WEG was a year away, I’d be encouraged… But it’s in 29 days. http://www.goupstate.com/news/201808…or-world-games

[poltroon]

I loved attending WEG in Kentucky. I think the best plan is to pick the existing venues that can run it and stick with them and reuse them, even if it’s just one or two, and I think it’s long past time to evaluate the requirements of the bid - for example if adding spectator capacity adds extra cost without compensating revenue, then it’s silly to require it.

[NCRider]

I can’t help feeling that they’ve announced this full length course readiness just to save face and that they’ll find some reason (weather probably) to shorten it before the actual day.

[SonnysMom]

@NCRider

I can’t help feeling that they’ve announced this full length course readiness just to save face and that they’ll find some reason (weather probably) to shorten it before the actual day.

That exact thought went through my mind.

[Blugal]

@NCRider

I can’t help feeling that they’ve announced this full length course readiness just to save face and that they’ll find some reason (weather probably) to shorten it before the actual day.

That was my exact thought too.

[RAyers]

So, are we saying 7-5 AGAINST the course being full length? It is the first thing I thought too.

[NCRider]

@RAyers

So, are we saying 7-5 AGAINST the course being full length? It is the first thing I thought too.

Ask me again once we see the final US and Canadian team. They’ve got a better perspective and insight of the reality of what’s likely than the other teams because they’re local. Could be a big advantage.

[Jealoushe]

Boyd seems to think it will be long, and grueling. Notice his comments at the end too.

http://www.chronofhorse.com/article/road-to-the-weg-boyd-martins-got-a-new-baby-in-the-mix

[FitToBeTied]

I like boyd but take his comments with a grain of salt. he tends to be a company man when it comes to commenting on issues.

[Jealoushe]

What do you mean? I thought it was interesting he said it would be a shame if they shortened the course.

[NCRider]

I doubt he wants a shorter course but even if he actually thought they were going shorten it he wouldn’t go against the public statements that have been made, particularly if there was some advantage to knowing or strongly suspecting it was going to be really short (ie ok to have a slightly less fit horse-easier to score well in dressage)

the absolute worse thing that could happen would be all the teams reading the tea leaves the same way we are, going lighter on the fitness work or selecting dodgy cross country horses and then the course ends up being full length.