The FEI World Equestrian Games are the major international championships for equestrianism, and are administered by the Fédération Équestre Internationale (FEI). The games have been held every four years, halfway between sets of consecutive Summer Olympic Games, since 1990. Prior to that year, all ten of the FEI's individual disciplines held separate championships, usually in separate countries. The modern WEG runs over two weeks and, like the Olympics, the location rotates to different parts of the world. Riders and horses competing at WEG go through a rigorous selection process, and each participating country sends teams that have distinguished themselves through competition as the nation's best in each respective discipline. At the 2010 Games, 57 countries were represented by 800 people and their horses.
FEI World Equestrian Games | |
---|---|
Status | active |
Genre | sports event |
Frequency | every 4th year |
Location(s) | various |
Years active | Since 1990 |
Inaugurated | 1990 |
Organised by | FEI |
The WEG gradually expanded to include eight of the FEI's ten disciplines: combined driving, dressage, endurance riding, eventing, paraequestrianism, reining, show jumping, and vaulting. The FEI's two remaining regional disciplines,[1][2] horseball[3] and tent pegging,[4] still conduct independent championships.
The 2010 FEI World Equestrian Games in Lexington, Kentucky marked a series of firsts in WEG history: the first time WEG were held outside Europe; the first time that championships for eight FEI disciplines were held at one location (the Kentucky Horse Park); and the first time WEG had a title sponsor (in this case the animal health and nutrition group corporation Alltech, headquartered in the nearby city of Nicholasville). Permanent upgrades added to the Kentucky Horse Park leading up to the event included the completion of a 6,000 seat, climate-controlled indoor arena and completion of a 7,500 seat outdoor stadium.[5]
The Tryon International Equestrian Center, near Mill Spring, North Carolina, was the location of the 2018 FEI World Equestrian Games.[6]
Locations
editNumber | Year | Host | Events |
---|---|---|---|
1 | 1990 | Stockholm | 13 |
2 | 1994 | The Hague | 14 |
3 | 1998 | Rome | 11 |
4 | 2002 | Jerez de la Frontera | 15 |
5 | 2006 | Aachen | 16 |
6 | 2010 | Lexington | 27 |
7 | 2014 | Normandy | 28 |
8 | 2018 | Tryon | 29 |
9 | 2022 | Herning | 29 |
10 | 2026[7] | Aachen (jumping, dressage, para dressage, eventing, driving, vaulting) Al Ula (endurance) |
Medal count
editThe current historical medal count (as of 2022) of the FEI World Equestrian Games is as follows:
Rank | Nation | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Germany1 | 44 | 28 | 38 | 110 |
2 | Great Britain | 25 | 26 | 17 | 68 |
3 | Netherlands | 25 | 20 | 22 | 67 |
4 | United States | 16 | 20 | 21 | 57 |
5 | France | 13 | 19 | 7 | 39 |
6 | Denmark | 8 | 9 | 8 | 25 |
7 | Belgium | 8 | 8 | 4 | 20 |
8 | Italy | 5 | 5 | 4 | 14 |
9 | New Zealand | 5 | 1 | 2 | 8 |
10 | Switzerland | 4 | 7 | 6 | 17 |
11 | Sweden | 4 | 2 | 7 | 13 |
12 | Spain | 3 | 2 | 2 | 7 |
13 | Australia | 3 | 1 | 6 | 10 |
14 | United Arab Emirates | 3 | 1 | 1 | 5 |
15 | Austria | 1 | 7 | 8 | 16 |
16 | Canada | 1 | 4 | 4 | 9 |
17 | Brazil | 1 | 2 | 2 | 5 |
Ireland | 1 | 2 | 2 | 5 | |
19 | Latvia | 1 | 2 | 0 | 3 |
20 | Finland | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
Hungary | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | |
22 | Singapore | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
23 | Saudi Arabia | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
Soviet Union 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | |
25 | Japan | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
Norway | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
Portugal | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
Qatar | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
Slovakia | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
Totals (29 entries) | 171 | 171 | 171 | 513 |
- Notes
Medal count is sorted by total gold medals, then total silver medals, then total bronze medals, then alphabetically. The table doesn't count events before 1990.
- ^1 The reunified Federal Republic of Germany (1990 onwards) is regarded by the FEI as being the same country as pre-reunification West Germany (1948–1990), as part of an unbroken line going back to Germany's affiliation to the FEI in 1927 during its Weimar Republic (1919–1933).[8] If Germany and West Germany were considered to be two separate countries, their medal tallies would be: Germany 26 gold, 14 silver, and 20 bronze; West Germany 4 gold, 4 silver, and 4 bronze.
- ^2 The Soviet Union competed only in the 1990 Games, as it collapsed prior to the 1994 Games
Incidents
edit- 2014: Qalao des Mers, ridden by Maxime Livio (FRA) was found to have a positive finding for hydroxyethylpromazine sulfoxide, a banned substance. Livio was disqualified, which cost the French team their place in the Rio 2016 Olympics.[9]
- 2018: Horse Barack Obama, ridden by Jenny Champion (NZL) was euthanized after experiencing kidney problems during the endurance competition.[10]
- 2018: Box Qutie, ridden by Anna Freskgård (SWE) was euthanized after injury during the cross country portion of the event.[11]
Results
editSee also
editReferences
edit- ^ "FEI Horseball". Archived from the original on 12 May 2008.
- ^ "FEI Tent Pegging". Archived from the original on 9 May 2008.
- ^ "Horseball Championship Calendar". Archived from the original on 11 February 2008.
- ^ Maharaj, Akaash (11 February 2008). "Akaash Maharaj - Practical Idealism - Featured Blog - 2008 International Tent Pegging Championships (Imphal, India)". Akaash Maharaj. Retrieved 12 June 2024.
- ^ "2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games". Archived from the original on 20 June 2010.
- ^ "North Carolina to Host 2018 FEI World Equestrian Games". TheHorse.com. 3 November 2016. Retrieved 3 November 2016.
- ^ "A+ for the FEI World Championships 2026 as Aachen and Al Ula confirmed as hosts". FEI. 19 November 2023. Retrieved 12 June 2024.
- ^ "GER – GERMANY". fei.org. Archived from the original on 30 August 2013. Retrieved 8 July 2013.
- ^ Breunlich, Bettina (8 May 2015). "FEI Tribunal issues final decision on Maxime Livio (FRA) case". Equestrian Worldwide | Pferdesport weltweit | EQWO.net (in German). Retrieved 27 May 2024.
- ^ "Statement on equine fatality - FEI World Equestrian Games™ Tryon 2018". FEI. 14 September 2018. Retrieved 13 May 2024.
- ^ Staff. "Horse euthanized after injuries sustained in eventing cross country at World Equestrian Games". Hendersonville Times-News. Retrieved 27 May 2024.