Horse Racing Fantasy Community

Equestrian games, tests that challenge the skills of a horseman or woman and horse have been around for hundreds, perhaps thousands, of years. The World Equestrian Games, sponsored by the FEI (the Federation Equestre Internationale) has existed for only the last twenty years … since 1990.

The concept of the games was presented to the FEI, and accepted by them, as an excellent way to test all seven FEI disciplines … and to decide individual World Championships.

Interestingly, in the years prior to 1990, World Championships were decided somewhat differently. And host countries for events were selected based on previous winners of a given event. In other words, if the United States, for example, won the Dressage Event four years earlier, it would become the host country for that event the next time it took place – four years later. The same would be true for all of the different disciplines or events. So, in 1978, for instance, a year in which World Championships were decided, as many as seven different countries hosted individual championship events.

It was far from a perfect system. And that’s why, when confronted with an opportunity to change it, the FEI (the governing body for World Equestrian Events) took the step that ultimately created the World Equestrian Games as they exist today.

The very first World Equestrian Games were held in Stockholm, Sweden. Those early games consisted of six disciplines or events – Jumping … Dressage … Eventing (a tough three-day event that is kind of like a “marathon for horses”) … Driving … Endurance … and Vaulting.

The Games take place every four years. And in 1994, they were held in The Hague in Belgium. When 1998 rolled around, the Games were scheduled for Dublin, Ireland, but were moved (almost at the last minute) to Rome, Italy. Actually, one event in these Games – Endurance – had to be held in Dubai.

The fourth World Equestrian Games – in 2002 – took place in Frontera, Spain. As had been the case with the previous Games, there were the usual six contested events (disciplines) and a new one, “Reining” which added to spectator enjoyment.

The most successful Games to date were held in 2006 in the city of Aatchen. All seven disciplines were on the program and fans of Equestrian Games filled the stands to watch every event.

And now, the World Equestrian Games of 2010 are just around the corner. They will be held in the United States for the first time, in Lexington, Kentucky. And a new event has been added, bringing the total of contests to eight. It is called Para Dressage and it enables handicapped riders to compete for the very first time in the history of the sport.

For that reason and many others, this year’s games are sure to be one of the best in the brief history of the sport.