Should Tryon Ever Be Allowed to Try Again?

Horse-canada.com - Full Article

Cuckson Report | September 24, 2018

Over the past 12 years I have written six lengthy pieces for various publications asking “what is the point of the World Equestrian Games (WEG)?” Anyone over 50 will recall the kudos and success of single-discipline world championships that were the norm till 1986.The first WEG, Stockholm 1990, was only ever meant to be a one-off.

I have never really understood who the all-eight-sports-in-one-basket format is aimed at. Why do so many promoters assume that anything with a horse in it is of automatic, overwhelming interest to all? Most people like music, too, but show me a successful international festival with classical, jazz, country, hip hop, opera and rock all on the same bill! Even the FEI didn’t have figures available for spectators attending two or more disciplines till we got past WEG number three. I recall asking for them several times.

Yet whenever anyone has queried the validity of WEG, the FEI has firmly stated it’s by far the best way to showcase elite sport and that everyone likes it. This remained the stance even after it was common knowledge that WEG is a licence to shell out millions in unrecoverable cash.

Nowadays, experienced organisers would rather pull out their own fingernails than be lumbered with WEG. The FEI will allocate WEG to the last man standing rather than admit it isn’t a goer. At least twice the FEI has failed to ask governments direct if they are supporting the bidder – presumably for fear of hearing something it doesn’t want to know.

Ironic then, that just now we’ve found an Organizing Committee (OC) keen to repeat the WEG in, say, eight years’ time, the FEI has decided to re-evaluate the whole concept and contemplate breaking it up into more sustainable components. FEI president Ingmar de Vos said this at two press conferences this past fortnight. This significant shift was noted by just about everyone apart from the Tryon OC, which has the hide of a rhinoceros...

Read more here:
https://horse-canada.com/cuckson-report/tryon-allowed-try/

‘We made a ton of mistakes’ admits WEG boss

Horseandhound.co.uk - Full Article

Eleanor Jones
18:48 - 24 September, 2018

“We made a ton of mistakes,” the boss of Tryon has conceded, but he is “unbelievably proud” of what has been accomplished at the World Equestrian Games (WEG) venue.

Mark Bellissimo, of Tryon Equestrian Partners, spoke to reporters at WEG on Saturday (22 September).

He spoke of the challenges faced by the venue, which had had less than two years to prepare for the Games, having stepped in when original hosts Bromont, Canada, pulled out.

“I’m so very proud of all the things that have happened in the last two weeks with the exception of the things we started on [early problems such as with grooms’ accommodation] I take responsibility for, I made mistakes along the way,” he said.

“If that’s what’s remembered about this WEG then shame on me, shame on all of us, as I think what we’ve seen is probably some of the best sport WEGs have had.

“All the people who said this would never be done: they were wrong. What’s most important to me is that we’ve stepped up in difficult circumstances and did our best. It wasn’t perfect but perfect is the enemy of the good. We accept the fact we’re human and we make mistakes but in the end they’ll hopefully become afterthoughts...”

Read more at https://www.horseandhound.co.uk/news/made-ton-mistakes-admits-weg-boss-665923#yF8e84558oeDRZGM.99

World Equestrian Games over but Bellissimo back in saddle

Reuters.com - Full Article

September 24 2018
Steve Keating

TRYON, North Carolina (Reuters) - Mark Bellissimo, the man who brought the FEI World Equestrian Games (WEG) to this bucolic corner of recession ravaged North Carolina is widely viewed as a savior for bringing jobs and hope to the depressed region.

Not so says Bellissimo, deferring to an elderly employee who works in one of the sprawling facility’s kitchens who has apparently taken credit.

“I interact a lot with our staff and a woman who is our baker, she comes up to me and says, ‘I just want you to know I am responsible for the success of Tryon’,” Bellissimo told Reuters.

“I said, thank you and I would love to hear more and she said, ‘eight years ago I prayed that someone would rescue this community, someone with a million dollars and you came and it is because of me’.”

Situated in the U.S. bible belt, all this would seem a very plausible explanation for an equestrian Taj Mahal popping up under the gaze of the Blue Ridge Mountains.

What is not plausible is that Bellissimo rode to the rescue with a million dollars.

To get the Tryon International Equestrian Center (TIEC) ready for the WEG, Bellissimo and his partners pumped more than $200 million into the effort.

By the end of the year that number will rise to $250 million as he pushes ahead with plans to make the TIEC the world’s premiere equestrian lifestyle destination...

Read more here:
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-equestrian-world-bellissimo-idUSKCN1M41D2

South Africa: TZANEEN: A case of the tortoise and the hare

LetabaHerald.co.za - Full Article

The approach was quite different from other events, where speed is usually essential. It was a definitely a case of ‘slow and steady wins the race’.

24 September 2018

The Letaba Endurance Riding Club (Letaba Uithourit Klub) organised a horse riding endurance event in Mokopane on September 8 and 9. Many local riders hooked up their trailers and headed across to take on competitors from far and wide.

A total of 55 entries were received which included riders from Limpopo, Mpumalanga and Gauteng .

Competitors had a choice between a 80 km or 120 km endurance rides which catered for different aged groups.

For the not so brave, both 16 km and 40 km fun courses were on offer...

Read more here:
https://letabaherald.co.za/56747/tzaneen-case-tortoise-hare/

Polish National Championship at Dolina Gawora

Endurance-world.com - Full Article

15 September 2018
Race Report made with the assistance of Michal Tul and Dustin Jerominek

Dolina Gawora, Malichow, Dobrodzien, Poland. Friday –Saturday 31 August – 1 September 2018. For the third time in a row, Dolina Gawora hosted the Polish National Championship for CEI2* 120km and CEIYJ1* 80km.

Once again Dolina Gawora hosted the biggest international endurance competition this year in Poland with riders from Czech Republic, and for the first time from Lithuania and Finland, 61 combinations in total.

The first start was given early morning on Saturday. The longest distance started at 06:30. This year the competition was a little bit easier compared with the previous year. The morning was very cloudy. Riders started in temperatures of about 17 degrees Celsius, but in later hours the sun showed up and it was beautiful weather. Due to the good conditions of the tracks, riders had a chance to end the competition with excellent results.

The most important category was CEI2* 120 km. Within this category there was also the race for Polish National Chamionship with 12 entries. Rivalry from the beginning was led by two competitors – Tanja Turunen – FIN (Kuvaharjun Valedro) and Ryszard Zieliński – POL (Odwet)...

Read more here:
http://endurance-world.com/polish-national-championship-at-dolina-gawora/

Flair LLC Sponsors 2018 International Veterinary Endurance Conference

Americanhorsepubs.org

by Flair Equine Nasal Strips | Sep 17, 2018

Participated in the 2018 IVEC Conference

Flair, LLC, maker of FLAIR® Equine Nasal Strips, is pleased to announce its sponsorship of the 2018 International Veterinary Endurance Conference (IVEC). The conference was held September 9, 2018 near Tryon, North Carolina, USA

As part of the Flair IVEC sponsorship, Flair LLC President and CEO, Jim Chiapetta DVM, JD, attended the 2018 Conference, and made brochures and sample FLAIR Strips available to every attendee in addition to distributing the FLAIR Strip Clinical Studies Overview. British Equine Exercise Physiologist and noted International Endurance Consultant Dr. David Marlin delivered a five-minute educational presentation on the topic of FLAIR Equine Nasal Strips.

Says Dr. Chiapetta about Flair’s sponsorship of the IVEC: “Flair is pleased to have been part of this group of international veterinarians and competitors assembled in Tryon to address real world clinical and logistics issues relevant to endurance racing and other high intensity equine sports.”

IVEC is a conference for veterinarians and the stakeholders involved in the sport of endurance riding. Conference topics included presentations by some of the foremost experts in endurance veterinary science, including genetics, training and clinical science as well as presentations on horse welfare and latest scientific research. For more information about IVEC, please visit: http://www.ivec.info

About Flair, LLC: Flair LLC is dedicated to evidence-based products for health, welfare, and the performance of horses. Based in Minnesota, Flair LLC is the maker of FLAIR® Equine Nasal Strips. Developed by veterinarians, FLAIR Strips are drug-free, self-adhesive nasal strips that support horses’ nasal passages and promote optimum respiratory health of equine athletes at every level of competition. More than eight clinical studies have been conducted on FLAIR Strips at leading equine research centers. The Strips are clinically proven to: make breathing easier, reduce fatigue, conserve energy, quicken recovery, and reduce lung bleeding. For more information about FLAIR Strips, please visit http://www.flairstrips.com.

Contact: Nan Rawlins
nan@flairstrips.com

Post-WEG Endurance Event Interview with Thomas R. Timmons, DVM

Equimanagement.com - Full Article

Thomas R. Timmons, DVM, President Vet Commission 3 – Endurance, answered questions about the WEG Tryon 2018 event.

KIMBERLY S. BROWNSEP 20, 2018

EquiManagement followed up after the cancelled Endurance competition at WEG Tryon 2018 with Thomas R. Timmons, DVM, President Vet Commission 3 – Endurance. Timmons is an FEI Licensed Veterinarian in Endurance. He travels internationally for veterinary assignments at FEI-level Endurance competitions.

Q. What are your thoughts on the overall veterinary treatment for the horses during and after the race?

A. The veterinary care was excellent. The Commission executed well in evaluating and delivering their recommendations to remove horses from competition as indicated for metabolic or lameness or other reasons. After removal, the vast majority of horses benefited from mild fluid and electrolyte corrections. They likely would have corrected on their own, but precautions were taken with each horse.

Monitoring in the stables continued through the night by clinicians to ensure no latent conditions occurred, and there were none.

Q. Based on conversations at the International Veterinary Endurance Conference (IVEC) held the day before WEG started, is there a movement in general within the Endurance community about modifying how the races should be run?...

Read more here:
https://equimanagement.com/news/post-endurance-event-interview-with-thomas-r-timmons-dvm