The American Paint Horse Association has partnered with the FEI World Equestrian Games™ Tryon 2018 as an Official Media Partner of the 2018 event to help champion the sport of reining and show its support for the equine community as a whole.
The FEI World Equestrian Games™—also known as “the greatest equestrian show on earth” or WEG—takes place every four years, halfway between the summer Olympic Games cycle. This year’s competition takes place September 11-23, 2018, at the Tryon International Equestrian Center at Tryon Resort, a 1,600-acre facility in Mill Spring, North Carolina. The facility, which opened in 2014, is regarded as one of the premier equestrian centers in the world.
The FEI World Equestrian Games™ Tryon 2018 will showcase competitors from more than 70 nations competing in eight disciplines: dressage, driving, endurance, eventing, para-dressage, reining, jumping and vaulting. It is expected to attract more than 500,000 spectators.
APHA has strong ties to the reining world through legendary Paint Horses like performer and $10 Million Sire Colonels Smokingun (better known as “Gunner”), 2014 WEG Individual and Team Reining Gold Medalist Spooks Gotta Whiz, 2014 Team Reining Gold Medalist Gunns On The River (HF Mobster), 2014 Team Reining Silver Medalist Colonels Shining Gun, and 2010 Individual and Team Reining Gold Medalist Colonels Nite Special (Gunners Special Nite).
“We are honored to partner with the FEI World Equestrian Games and be a part of this truly epic equestrian event,” APHA Executive Director Billy Smith said. “We can’t wait to help showcase the event and be front and center for the reining portion.”
Mark Bellissimo, co-founder and CEO of Tryon International Equestrian Center, agrees.
“We appreciate the support and partnership of the American Paint Horse Association as we expand our footprint to welcome Western disciplines to Tryon International Equestrian Center,” Mark said.“With the addition of our indoor arena, we look forward to delivering world-class reining competitions at our venue year-round and are proud to launch this program through the WEG and its global presence.”
Follow APHA’s coverage of the 2018 WEG on all its media channels, including apha.com, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
To learn more about the FEI World Equestrian Games™ Tryon 2018, please visit www.Tryon2018.com.
Media Inquiries
For media inquiries about the FEI World Equestrian Games™ Tryon 2018, please contact one of the following press officers:
National Press Officer – Carly Weilminster at [email protected] or +1 (828) 863-1144
International Press Officer – Niki McEwen at [email protected] or 0044(0) 203 176 0355
For more information from the FEI, please contact Shannon Gibbons at [email protected] or 0041-78-750-6146.
For more information about the American Paint Horse Association, visit apha.com or connect with Paint Horse fans globally at facebook.com/americanpainthorse or on Twitter @APHANews.
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About APHA
The American Paint Horse Association is the world’s second-largest international equine breed association, registering more than a million horses in 59 nations and territories since it was founded in 1962. APHA promotes, preserves and provides meaningful experiences with Paint Horses.
About the Tryon International Equestrian Center
Tryon International Equestrian Center at Tryon Resort, host of the FEI World Equestrian Games™ Tryon 2018, is one of the world’s premier equestrian lifestyle destinations. From carousel to competition, the mission of Tryon Resort is to celebrate the magic of the horse, grow equestrian sport, and increase access to this majestic animal. With first-class facilities for hunter/jumper, dressage, and eventing competitions, the facility will soon accommodate all eight equestrian disciplines. Tryon Resort is a spring, summer and fall haven for equestrian competitors and enthusiasts, and a year-round destination for connoisseurs of diverse cuisine and shopping, lodging getaways, and family entertainment. Learn more at www.Tryon.com.
About FEI World Equestrian Games™
The FEI World Equestrian Games™, held every four years in the middle of the Olympic cycle, is the property of the Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI), the world governing body for horse sport recognised by the International Olympic Committee (IOC). It is one of the biggest events on the global sporting calendar, combining World Championships in the Olympic disciplines of Jumping, Dressage and Eventing, the Paralympic discipline of Para-Equestrian Dressage, as well as Driving, Endurance, Vaulting and Reining.
The inaugural FEI World Equestrian Games™ were hosted in Stockholm (SWE) in 1990. Since then the Games have been staged in The Hague (NED) in 1994, Rome (ITA) in 1998, Jerez (ESP) in 2002, and Aachen (GER) in 2006. The first Games to be organised outside Europe were the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games™ in Kentucky (USA) 2010. The Games came back to Europe for the 2014 edition, the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games™ in Normandy (FRA), which attracted more than 500,000 on-site spectators and a worldwide television audience of 350 million, as well as delivering an economic impact of €368 million to the French economy.
The FEI World Equestrian Games™ History Hub can be viewed here.
For more information, visit www.Tryon2018.com and http://www.fei.org/tryon-2018.