Well we thought it would never come but the days of WEG, The World Equestrian Games are almost upon us! In case you have been living under a pile of hay for the last year you are probably more than aware of the convergence of this mountainous event being held in Tryon International Equestrian Center in North Carolina beginning Sept 11 and running through more than two weeks of event ending on Sept 23. The event itself will feature numerous competitions of the world’s best in different disciplines ranging from Jumping to Reigning. It truly stands to be the largest equestrian competition to see the East Coast in some time and years have gone into the preparation with those making the journey having made plans months ago. There are those small things you may not consider so we asked Jennifer Tucker Equestrian Luxe Style blog to enlighten us here’s her “what you need to know before you go” breakdown.

What You Need to Know About WEG

Picture this: it’s your first trip to the World’s most advanced sports stadium. Your
friends came in town, you lucked out with suite tickets, and your outfit is on point,
even down to your coveted designer bag. You and your posse decide to use the
rail line into town as to avoid all the traffic. As you are walking in, some
guy in a jacket tells you that you’ll need to check your purse. Say what? “No
thanks, I don’t check this one” you politely say and keep on walking. Only to be
stopped by the security lady who says, “that bag is too big and not see through,
you’ll need to check it or you can’t come in”. Now your car is 20 miles out of the
city at a train station and it took you 2 years to find a used version of this
designer bag that was in incredible condition and within your budget. Should I
mention you’ve suffered 2 thefts requiring insurance claims in the last 2 years?
Even worse, it’s Spring but only 40 degrees outside, you are freezing because
your killer outfit did not include a puffer coat. Now five of your friends are looking at you
like you are crazy, and one of them is on crutches. This could very well be you at
the WEG gates because that was me not too long ago at the Atlanta United Soccer
game.
Clearly this new level of security is news to me; so let me share it with you as this
is the new normal and WEG is following suit. You are no longer allowed to bring
in non-clear bags that are larger than 12” x 6” x 12”. I have no doubt there will be
people selling clear plastic, vinyl, or PVC square bags to you outside the gates,
but do yourself a favor and learn from my ridiculous behavior: buy a small clutch
no larger than 4.5” x 6.5” that you don’t mind carrying, a clear purse or tote, or
wear a jacket with pockets large enough to carry all of your stuff.
Don’t even think about bringing your cooler or your dog. No water bottles,
camelbacks, or Trojan horses filled with beer—yes, we actually pulled that one of
for the Kentucky Derby infield circa 1994. Bring your money, because you’ll be
drinking and dining within the Tryon International Equestrian Center ( TIEC )
during your stay. I’ve heard amazing things about Blue Ginger, the sushi
restaurant on the property. I know-I was surprised too! They have a myriad of
restaurants from Italian, Mexican, to Roger’s Diner named after Roger Smith, one
of the resort’s owners. You’ll find me at Mane Street Coffee. My eventing team is
planning on hitting restaurants outside of MillSpring like the Purple Onion and
Newmans in nearby Saluda. Since there will be 500,000 of us visiting over 2
weeks, I’d recommend reservations everywhere. Trip Advisor has been my
source since they have maps and reviews.

The WEG 2018 website has been upgraded over the last few months and is
becoming more user friendly and informative. No doubt the ticketing and seating
is confusing, but the housing page is worth visiting since they have compiled all
of the available accommodations in the area.

Tour Companies are recommending many surrounding cities.

My first choice being that of Ashville home of  The Biltmore a destination in and of itself.
It’s a gorgeous garden estate, a spa and great winery (I recommend the Sangiovese). The
Sierra Nevada brewery is also just south of Ashville and on your way to TRYON. If you
are into craft beer, you do not want to miss this state-of-the-art brewery. It is a
completely green brewery and even sells it’s energy back to the city. I’ll toast to
that! If you are on a budget and looking for a place to stay, I’d start stalking
Facebook looking for friends on the Carolina border.

Now the tickets. The ticket situation is interesting to say the least. You can’t pick your seats, and
you may have to buy more sessions than you want just to get see the specific
event you traveled hundreds of miles to attend. Or you can go VIP all the way and
get a Patron or Hospitality package. These packages provide you housing on
site, tables at venues with catering, and probably the most important: access to
private bathrooms. Tickets will be electronic to minimize scalping. You can
transfer your ticket but you can’t print it out and sell it on the street. Seat
assignments will be sent out via e-mail in July. And if you want to sit with your
friends who bought their tickets separately, email tickets@tryonweg.com with all
of your ticket order numbers and they will try to seat you together. I bought mine
the second day they were available. Does that mean I’ll be in the Legends Club
and under covered seating, or up close and in the elements? Who knows, it’s up
to chance so bring your poncho people.

Speaking of ponchos, this is not the most fashion forward event. Bring layers
because it will get cold, walking shoes, band-aids for blisters, and shades for the
sunshine. And If you forget something, don’t worry–WEG will be selling it. There
will be a Vendor Village located at the entrances to the WEG venue so expect
high foot traffic, and a high AmEx bill. For many of us, attending WEG is a once
in a lifetime event. The excitement is contagious and even my non-horsey
husband is coming. I’ve got him settled in for some sport shooting and golf when
he isn’t trekking the cross-country course with me. Check out
www.equestrianluxestyle.com for more information and ideas on how to turn your
trip to WEG into your ultimate celebration of the horse.

DISCIPLINES COMPETETING

images provided by FEI world equestrian games

Show Jumping is a spectacular mix of courage, control, and technical ability, making it easy to see why it’s one of the three equestrian Olympic disciplines.

Dressage Olympic discipline is often compared to ballet, with a scoring system similar to ice skating.

Para Dressage is conducted under the same basic rules as conventional Dressage, but with riders divided into different competition grades based on functional abilities.

Eventing is one of the three Olympic equestrian disciplines, is a formidable combination of Dressage, Cross-country, and Jumping, done over three days and with the same horse for each phase of competition.

Ranger Driving is a high-octane sport involving a carriage pulled by four horses, also known as four-in-hand, and encompasses three phases of competitions spread over three days: Dressage, Marathon and Cones.

Endurance is a long-distance competition against the clock. It tests the speed and stamina of both horse and rider and challenges each combination to ensure an effective use of pace and navigational skills of undulating terrains.

Reining originates from the working movements of horses and riders when herding cattle and is a judged event designed to show the athletic ability of ranch-type horses in an arena setting.

Vaulting all vaulting routines—team, individual, and freestyle—are performed on the back of a cantering horse, traveling in a circle and attached to a lunge line.