Have you heard? One of the largest events on the global sporting calendar is coming to Tryon, this September. Held every four years, the 2018 World Equestrian Games is the Olympics of horse-racing and draws massive global attention–not to mention, it attracts the world’s premier horses and riders to participate in the prestigious 14-day championship event. The world’s top equestrian athletes will compete in the eight core equestrian disciplines of show jumping, driving, eventing, vaulting, reining, endurance, dressage and para-equestrian dressage.
This is only the second time the United States has been awarded the opportunity to host the World Equestrian Games. Accordingly, the Tryon International Equestrian Center has undergone $125 million dollars worth of proper renovations in preparation for this monumental event. The already impressive, sprawling-yet-charming grounds have now been transformed into one of the world’s finest equestrian venues, featuring 12 riding arenas, 1,160 permanent stalls, a 6,000-seat outdoor stadium, stables, onsite lodging, restaurants, and shops.
Along with the Games, the Tryon International Equestrian Center will concurrently be hosting events for the inaugural World Equine Expo, WEQx Games, and World Horse Day, in a collective celebration of the unique connection between humans and horses. These additional events intend to promote and honor horsemanship through demonstrations, seminars, clinics, panel discussions, and equine art and film, as well as provide spectator-driven exhibition competitions to highlight the accessibility of a passion for equestrianism.
You can expect a flurry of media coverage and a flood of tourists to put this quaint Carolina community on the global radar. The small town of Tryon is eager to greet a slew of fanatical followers in the form of local and international enthusiasts alike. Whether you consider yourself a dedicated horse enthusiast or not, you won’t want to miss this opportunity to be one of them, and to take in this illustrious, historic event.
