HORSES ARRIVED AT GSP SUNDAY AFTERNOON ON SPECIAL BOEING 777 FREIGHTER AIRCRAFT
"This is the largest commercial airlift of horses in history."
300 TO 400 THOUSAND PEOPLE ESTIMATED TOTAL ATTENDANCE
$200 TO $400 MILLLION ECONOMIC IMPACT ON THE REGION
The 2018 World Equestrian Games are getting close...set for Tryon, or actually Mill Spring, September 10 through the 23rd...they’re being promoted as an event that will attract up to 500 thousand people into the area from 70 countries worldwide.
HORSES FROM SIX CONTINENTS
As area media sources reported, an international cargo plane carrying the first horses for the World Equestrian Games in Tryon, N.C., arrived at the Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport Sunday afternoon.
The jet was parked next to the airport’s cargo facility. Under a blue sky with puffy white cumulus clouds, dozens of horses were unloaded onto trailers to be transported 44 miles away to the Tryon International Equestrian Center in Mill Spring, N.C., site of the World Equestrian Games Sept. 11-23.
Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport spokesman Dudley Brown confirmed the horses landed at the airport before 1 p.m. Sunday and should be on their way to Polk County, N.C.
Brown said the International Federation for Equestrian Sports would be photographing the horses and providing updates to the media later Sunday evening.
According to the Associated Press, an estimated 75 horses traveled to GSP on Sunday from Liege, Belgium, aboard a Dubai-based Emirates Boeing 777 freighter aircraft. It was the first of several chartered flights to arrive with a total of 550 horses expected from Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, and France, according to Air Cargo News.
They will join a further 270 horses coming overland to team up with their human partners from over 70 countries at these Games, which are world championships in all of the FEI's eight disciplines and qualifiers for the Tokyo 2020
Specialist horse transportation company Peden Bloodstock - working alongside The Dutta Corp - has coordinated the highly complex logistics, with horses from six of the world's seven continents flying into Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport (GSP) in South Carolina and Miami, Florida.
The horses will be flying into the USA on a total of 23 flights from Liège (BEL) and Dubai (UAE), plus flights from 11 South American cities including Buenos Aires (ARG), Sao Paolo (BRA), Santiago (CHI), Lima (PER), Montevideo (URU) and San José (CRC).
"This is the largest commercial airlift of horses in history, with only wartime shipments of horses coming close, so the military precision involved in the logistics is incredible," FEI President Ingmar De Vos said. "These horses are finely-tuned equine athletes and are not only very valuable, but they must arrive in peak competition condition, just like their human counterparts."
Emirates SkyCargo, a world leader in the air transportation of premium horses, is now celebrating its largest ever horse charter, which started with the landing of flight EK 9387 at GSP Sunday.
The horses are flying on a specially designed Boeing 777 freighter aircraft in customised stalls, with independently air conditioned zones maintaining the perfect temperature for these four-legged athletes, which weigh anywhere between 450kg for the lighter Reining and Endurance horses, and 840kg for the heavyweight Vaulting giants.
EVERYTHING WILL BE READY WHEN THE GUESTS ARRIVE
Is this area ready for that event? Sharon Decker is the CEO of Tryon Equestrian Partners...and she told WHKP News several days ago that things “...aren’t quite ready yet, but they will be...we’ll be ready when the first guests arrive”.
Ticket sales were only in the 90 thousand range a month ago, and even though exact ticket sales numbers are still apparently unavailable, CEO Decker told WHKP News last week that “...ticket sales are just about where we thought they would be...ticket sales have picked up dramatically in the last 60 days and that’s exactly what we’re experiencing”, she said. She points out that several of the events planned for the games have, in fact, sold out already, but tickets to “lots of fun events at the games are still available on-line.”
As far as attendance is concerned, Decker says they are still anticipating between 300 and 400 thousand people total for the World Equestrian Games. She says the number will vary from day to day, and for the various events. Some days, she says, 3 to 5 thousand people will be attending, other days will be more or less---depending n the day an on the event.
“It’s really big for the region, she said...the economic impact the games will have in western North Carolina and in the upstate of South Carolina. She said, “If you look at the (similar) events in Normandy in 2014 and in Lexington (Kentucky) in 2010, we anticipate the economic impact on the region will be between $200 and $400 million.”
“It’s going to be a great time of year”, Decker added. “Tickets are available for the public.”
Decker also says, “Remember that after the games, “We’ll get right back into our regular season...so we already have a really strong pull on these events all the way through the end of October so more is to come at the Tryon International Equestrian Center.:”
By Larry Freeman and Tippy Creswell
MORE PROGRAMMING ANNOUNCED AT THE GAMES
Additional programming has been announced for the World Equine Expo™ to be hosted within the EQUUS Theater, occurring alongside the FEI World Equestrian Games™ Tryon 2018 (WEG) at Tryon International Equestrian Center (TIEC) September 11-23, 2018. Spectators can expect to hear insight from renowned Olympians, experts in equine care and medicine, and from industry innovators and academics.
Clayton Fredericks, Olympic Silver Medalist in Eventing, will present on "WEG Course, Which Horse?" Using his experience as a competitor, trainer and coach at the sport's highest level to provide insight on the progress of the discipline of Eventing at WEG. His presentation will include an analysis of how the competition is unfolding at TIEC and how he believes the Cross-Country phase of Eventing will ride, highlighting influential fences and combinations on course while making predictions of performance and pairs to watch. Fredericks will be available for a Q&A session following his presentation on Wednesday, September 12th at 11:00 a.m., and joins an extensive portion of World Equine Expo™ programming courtesy of Brooke USA.
Clayton Fredericks will provide insight on the Eventing discipline while the competition
is unfolding at TIEC.
Dr. Katie Cosgriff Curry is a fourth-generation farrier and holds a doctorate in chiropractic from the University of Western States. She is certified by the International Veterinary Chiropractic Association and specializes in equine hoof care in relation to horse spinal health. Curry is also the author of "No Back, No Farrier," created from her experience as a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist to help farriers and trimmers prolong their careers in the profession and will be bringing this expertise to the podium in the EQUUS Theater on Sunday, September 16th at 9:00 a.m.
Presenting a top ten list of important facts regarding equine identification, Debi Metcalfe, founder of the nonprofit organization Stolen Horse International, Inc., will utilize her decades of experience working to recover stolen equines to present content that can help all equestrians prevent horse theft. Metcalfe will present on Thursday, September 20th at 11:00 a.m.
The World Breeding Federation for Sport Horses (WBFSH) is the only international federation of studbooks for sport horses in Dressage, Jumping and Eventing. The federation's goals include stimulating the development of sport-horse breeding worldwide and bridging the gap between breeding and sport. Nadine Brandtner will give a presentation of the evolution of sport horse breeding, the role of the studbooks, and the history and development of the WBFSH on Friday, September 21st at 11:00 a.m.
Nadine Brandtner will present on the evolution of sport horse breeding, the role of studbooks, and
the history and development of the WBFSH.
One of numerous programming components related to equine breeding, Dr. Modesty Burleson's presentation on Wednesday, September 19th at 11:00 a.m. will focus on breeding sport horse mares and common problems often faced in this field, also including descriptions of diagnostic procedures such as transrectal ultrasound, intra-uterine culture and cytology, hysteroscopy, and uterine biopsy. She will review common treatment therapies and will discuss breeding with fresh vs. frozen semen.
Dr. Erin Newkirk will present an informative discussion on heat, stress, and reproduction in performance mares and stallions, drawing from her work as an associate veterinarian at Reid & Associates Equine Clinic in Loxahatchee, FL, to enhance and develop Reid & Associates reproduction service with an extensive laboratory to support equine breeding and reproductive medicine. Dr. Newkirk graduated from the University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine in 2007, is a member of the Society for Theriogenology, and is pursuing her diplomate status for the American College of Theriogenologists. Dr. Newkirk will present on Tuesday, September 18th at 9:00 a.m.
Lisa Lourie, owner of one of the largest sport horse breeding operations in America known as Spy Coast Farm, will discuss some of the challenges and opportunities that U.S. breeders face on Saturday, September 22nd at 11:00 a.m. She will share her knowledge of breeding management and marketing as well as review topics relating to training and showing in the U.S.
Lisa Lourie, owner of the largest sport horse breeding operations in the U.S.,
Spy Coast Farm, will discuss challenges as a breeder in North America.
The lead educator with Franklin Method Equestrian, Alysen Starko-Bowes will take to the EQUUS Theater on Thursday, September 13th at 9:00 a.m. to demonstrate the organization's imagery and body educational system with focus on the sport-specific needs of equestrians for riding. Franklin Method Equestrian utilizes "Franklin Balls" as tools both in and out of the saddle helping riders become balanced, focused and communicate efficiently with their horse, which Starko-Bowes will demonstrate in addition to how "Franklin Balls" can be used as an exercise tool both in and out of the saddle to increase strength, flexibility, and awareness.
Presenting on the effects of horse-and-rider interactions on equine performance, Dr. Kristine Vernon of Clemson University's Animal and Veterinary Sciences department will highlight her recent research and current field knowledge on the horse-rider interface, which directly impacts the horse's athletic performance and longevity as an athlete. Dr. Vernon will present on Friday, September 21st at 10:00 a.m.
Samantha Brooks will present on "Horse Genetics 101: What Every Horse Owner Needs to Know about Genes," where she will explore how the future of a foal unfolds from the genetic code contained within its cells and survey the basics of genes' influence over important characteristics for equine health and performance on Thursday, September 20th at 9:00a.m. Brooks will also share on "Galloping into the Future: Recent Research in Horse Genomics," covering emerging technologies in genome sequencing and how new tools available to horse owners and breeders have the potential to change the way sport horses are bred and managed on Friday, September 21st at 9:00 a.m.
Dr. Sarah Mouri, DVM and Resident Sport Horse Veterinarian at Spy Coast Farm in Lexington, KY, will present an overview of current modalities for equine fitness, injury prevention and rehabilitation on Sunday, September 23rd at 9:00 a.m. She will discuss the need for clinical studies to substantiate claims of efficacy in horses and the suggested protocols for modality use.
Dr. Sarah Mouri will present on current modalities for equine fitness,
injury prevention and rehabilitation.
Randi Thompson is the CEO of the "Horse and Rider Awareness Educational Programs," including: How to Market Your Horse Business, Jumping Instructors, Dressage Instructors, and Movers and Shakers of the Horse World, and the Ladies Horse Society. She will present an interactive discussion on Equine Liability Statutes and examples of what equestrians can do to make a difference in how they doing business in the horse world on Sunday, September 23rd at 11:00 a.m.
The CEO of Equicore, Summer Stoffel, will discuss how new technology is transforming and disrupting the equine industry in a positive and empowering way, and what it means to horse owners worldwide on Saturday, September 22nd at 10:00 a.m. Equicore was founded in 2015 and seeks to be a catalyst for integration of technology in the equine industry for positive impact while supporting every facet of the equine industry through advanced technology solutions.
