Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games!!!
Pretty much anyone who get some sort of horse-related magazine should have heard by now that the World Equestrian Games (also known as "The WEG") are occurring this year in Lexington, KY at the Kentucky Horse Park!
The WEG is, essentially, the Olympics of Equestrian Sport. It doesn't just include the three Olympic Equestrian disciplines of Dressage, Show Jumping, and Three-Day Eventing, there are five others: Reining (the only Western Discipline), Endurance, Vaulting, Paraequestrian (Dressage for riders with disabilities), and Driving.
The most awesome thing is that NBC Sports is supposed to have actual coverage of the events! Unfortunately it's only about six or seven hours of total coverage for the nearly three weeks worth of competition, but it's better than nothing! The US generally does a rather crappy job of covering Equestrian Sports, though I hear Europe is a bit better on that mark. To give you an idea last year's Rolex Three-Day event was denied coverage due to a Hockey game running over and then wasn't allowed to play afterward because of a stupid Poker tournament. Tragic on all accounts!
Of course, while NBC will be airing the games, good luck trying to get information from their website.
According to Horse & Rider NBC will air coverage on Sept. 26th 12.00-1.30pm (EST), October 3 1.00-4.00pm (EST), and October 11 4.00-6.00pm (EST). Now I haven't been able to confirm if this will be on local NBC channels or if you have to have satellite/cable for their NBC Sports channel. The Universal Sports Network is also airing coverage.
I'm really excited to watch Vaulting and Driving since you almost never see such events broadcast.
Do any of you know more about how to see the games on TV than I do? If so share!
Do you have an event or horse-and-rider pair that you are just dying to see? What is your favorite event? Have you been to or seen the WEG before? Any of you in Kentucky and hoping to go see it in person?
The WEG is, essentially, the Olympics of Equestrian Sport. It doesn't just include the three Olympic Equestrian disciplines of Dressage, Show Jumping, and Three-Day Eventing, there are five others: Reining (the only Western Discipline), Endurance, Vaulting, Paraequestrian (Dressage for riders with disabilities), and Driving.
The most awesome thing is that NBC Sports is supposed to have actual coverage of the events! Unfortunately it's only about six or seven hours of total coverage for the nearly three weeks worth of competition, but it's better than nothing! The US generally does a rather crappy job of covering Equestrian Sports, though I hear Europe is a bit better on that mark. To give you an idea last year's Rolex Three-Day event was denied coverage due to a Hockey game running over and then wasn't allowed to play afterward because of a stupid Poker tournament. Tragic on all accounts!
Of course, while NBC will be airing the games, good luck trying to get information from their website.
According to Horse & Rider NBC will air coverage on Sept. 26th 12.00-1.30pm (EST), October 3 1.00-4.00pm (EST), and October 11 4.00-6.00pm (EST). Now I haven't been able to confirm if this will be on local NBC channels or if you have to have satellite/cable for their NBC Sports channel. The Universal Sports Network is also airing coverage.
I'm really excited to watch Vaulting and Driving since you almost never see such events broadcast.
Do any of you know more about how to see the games on TV than I do? If so share!
Do you have an event or horse-and-rider pair that you are just dying to see? What is your favorite event? Have you been to or seen the WEG before? Any of you in Kentucky and hoping to go see it in person?