MILL SPRING — This year, the Tryon International Equestrian Center is trying a little something new.

Riders at TIEC will be sporting cowboy hats for the 28th annual Carolina Classic reining event in May. The competition is just one of the many qualifying tests for the 2018 World Equestrian Games.

In 2017, TIEC lived up to its “international” name, hosting riders from 31 countries across the globe. In 2018, TIEC plans to expand into all eight FEI disciplines including jumping, dressage and para-dressage, eventing, reining, driving, vaulting and endurance.

TIEC begins its 2018 events with the Tryon Welcome Series on March 23, which will feature hunter/jumper competition at the B and AA-rated classes for hunters, and Level 3-4 for jumping. The Spring Series begins in April with the Fork Horse Trials, and eventing, driving, endurance and vaulting tests for WEG.

Other events in April and May include dressage tests, show jumping, the National Show and WEG tests for the reining competition. The Spring Series wraps up with the 90th installment of the Tryon Riding & Hunt Club Charity Horse Show June 6-10. The show will feature a CSI 4* AA-rated hunter competition, alongside Level 6 jumper opportunities.

Fall not only features the WEG competition, but will include another four weeks of FEI show jumping.

The series begins Sept. 26 with five weeks of AA-rated hunter competition and USEF Level 6 jumper opportunities. The 2018 Tryon Fall Series will conclude on Sunday, Oct. 28. 

The year’s events at TIEC will wrap up with the Tryon Fall Festival Series in November. The Young Horse Finals will start off the Fall Festival on Nov. 1, with the TIEC Field Hunter Championships and the Festival of the Hunt rounding out the season.

Though the World Equestrian Games are the highlight of events at TIEC in 2018, there are still plenty of other exciting events for equestrian fans to attend throughout the year. Most of the events are still free to attend.

For more information, visit www.tryon.com.