Cancelation follows restart due to early rider misdirection

Wednesday’s World Equestrian Game endurance competition was canceled due to a potentially dangerous combination of high heat and humidity, and the conditions out on the trail following heavy rain that afternoon, according to officials with WEG organizer Fédération Equestre Internationale.

The decision to cancel, which is in accordance with FEI’s General Regulations, Article 109.12, was unanimous between the president of the ground jury, technical delegate and president of the veterinary commission, and the organizing committee.

The decision is also in line with the FEI Code of Conduct for the Welfare of the Horse, which states: “c) Extreme weather: Competitions must not take place in extreme weather conditions that may compromise welfare or safety of the horse.”

“This was a difficult decision to make, but it was done with horse and athlete welfare in mind as the conditions this afternoon after the rain resulted in extremely high levels of humidity and, combined with rising heat, it was deemed unsafe to continue the ride” said President of the Veterinary Commission Thomas Timmons.

British scientist David Marlin, who has been working on heat and humidity studies for the FEI since the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games, provided the ground jury with data from the Wet Bulb Globe Temperature index, which showed a reading of 31. Anything over 25 is monitored very closely, and the officials agreed unanimously that 31 presented an unacceptable risk to horse welfare.

The cancelation followed a restart of the race earlier in the day, after several riders were misdirected at the start of the ride that morning. The event was reduced from its original 100-mile distance to 74 miles, and from five course loops to four.

The FEI has tasked the independent Equestrian Community Integrity Unit, which is on-site at Mill Spring’s Tryon International Equestrian Center, where WEG is taking place, to do a full investigation into the circumstances that resulted in the misdirection. The investigation will include interviews with the officials, volunteers, members of the organizing committee and all other relevant personnel to provide a full picture of what happened.

The findings will be presented to the FEI Bureau, and the conclusions will then be made public.