Since its inception in the early 1800s, equestrian competitions always had tested every horsemanship and skill except reining. Even the "paralympic" disciplines were added as long ago as 1948, instilled as a way to involve war veterans in competitive activity and physical rehabilitation.
The United States is hosting (September 25-October 11) the World Equestrian Games (WEG) for the first time, and one of the competitions certain to come to a rousing climax is reining.
WEG Disciplines Include Reining
Always a popular sport in the United States since its mid-1960s beginnings, the Western riding discipline of reining is the only riding competition sanctioned by the Federation Equestre Internationale (FEI), which oversees equestrian sports as its governing body.
The eight disciplines of WEG are:
- Reining
- Vaulting
- Endurance
- Driving
- Para-Equestrian Dressage
- Dressage
- Jumping
- Eventing
Before reining came onto the scene, the discipline of jumping was most popular with WEG fans. But the tight circles, flashy lead changes, spins and turnabouts, and the whooping sliding stop of reining are certain to entice and please.
An Ohio Quarter Horse show featuring Continental King, ridden by well known horseman Bill Horn, popularized the sport of reining in America.
United States Reining Squad
The United States has an experienced team in the WEG reining discipline, as Western riding has long been a favorite in America. Brazil, where reining is most popular outside the United States, is expected to do well in the WEG competition.
The United States Reining Squad lines up as follows:
- Shawn Flarida, Springfield, Ohio, riding RC Fancy Step, owned by Buffalo Ranch, Fort Worth, Texas.
- Tom McCutcheon, Aubrey, Texas, aboard Gunners Special Nite, owned by Turnabout Farms, Gloucester, Massachusetts.
- Craig Schmersal, Overbrook, Oklahoma, riding Boom Sherric, owned by Boom Sherric Syndicate, Brenham, Texas.
- Tim McQuay, Tioga, Texas, with Hollywoodstinseltown, owned by David Silva, Pilot Point, Texas.
- The alternate member is Casey Deary, Weatherford, Texas, aboard Rootin Tootin Dunit, owned by Wolf Stern Partnership, Horse Cove, Kentucky.
- Jeff Petska of Whitesboro, Texas, is the squad chief.
WEG's Other Disciplines
The other disciplines besides reining that will captivate the crowds at 2010 WEG are replete with daredevil antics as well as riding skills, and the horses are accomplished athletes in their individual competitions.
Dressage -- French for "training", dressage competition grew from the tests given to military cavalry horses. Art is the more modern accepted reference for dressage, which challenges a horse's ability to perform in pleasing athletic and graceful maneuvers.
Vaulting -- A moving horse provides the platform from which a gymnastic team performs.
Endurance -- Required stops with veterinarian checks accompany the 100-mile marathon of the endurance trail.
Driving -- Four horses, a driver, and a groom maneuver carriages through dressage, a marathon obstacle course, and a cones course for judging points.
Para-Equestrian Dressage -- A new discipline for physically challenged riders, para-equestrian dressage is an outgrowth of the original paralympics.
Jumping -- Dangerous and fast, excellent jumping evokes the appreciative applause of onlookers who thrill to a horse's ability to sky as high as six and a half feet over a disciplined course fence.
Eventing -- A three-day affair, eventing involves cross-country course running, stadium jumping, and dressage competition by the same teams.
Development of WEG
Prior to the first WEG competition, international championships were held in each of the disciplines in separate events.
WEG was developed to coordinate the competitions into a single world competition. Consideration for such an organization of disciplines began in 1983, and the first WEG was held in 1990 in Stockholm, Sweden.
Resources
Horse & Rider magazine, issue September 2010, "Your Guide to The World Games", by Gavin Ehringer; Olympic Equestrian, A Century of International Horse Sport, 2000, by Blood-Horse Publications
BarbaraAnne Helberg - Barbara Anne Helberg, Supporter of Better Lives for Animals and Clean, Spirited, Competitive Sports
