So much for the FEI World Equestrian Games. For the first time since the compilation of world championships debuted in 1990, the WEG will not be held in its next calendar rotation in 2022.
Italy and Saudi Arabia were the only bidders for the WEG, but instead of awarding it, the FEI at its annual meeting in Moscow today wisely decided to break up the concept which had become too expensive and unwieldy.
So Italy gets eventing and driving at Pratoni del Vivaro (where those world championships were held in conjunction with the 1998 Rome WEG), while Herning, Denmark, gets show jumping, dressage, para dressage and vaulting.
Individual show jumping medalists Martin Fuchs, Simone Blum and Steve Guerdat on the podium at the 2018 WEG, likely the last one ever held. Photo © 2018 by Nancy Jaffer
A decision on the reining and endurance world championships is pending, waiting for word about the future of those disciplines in the FEI.
The good news is that Omaha, which successfully hosted the FEI dressage and show jumping World Cup finals in 2017, will get them again in 2023. That choice is well-deserved. It will be nice to have the Cup finals back in the U.S. so soon after the 2020 edition in Las Vegas.
Leipzig, Germany, gets the 2022 Cups in dressage, jumping, driving and vaulting. WEG aspirant Saudi Arabia had to settle for the 2024 World Cup finals in jumping and dressage.