2014 Normandy World Equestrian Games: The Organising Committee lays the foundations

As the project gains momentum, the Organising Committee is set to test various aspects of its organisation during preparatory events held in August 2013: endurance, eventing and driving. These events, which feature in the national and international calendar, though at a lower level than the main event in 2014, will take place in some of the official Games venues.

One year ahead of the world’s most important equestrian event, three official disciplines of the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games 2014 in Normandy will serve as training for the Organising Committee’s teams:

1. Endurance (CEI2*) on the site atSartilly in La Manche on Friday 16th August 2013. In this event, the key element will be the route plan, as highlighted by Nicolas Wahlen, the manager of the Endurance discipline: “We will be judged on 3 sports-related criteria: the route plan, the route plan and the route plan.” This year, the 60 competitors will cover a total distance of 129 kilometres (with 4 loops). Next year, the competition will be the equivalent of a 3* level competition, over a distance of 160 kilometres (with 6 loops).
2. Eventing (CCI2* level) from 16th to 18th August 2013. This competition will be organised in a similar way to next year’s event, since the Dressage and Cross country phases will take place atLe PinNational Studin the Orne, and the Showjumping will take place in Caen in Calvados (the only difference being that the jumping will be held in the SHUC instead of the Ornano Stadium). The 50 competitors will therefore have the opportunity to ride part of the Le Pin National Stud’s brand new cross country course, which was inaugurated on 19th July.
3. Driving (CAI-A4 level) at Caenracecourse in Calvadosfrom 23rd to 25th August 2013. The 20 drivers and 100 horses present will be able to try out the new dirt surface, which was tested in June and is more resistant than grass, regardless of the atmospheric conditions.

In all, more than 40 nations will take part in these 3 preparatory events. Each nation will be allowed to enter two participants in the eventing and the endurance, and just one entrant in the driving.

Given the lower level of these competitions and the limited number of participants, the site configuration and resources used will not be representative of what the spectators and athletes can expect in 2014. The Committee’s priority is to test their technical and organisational processes.

In particular, the focus will be on:

• The general organisation of the teams and the different stakeholders (officials, National Federations, FEI, etc.),
• The sporting aspects (including the smooth running of the competitions, the interaction with the athletes and National Federations,the management of the stables, the arena surfaces, the courses, etc.)
• Part of the site layout (layout of competition and warm-up areas, arena surfaces)
• The technological aspect (management of results, timing, publishing the list of declared entrants)
• Transport, particularly transporting the eventing horses from Le Pin National Stud to Caen, which will be carried out in two convoys of around twenty lorries.
• The 680 volunteers who will be helping the Organising Committee in key areas: the competitions themselves, of course, but also transport, accommodation, site layout and much more.

Unlike next year, there will be no commercial activities, no communication and no spectators on site, as these events will be closed to the public. The Organising Committee’s aim is to focus on the purely logistical and sporting aspects of the competitions, so that everything is ready for the start of the Games on 23rd August 2014.

 

APPENDIX: PRESENTATION OF THE 3 COMPETITIONS 

ENDURANCE CEI2* at SARTILLY – MANCHE

-         16th August 2013

-         129km in the bay of Mont St-Michel – 4 loops measuring 38, 35, 34 and 22km with vetgates 

-         60 competitors – 30 nations

-         Start  6.30am

-         Time limit: 11 h 22 mins (14km/h)

EVENTING (three-day) – CCI2*- LE PIN NATIONAL STUD – ORNE

-         16th-18th August 2013

-         Dressage on Friday 16th August at 8.30am/ 2^nd session 1.15pm

-         Cross country on Saturday 17th August at 11am – 5pm

-         Showjumping on Sunday 18th August at 2.30pm

-         50 competitors – 25 nations

DRIVING – CAI-A4 – CAEN RACECOURSE – CALVADOS

-         23rd to 25th August 2013

-         Dressage on 23rd August at 8am 

-         Cross country marathon on 24th August at 2pm (8 sections; 1 and 9km)

-         Obstacle cone driving on 25th August at 9.30am

-         20 competitors – 20 nations

Source: 2014 Normandy