26 september 2009

Work Has Begun on WEG Marathon Obstacles

The first of several new marathon obstacles for the driving portion of next year’s 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games is taking shape.
In the middle of September, WEG course designer Richard Nicoll visited the Kentucky Horse Park to check on the progress of the course for the WEG test event, taking place October 1–4.

Nicoll said that six of the marathon-obstacle sites (but not necessarily the exact obstacles) being used at this year’s Lexington Combined Driving Classic / WEG test event will also be used in the WEG itself. This will let the crew test the ground conditions in each are, and it will also allow the ground to settle and the grass to grow, so that the marathon course will not look completely new in 2010.

The “hill” obstacle is one obstacle that will remain mostly intact from this year’s event to the WEG. It will look completely different next year, however. One of Nicoll’s goals is to have the marathon obstacles looking so impressive and beautiful during the eventing cross-country Saturday of WEG that eventing fans unfamiliar with driving will be enticed back the following Saturday for the driving marathon.

Photos: Jennifer Singleton / Carriage Association of America