d’Ornano Stadium Hosting WEG Test Events This Week

Carl Hester at the WEG test event. Photo courtesy of the FEI.

The WEG test events are underway at d’Ornano Stadium in the heart of Caen, where the show jumping phase for eventing will be held during this summer’s World Equestrian Games. The dressage test event wrapped up today, with the jumping test event scheduled to start tomorrow.

Fifteen riders from nine nations competed in Grand Prix, Grand Prix Special and Freestyle for dressage to test the field of play and training areas, footing, results and timing systems, as well as stabling, horse arrival and departure areas, and media services. The organizing committee decided not to invite the public to the two days of dressage, but the stadium will be packed tomorrow for show jumping.

Carl Hester, who won today’s Grand Prix Special with Nip Tuck, had nothing but good things to say about the venue. “It’s absolutely spot-on from a structural perspective,” he said in an FEI press release. “The footing is excellent, and it will only improve for staying in place between now and the Games so that we can really ride to the maximum. It was definitely worth coming here, and it should give the riders lots of confidence going into the Games.”

Nathalie zu Sayn-Wittgenstein of Denmark also praised the venue: “I came here with no expectations and have been really positively surprised,” she said. “The footing is really nice, the stables are good and the access is excellent. I’m very confident that things are going to work out well here.”

The eventing horses will be shipped about an hour from Le Pin National Stud near Orne, where the dressage and cross country phases are being held, to d’Ornano Stadium on Sunday morning of Aug. 31 for the show jumping. Who’s excited?!?

[Dressage: A Smooth-Running Success]