Story Behind the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games 2010
See the story of how the Alltech Fédération Equestre Internationale World Equestrian Games™ 2010 changed the Games, Lexington and Alltech forever. Featuring interviews w/ Mrs. Deirdre Lyons, Dr. Mark Lyons & friends who helped make the Games a success, join us in a look back at one of our most memorable events.
Posted by Alltech on Saturday, October 10, 2020
As the first WEG held outside of Europe the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games were destined to be groundbreaking occasion, but the host city of Lexington, Kentucky took it to the next level and truly made it a WEG to remember.
With a determination to put their best foot forward and show their city off on a world stage, the people of Lexington rallied around the event and funneled infrastructure improvements not only to the venue, the Kentucky Horse Park, but the city proper as well. The opening ceremony showcased the rich culture of the city and particularly focused on the arts. The title sponsor, Alltech, introduced an impressive number of schoolchildren to equestrian sports and to the concepts of sustainable agriculture. And of course, the competition itself was as spectacular as ever, but the ability to hold the events for all of the equestrian disciples at a single venue allowed even the already “horsey” person to broaden their horizons and experience something new.
It’s been a decade since the “Horse Capital of the World” welcomed to world to experience everything they have to offer and this tribute video depicts everything that made it so special. Beautifully summarized by current President & CEO of Alltech, Dr. Mark Lyons, “The word that always comes to me when I think about [the WEG], it’s inclusion. This was about making equestrian sport, it was about making agriculture, it was about making Kentucky accessible to a much broader audience and that’s really I think the thing that is the most special about what we achieved.”
