12.30.15

2015 Year End Review: 10th Year

Posted in 2018 Games, Breeders Cup, My Thoughts, Thoroughbred Racing, World Games 2010 Foundation at 11:10 pm by Thomas

As I look back on 2015 I am reminded of why this site came into existence, ten years ago this month the announcement was made that Kentucky had won the right to host the 2010 FEI World Equestrian Games.  As Lexington Kentucky is consider the Horse Capital of the World I dubbed them the Kentucky World Equestrian Games and launched this site as a means to put my talents to use supporting those and future Games.  The 2010 Games are of course a bit more then 5 years in the past now though I still believe their impact is felt in this region.

The big example for this year was the 2015 Breeders Cup, which myself and others feel has a direct connection to the 2010 Games, even those who say the Breeders Cup would have eventually come to Lexington with out us hosting the Games can’t deny that the Games at the very least brought it here sooner then it otherwise may have naturally occurred.   I actually tend to disagree with that as it doesn’t really make sense that it should take the Breeders Cup 31 years to come to Keeneland considering the history and importance of this track but I know there are individuals who can make the argument why Keeneland hadn’t and my response to them then is, then why now, what changed, after a moment of their puzzlement, I say, the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games is what happened.

Though we didn’t win the bid in 2014 to host the 2018 Games, Bromont’s win was still viewed as a plus because it again brought the Games to North America, so we were disappointed to hear recently that there are some questions about the integrity of the final proposal in regards to the final document submitted by the Mayor of Bromont.  The current information on the investigation can be found here.  Our hope is this is more a technicality in that not all the details were clearly documented as opposed to a more blatant omission of who was ultimately responsible for the financial requirements of the Games.

Looking forward to 2016, we hope we can be more involved in continuing the case to our new Governor to submit a bid for the 2022 Games.  On a personal note we are leading our county 4-H Horse Program and are looking forward in being involved in the next generation of horse industry leaders.

Happy New Year 2016!

Kentucky Colonel
Thomas P. Demond
KyWEGO®

11.01.15

2015 Breeders Cup – Legacy of the 2010 Games

Posted in 2022 Games, Breeders Cup, My Thoughts, National Horse Show, World Equestrian Games at 8:08 pm by Thomas

The 2015 Breeders Cup is in the books and by all indications it was a Hugh success and the talk has already begun about Keeneland hosting it again within the next 10 years.  At the same time the Breeders Cup was going on, the National Horse Show was also going on at the Alltech Arena at the Kentucky Horse Park.

I will let the sink in, that is 2 signature horse events going on the same week in Lexington, Kentucky, amazing when you thinks not all that many years ago no one could imagine the National Horse Show leaving New York and coming to Kentucky.  What maybe even more telling was the fact that even though Lexington is considered the Horse Capital of the World and that is especially true for the Thoroughbred breed, Keeneland wasn’t considered for the Breeders Cup because it wasn’t thought the track and the surrounding infrastructure was up to the task of what many in the Thoroughbred World consider the signature event for Thoroughbreds, more so then the Derby because that is looked upon as a single race largely geared towards the public persona of the breed, and truth be told I can’t think of another event of any kind that does for its particular subject what the Derby does for the Thoroughbred Racing.  The Breeders Cup is much more about the trainers and their business and as such the event is much more like the Oscars for Thoroughbred Horse Racing then is the Derby.

If it isn’t obvious, what I am saying is that these are two really big events in the horse world and yet they have only recently come to Kentucky, and of course I have a theory on that.  The 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games paved the way for these events by demonstrating both the logistical capabilities and the personal strengths of Lexington.  I will of course have my detractors on that theory but even they can’t totally say the Games played no role in those events coming to Lexington just based on the public record.  Ultimately whether you want to believe my theory or not Lexington and the Commonwealth of Kentucky continue to strengthen our claim as the Horse Capital of the World and I very much suspect that will bring the World Equestrian Games back to Kentucky in that not too distant future.

Kentucky Colonel
Thomas P. Demond
KyWEGO®

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