09.25.11
Posted in 2010 Games, 2026, Alltech, My Thoughts, Opening Ceremonies, Reining, World Equestrian Games at 7:45 pm by Thomas
It was one year ago today that the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games 2010, or as you know I always refer to them as, The Kentucky World Equestrian Games started. I went back and read the posts I made from those initial days and remembered the excitement and nervousness of that first day.
The weather today was fairly similar to what it was last year, cool in the morning but warmed up nicely later in the day. It is all still amazingly fresh in my memory now when I think back, which I hope remains the case for the rest if my life because it was certainly one of those Great Experiences in my life.
The big news of that first day was that the turnout for the Opening Ceremonies was better then had been expected, though the expectations had been tempered by the economy. The other big news of that day was Italy taking the lead in the Reining World Championships in the first part of that competition.
It is bitter sweet in some ways to think back to the 4 1/2 years preparing for the Games, and then they were here and gone and now another year has passed. Though some or maybe even many people will think I am off my rocker to say definitively that the Games will again return to Kentucky, maybe not in 2018 or even 2022, but by 2026 I think we have a good shot of getting them back and you know I will be there again.
In closing on thinking back on this first day, I must as I have in the past give great thanks to many people starting with Dr. Pierce Lyons of Alltech, without whom I don’t think these Games would have taken place, and then all the staff and certainly the Volunteers without whom I do not think the Games could have been the success they were.
Kentucky Colonel
Thomas Demond
KyWEGO®
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09.23.10
Posted in 2010 Games, Opening Ceremonies, World Equestrian Games at 11:59 am by Press Release
LEXINGTON, KY—1 Day to Go–When the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games officially begin on Saturday, Kentuckians will have the opportunity to witness the pageantry and excitement of the opening ceremonies as most of the state’s NBC affiliates broadcast the event live from 7:00–9:00 p.m. EST Saturday.
The following Kentucky NBC affiliates will be carrying the live show:
· WLEX, Lexington
· WAVE, Louisville
· WLWT, Cincinnati
· WNKY, Bowling Green
· WPSD, Paducah
· WFIE, Evansville (Indiana)
The broadcast will be produced by Carr-Hughes Productions, the official host broadcaster of the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games. Heading up the production will be five-time Emmy winner Jim Carr, 20-year Olympic veteran Bob Hughes and acclaimed director Brian Douglas, who led the complete broadcast production of two Olympics. The show will be hosted by Nancy Cox and Kevin Christopher of WLEX – Lexington.
The opening ceremonies will see a cast of nearly 1,500 people, ages 8 to 80, joining almost 200 horses from around the world for a celebration of dreams that will play tribute to the Games’ American debut. With scenes of the prairie, Broadway, the Wild West, and the Deep South, the show will journey through the history of horses and man as well as iconic moments in U.S. history and culture.
Forty different acts will be featured, including Kentuckian Wynonna Judd; opera stars Denyce Graves, Cynthia Lawrence and Ronan Tynan; Sara Lee Guthrie; Cherryholmes; and Jazz at Lincoln Center among other notables. World-renowned boxing legend, humanitarian, global icon and Kentucky native Muhammad Ali will also be making a special appearance.
Along with the opening ceremonies, the broadcast will also include regional features and a special preview of the coming events as eight world championships are contested over the following 15 days.
“The Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games will be an epic moment in the Commonwealth’s history. Never before has an international sporting event of this magnitude come to our Bluegrass,” said Terry Johnson, vice president of marketing and sponsorship for the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games. “We are delighted that NBC affiliates throughout the state have partnered to bring the show to Kentuckians.”
Opening ceremony tickets are still available but selling quickly. Experience it in person by securing your tickets today at www.alltechfeigames.com/ticketsor 1-888-934-2010.
An opening ceremonies mobile app is also now available for $0.99 download.
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09.06.10
Posted in 2010 Games, Opening Ceremonies, World Equestrian Games at 12:01 am by Thomas
T-19: Indications now are that the pattern shift we were expecting mid-month may be breaking down. We had been expecting temperatures to remain just above normal but now those temperatures may stay in the 5 to 10 degree above normal range as opposed to a 2 to 5 we had been expecting. The real concern that remains will be rain, not expecting long period rain events, more likely half day periods of showers/t-storms which should keep these rain events in the under an inch range. We are posting daily weather updates at http://www.kentuckyworldequestriangames.info.
Kentucky Colonel
Thomas Demond
KyWEGO
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06.23.10
Posted in 2010 Games, Opening Ceremonies, World Equestrian Games at 12:02 am by Thomas
Lexington, Ky.—American Thoroughbred racing Hall of Fame jockey and founder of the North American Racing Academy, Chris McCarron, will participate in the Opening Ceremonies of the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games on Sept. 25.
Along with a group of his NARA students, McCarron will be representing Thoroughbred racing in the Opening Ceremonies.
“It is a tremendous honor for us to be selected as representing the Thoroughbred industry,” McCarron said, “because it is a huge part of Kentucky’s agricultural landscape.”
McCarron has been a part of the Thoroughbred industry most of his life. The now 55-year-old started his first job when he was 16, hot walking horses. After graduating high school, McCarron continued working with horses at Suffolk Downs and rode in his first race when he was 18 years old.
During his 28 year professional career, McCarron won many prestigious races including the Kentucky Derby, the Preakness Stakes and the Belmont Stakes, all twice. McCarron also had nine Breeders’ Cup victories and was the first jockey in history to reach the $200 million earnings mark.
Once McCarron retired, he put his energies toward creating the North American Racing Academy. Located in Lexington, the NARA is the only fully accredited training program for jockeys and horseman in the United States. McCarron established the school to prepare students for life on and off the track.
“It has turned out very well,” McCarron said about the Academy. “It is satisfying and gratifying. The students have won over 370 races in the last year and a half.”
Although he is used to performing in front of such large audiences, McCarron said there will still be a huge amount of adrenalin going through his body before the Ceremonies. McCarron said he expects his students will also be excited about participating in the Ceremonies.
“Having Chris and his group of aspiring students involved in the Opening Ceremonies is tremendous,” said Everett McCorvey, executive producer of the Opening and Closing Ceremonies. “The Thoroughbred breed, in addition to other breeds in the Ceremonies, is part of the Kentucky landscape that we know audience members will enjoy seeing.”
Chris McCarron is one of many equine entertainers involved in the Ceremonies for the 2010 Games. Over 200 horses are slated for the Opening Ceremonies alone. In addition to the equine component, the “human” component includes orchestra, choir, dancers, headline musicians, movement corps of hundreds of adults and children, as well as local and international celebrities and dignitaries.
To purchase tickets for the Opening Ceremonies click here.
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06.21.10
Posted in Opening Ceremonies at 9:23 pm by Thomas
LEXINGTON, KY—97 Days to go—A collaboration of equine entertainers and roping experts are bringing their talents to the Opening Ceremonies at the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games on Sept. 25. This group will represent the many traditions of Western riding in the United States.
The performers include Vince Bruce, Eitan Beth-Halachmy, Double Dan Horsemanship, Tommie Turvey, the California Cowgirls and the Riata Ranch Cowboy Girls. Together the group shares a common theme, but they will each add their own flair to this section of the Opening Ceremonies.
Vince Bruce, also known as the “Wizard of Whips and Ropes,” has been twirling ropes in front of audiences since he was 12 years old. Bruce has been in circuses, performed with the Harlem Globetrotters and starred in the Broadway show “The Will Rogers’ Follies.”
Bruce said he is excited about performing with friends and creating something spectacular for the Opening Ceremonies. A native of England, Bruce said “This (the U.S.) is the home of Western entertainment.”
Eitan Beth-Halachmy will add to the performance with his Cowboy Dressage style of riding. Beth-Halachmy developed Cowboy Dressage from a mixture of several training styles including Dressage, which he calls his discipline, and Western, which he calls his fun.
“I am going to have the opportunity to entertain, give others an idea of what I do, and show them how to have fun riding a horse,” Beth-Halachmy said about coming to the Games.
Dan James of Australia is one of the two “Dans” behind Double Dan Horsemanship. James, who grew up riding horses Down Under eventually partnered with Dan Steers to create a powerhouse of entertainment and equine training that includes clinics and performances across the globe.
Also known for entertaining is Tommie Turvey, an equine extremist who performs tricks and stunts for audiences across America. Turvey grew up with a passion for horses but never really wanted to compete. Instead, he followed in his father’s footsteps and used his natural riding abilities and class clown tendencies to create a niche in equine entertainment.
“It is nice to have people from around the world come to the United States,” Turvey said about the Games. “I can represent what we do here and say ‘Hey! American cowboys are pretty good horse trainers too.’”
And it’s not just cowboys; there are plenty of female riding entertainers in the mix. The California Cowgirls, an equestrian drill team from Wilton, California, will perform complex drill routines while decked out in their signature costumes. They ride American Paints, Appaloosas and Quarter Horses.
“We always love to perform,” said Sara Curtis, captain of the California Cowgirls. “We are looking forward to the grandeur and magnitude of the whole event.”
And last, but certainly not least, are the Riata Ranch Cowboy Girls, a group of ladies known around the world for their roping and trick riding. Jennifer Welch Nicholson, executive director of Riata Ranch, conducts clinics to not only teach people about western riding but also about life skills such as confidence, physical fitness and self expression.
“This group of talented equine performers, precision riders, and western roping professionals will have the audience on their feet,” said Dr. Everett McCorvey, executive director of the Opening Ceremonies. “It’s a producer’s dream to present ‘wow’ moments throughout a show, and create something that the audience won’t soon forget.”
This group represents just one part of the Opening Ceremonies, which will include over 200 horses. In addition to the equine component, the “human” component includes orchestra, choir, dancers, headline musicians, movement corps of hundreds of adults and children, as well as local and international celebrities and dignitaries.
Tickets for the Opening Ceremonies are still available. For more information about purchasing tickets click here.
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