The organizing committee of the 2018 FEI World Equestrian Games announced a partnership with Mars, Incorporated as the title sponsor of the eventing discipline for the Games. WEG is set to be held in Mill Spring, North Carolina, from Sept. 11-23 at Tryon International Equestrian Center and is expected to be the world’s fourth largest sporting event in 2018.

Eventing is considered to be the triathlon of the equestrian world, combining three phases: dressage, cross-country and jumping-into a multi-day test of stamina, strength, and skill. Mars Eventing at the WEG will begin on Thursday, Sept.13 and run through Sunday, Sept. 16. The first phase,dDressage, will span two days, Thursday, Sept. 13 and Friday, Sept.14, and will take place in the Tryon Stadium. The highly-anticipated cross-country phase kicks-off on Saturday, Sept. 15, and will run across a strategically-designed course, created by the world-renowned course designer, Captain Mark Phillips. The final jump of the cross-country phase will be an unforgettable moment for spectators and athletes alike, as it will conclude in the U.S. Trust Arena, the main stage for the Games, accommodating up to 20,000 spectators at any one time. On Sunday, Sept. 16, the Eventers will return to the U.S. Trust Arena, this time to contest the final jumping phase of competition.

“We are pleased to welcome Mars, Incorporated as the title sponsor of the Eventing discipline,” said Mark Bellissimo,managing partner of Tryon Equestrian Partners and CEO of Tryon International Equestrian Center. “As a corporation that is passionate about equestrian sport, with incredible talent, drive, and variety, we believe that the collaboration with this multi-faceted discipline is the perfect fit for the Mars, Incorporated brands and look forward to their integration within the Games.”

“For more than a century, Mars has celebrated a rich heritage in the equestrian sport and we are extremely proud to sponsor such an illustrious event as the World Equestrian Games,” said Geoffrey Galant, vice president, Mars Equestrian, Mars, Incorporated. “To further demonstrate this commitment to the sport, we recently formed Mars Equestrian, a group of high-quality brands that reflects our enduring dedication to enriching the lives of people, pets and horses all over the world.”