Organizers of the World Equine Expo announced today the addition of the WBFSH Developing Jumpers Exhibition presented by Spy Coast Farm and in partnership with the World Breeding Federation of Sport Horses happening concurrent to the 2018 FEI World Equestrian Games at Tryon International Equestrian Center in Mill Spring, North Carolina.

The collective event theme of the WEG is “Celebrate the Horse, Celebrate the Sport,” which honors and highlights the unique connection between horses and humans across the world, and top sport horse breeding is an important element within this theme.

“Spy Coast Farm is delighted to be partnering with the World Breeding Federation for Sport Horses to present the WBFSH Developing Jumpers Exhibition,” said Lisa Lourie, owner of Spy Coast Farm. “We hope that the concept of a ‘Battle of the Breed Registries’ will be well received and that viewers will enjoy watching and learning as some of the finest 5- and 6-year-olds here in North America are critiqued over fences.”

The demonstration will focus on the evaluation of developing jumping horses to educate the public on the criteria for judging young jumpers, including the height of fences and technical abilities that 5- and 6-year-old horses are required to demonstrate. This demonstration will serve to draw attention to young horse championships, such as the World Breeding Jumping Championships. While the format will be similar in principle, it will vary from the annual competition in Lanaken, Belgium.

The aim of the WBFSH Developing Jumper Exhibition is to further draw attention to breeding for sport, and as such, to the studbooks that support breeders in producing these horses.

The horses that will take part in the demo will be chosen by invitation and based on their performance results in Developing and Young Horse competitions within North America that have taken place during the 2018 season. The organizers strive to select horses from a variety of studbooks, both U.S.-born horses as well as imported horses, to give a good representation of studbooks that focus on show jumping breeding.

The exact dates for the two-day demonstration are to be confirmed, but it will take place during the jumping competitions at the WEG. Access to the demonstration will be open to all WEG ticketholders free of charge.

The inaugural annual World Equine Expo, which will include the launch of the WEQx Games, will run concurrently with WEG between September 11-23, 2018.

TIEC as a venue and its partners support the root of the sport. In combination, the representation of the studbooks at the World Equine Expo, as well as the WBFSH Developing Jumper Exhibition, will provide visibility to studbooks and breeders who are a vital part of the industry. All demonstrations/exhibitions included in World Equine Expo will be run in accordance with USDA/NC State Vet biosecurity requirements.