It's no secret that the 2018 FEI World Equestrian Games™ at Tryon was met with controversy and critical reviews. The endurance championship was abandoned completely and feedback regarding the other six disciplines was a mixed bag. Now, it looks as though the future of WEG as a multi-discipline celebration of equestrian sport is at risk.
At today's FEI Bureau Meeting in Manama, Bahrain, "the Bureau unanimously approved the opening of a bidding process for individual world championships in all disciplines for 2022."
The FEI has previously opened the bidding process for the 2022 WEG twice but did not received "realistic bids." Moving forward, bids to host all seven disciplines at one venue for 2022 and 2026 will still be considered, and preference will be given to multi-discipline bids. The Bureau also agreed that the dressage and para dressage championships should be combined.
FEI President Ingmar de Vos reportedly explained that this does not necessarily mean the end of the FEI WEG as we know it. However, "securing world championships for 2022 in the Olympic and Paralympic disciplines was crucial as these serve as qualifiers for the Paris 2024 Games."
Expressions of interest to host 2022 world championships must be submitted by the end of February 2019 and locations would be confirmed at the in-person Bureau meeting at the FEI General Assembly in November 2019.
Feature photo by Shannon Brinkman.