WEG 2018: Perks of the Gig

Importing, sourcing, storing, and delivering the feed, forage, and bedding to more-than 800 horses is no small feat. Kentucky Equine Research, the Official Equine Nutritionist of the FEI World Equestrian Games™ Tryon 2018, has over 20 years of experience managing these details at international equestrian events.

The crew working back in the stables is a mix of fulltime employees, research interns, friends, and volunteers. The person delivering your feed may be a pre-vet student, a Ph.D. equine nutritionist, a VP of sales, or a dedicated lifelong event rider.

As this event has gotten into its groove and the arrivals have slowed, the crew finds time to enjoy the show and get to know some of the grooms, riders, owners, managers, and the horses we’re all helping to care for. Interacting with such a diverse group of horsepeople, some in the most acutely stressful days of their careers, can be both a joy and … challenge. Given that we’ve been the go-to people for this job for quite a while, we’ve gotten to know a lot of the humans and horses involved. Actions that will expedite your feed orders:

• Being nice in the feed office. Bonus points for candy and trading pins.
• Including your country, discipline, barn, and stall number on your order form. (“Reining” doesn’t tell us where to drop the bags.)
• Loaning us a golf cart when we were short on delivery vehicles.
• Helping unload the cart when we arrive—particularly when it’s a single intern delivering a 110-lb bale of alfalfa, and your stall is in the middle of the aisle.

For our research interns in particular, working events like WEG 2018 allows them to see the inner workings of world-class equestrian competition in a way few ever get to experience. The front-row seats aren’t bad, either.