One Year to Go – How the Kentucky Horse Park Acquired the WEG

Dear Friend of the Kentucky Horse Park:
We are fast approaching another milestone in the history of the Kentucky Horse Park. Next week will mark the one-year countdown to the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games.

Whether you are new to the KHP or you’ve been involved since its inception 31 years ago, I hope you will join us for the One Year to Go Celebration on Sept 25 from 11am to 1pm at the Courthouse Square in downtown Lexington.

It has been a 14-year journey to this occasion.
I first learned about the World Equestrian Games during a conversation I had in Germany in 1995 with Michael Stone, (then) President of the Irish Equestrian Federation, who later became Secretary General of the Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI). It got me thinking about importing the games to the United States, more specifically to Kentucky, and not a day has gone by in the past fourteen years when I haven’t thought about it or worked on it.

Next I broached the idea with Rob Hinkle, and we started discussing what it would take to bring the games to the U.S. I was working for Equitana USA, and Rob for Disney. We were both living in Orlando, Florida at the time and each former employees of the Kentucky Horse Park and soon to return – I as the executive director and Rob as deputy director.The first order of business was to develop an ambitious, comprehensive, strategic plan to build the park into the finest equestrian competition facility in the world.

Later, in the fall of 2000, we were ready to begin in earnest to work on acquiring the 2006 World Equestrian Games.

Two solid years were devoted almost exclusively to working on the bid for the 2006 Games. Rob deserves a great deal of credit for doing the ‘heavy lifting’ that it took to pull the bid together, and from the beginning, we have received enormous encouragement from Alan Balch, former President of the United States Equestrian Federation (USEF), John Long, current CEO of USEF and David O’Connor, current President of USEF.Throughout the process we had to address numerous obstacles, including a very serious problem called Equine Piroplasmosis, a tick-borne protozoal disease not currently found in North America – but some foreign horses carry the titer. It meant that Piro-positive horses would have to remain in quarantine and unable to stable on the park grounds – a ‘deal breaker’ as far as the FEI was concerned.

Unless we solved this dilemma, we would never acquire the games, so we contacted Dr. Peter Timoney, (then) Director of the Gluck Equine Research Center, who is arguably the world’s most respected equine research veterinarian. He conducted a risk assessment to determine if Piroplasmosis was indeed a threat to U.S. horses.

As a result of that research, the United States Department of Agriculture developed a reasonable protocol that satisfied all parties.This, along with invaluable contributions from countless individuals, made it possible for us to submit a viable bid to host the 2006 Games.We lost that bid to Aachen, Germany, which was a crushing disappointment that became a blessing in disguise because it allowed us more time to secure increased support and refine a new bid to host the 2010 Games.

Since then, our support system has become vast and deep, and has included unwavering cooperation first from (former) Kentucky Governor Ernie Fletcher and now from Governor and Mrs. Steven L. Beshear.The Beshears have been actively involved with the park for more than two decades and they are true champions. Mrs. Beshear is an accomplished horsewoman who knows and loves every corner of our 1,200 acres.They, the Kentucky General Assembly, Jim Host (former) Secretary of the Kentucky Commerce Cabinet and Marcheta Sparrow, Secretary of the Kentucky Tourism, Arts and Heritage Cabinet, the Kentucky Horse Park Commission, the Kentucky Horse Park Foundation and of course the outstanding staff of the Kentucky Horse Park have made it possible for this park to become the word’s finest equestrian facility.

We have also received tremendous assistance from Mayor Jim Newberry and the city of Lexington.
Collaborations like these, coupled with our perseverance and the dedication of many unsung heroes, resulted in the park being awarded the 2010 Games.

The World Games 2010 Foundation, Inc. was then formed to organize the games. Jack Kelly came on as the first CEO and Rob Hinkle became the Vice President and Chief Operations Officer.Shortly thereafter, Dr. Pearse Lyons and Alltech stepped in as the first naming sponsor in the history of the games. Alltech’s sponsorship is a great statement about 21st Century Kentucky. Alltech is a Kentucky company with global operations, and as such, a perfect sponsor for the games. I believe this is a fine example of the fact that Kentucky holds a place on the world economic scene.Today Her Royal Highness Princess Haya Bint Al Hussein is the President of the FEI. John Long is the Chair of the World Games 2010 Foundation, and I’m serving as the President. Jamie Link, the Chief Executive Officer, is leading the hard-working foundation staff.

After fourteen years of effort that was sparked by an idea to bring a world event to Kentucky, next week we will mark One Year to Go from the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games. The Games will be the largest event ever held in Kentucky, the largest sporting event in the United States in 2010 and the second-largest in North America. Only the Winter Olympics in Vancouver will be larger.

Tickets will also go on sale September 25 at noon (EST), so make sure you take a look at the schedule and pricing so you’ll be ready to purchase your tickets as soon as they go on sale (see the ordering information below).
I hope to see you at the One Year to Go Celebration on September 25! You’ll find information below.

Sincerely,
John Nicholson
Executive Director

One Year to Go Celebration
Join us in downtown Lexington for the One Year to Go Celebration!
Tickets and Hospitality
The 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games is excited to be able to offer tickets to a wide range of events, with sales beginning on September 25, 2009.
At that time you will be able to purchase tickets to individual sessions of all eight disciplines. A General Admissions ticket, allowing entry into the Kentucky Horse Park for the day of purchase, will also be available. The Games are 16 days long and we are excited about the many opportunities available to enjoy this event.
Ticket prices for each of the eight world championships, as well as Opening and Closing Ceremonies, are now available. A detailed pricing list can be found here.
There will also be an array of exquisite hospitality packages carefully crafted to accentuate the grace and grandeur of the 2010 Games, and to satisfy even the most discriminating of tastes.