United States Eventing Association

Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games 2014 Preview, Part 1: Galloping Into History at Haras du Pin

“These riders are not coming to compete; they’re coming to make a place in history,” said Fabien Grobon, CEO of the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games 2014 in Normandy, during an October tour of the Games venues.

There couldn’t be a more historic site for the eventing world championships than Haras du Pin, the 16th-century estate where the dressage and cross-country phases will take place August 28-30, followed by show jumping at another site on August 31.

The largest of France’s 20 national studs, Le Pin National Stud sits in a cluster of ancient stone chateaux and stables. The architecture has been preserved since the complex was commissioned in the early 1700s by Louis XIV. Several wings of the stabling house breeding stock from foundation lines, including Selle Francais, Cob Norman, Trait Percheron, Lipizzan, Arab and English Thoroughbred. A stunning red saddle, a gift from the king of Morocco, sits in the middle of the tack room. (Some areas on the main grounds will be closed during the Games.)

Entering the property through tremendously high, ornate metal gates, the driveway winds through tree-lined, manicured greenery and past several dressage arenas. A balcony off the main chateau looks down on a tapestry of 2,400 acres of fields and trees, where the cross-country will take place.

“The grounds are undergoing a massive restoration,” said Grobon, adding that riders and spectators will find Haras du Pin to be “the Versailles of horse sport.” A water jump used for the Games test event in August remains a centerpiece of the course, but the rest of the fences will be completely new designs and construction.

The distance between the two eventing venues is less than an hour by car. Organizers tried out the route during last summer’s test event, when Peden Bloodstock transported the competition horses from one venue to the other. (There will be stabling at all venues.)

“I was very concerned about the convoy,” Eventing Discipline Manager Jean-Marc Varillon said, “but Peden Bloodstock did a fantastic job, and now I’m really confident about the convoy for next year. I was also very happy with the cross-country course. We did a lot of work on the grounds, and we expect them to be perfect for 2014. Overall, we have all the basics and now we are working on the details.”

Laurent Cellier, Sports Director for the Games, agreed, emphasizing that the most important task in 2013 was “to test the convoy, the technology, the footing and the track.” He added, “The feedback from the national federations has been very good. Now we know exactly what we need to do to organize the best eventing competition ever at the Games next year.”