Are You Ready To Rumble? Your Ultimate Guide to Cross-Country Day at WEG

It’s time for everyone’s favorite day: cross-country day! Eighty-three riders will be setting out on Captain Mark Phillips’ 5,700-meter, 10-minute course at 11:00 a.m. to tackle the spectacular 26 fences and 42 jumping efforts he has set for the FEI World Equestrian Games Tryon 2018 eventing world championship.
The general consensus from riders is that, while not an overly difficult track in terms of fence size, the combinations require accuracy and focus to navigate successfully. Riders looking to be competitive against the clock will need to take the direct route through the combinations, while riders looking to complete will have slightly more time-consuming options that pose less demanding accuracy questions. Interested in seeing a fence-by-fence preview of the course? Click here for our course preview!
The FEI released a statement last night stating that, while cross-country would still begin at 11:00 a.m., the interval between riders has been decreased from four minutes to three minutes. The distance of the course remains at 5,700 meters but modifications have been made to two fences, 23A and 23B. The first rider will leave the start box as 11:00 a.m. and the last rider goes out at 3:03 p.m. U.S. Team ride times are below. Click here for complete ride times.
- William Coleman and Tight Lines – 11:09 a.m.
- Boyd Martin and Tsetserleg – 12:09 p.m.
- Lauren Kieffer and Vermiculus – 1:00 p.m.
- Lynn Symansky and Donner – 1:27 p.m.
- Phillip Dutton and Z – 2:30 p.m.

Looking for ways to watch the WEG cross-country? NBC Sports will be broadcasting live cross-country coverage on Olympic Channel: Home of Team USA beginning at 12:00 p.m. and NBCSN will air a recap at 11:30 p.m. For details about the television schedule and different ways to watch, including on your tablet or mobile device, click here.
Want to view more comprehensive coverage of cross-country day? FEI TV will be live streaming today’s entire cross-country competition. A WEG Pass, which will allow you to watch all the WEG coverage aired on FEI TV, is $26.99. Click here for all the package options and get signed up!
If you want to follow the action but don't want to shell out for FEI TV, keep your eye on the USEA Instagram Story!
The USEA is taking a look behind the curtain at the World Equestrian Games at some of the different roles that make this event possible. Click on the links below to check out the USEA Event College videos and read the Backstage at WEG articles.
- The Event College at #Tryon2018: FEI Stewarding with Janis Linnan
- The Event College at #Tryon2018: Team Selection with Robert Costello
- The Event College at #Tryon2018: The First Horse Inspection with Jane Hamlin
- Backstage at the WEG: Meet Dr. Mark Hart, Chief Medical Officer
- Backstage at the WEG: Volunteers Make the World (Equestrian Games) Go ‘Round
The USEA interviewed several riders, including all the U.S. Team riders, following their dressage tests over the last two days. Ready to hear their reactions? Watch the videos below!
Tryon 2018: Definite Entries | Schedule of Events | Results | FEI TV Live Streaming | NBC Sports Broadcast Schedule | Fast Facts
Follow the USEA event coverage on social media!
#Tryon2018 #BeOne | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter