The new brand and vision for the Alltech® FEI World Equestrian Games™ 2014 was launched in the host city of Caen today by French Minister for Sports, Mr. David Douillet, Mrs. Marie-Jeanne Gobert, Vice President of the Basse-Normandie Regional Council and representatives from title sponsor Alltech. The announcement was made in the auditorium of the Beaux-Arts museum and will be marked with 1,000 days to go on Monday, 28th of November, 2011 to the opening ceremony of the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games™ 2014 in Normandy. Commenting on this milestone event, President of Alltech Dr. Pearse Lyons said, "Reaching 1,000 days to go gives us an opportunity to celebrate the world championships of equestrian sport recognising athletes performing at their peak. Alltech is a leader in animal nutrition so it’s natural for us to ally with the FEI. This sport is rooted in a long established relationship between man and nature, and mirrors our values, as well as those of our customers and partners. Over the next 1,000 days we will work closely with the organisers and are confident that the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games™ 2014 will be a spectacular success and will deliver a lasting legacy for the region of Normandy and for future generations. It is an exciting time for the FEI World Equestrian Games™ as eight nations recently submitted formal expressions of interest to host the FEI World Equestrian Games™ 2018. We are very proud to be the title sponsor of this prestigious event and to be associated with its success.” The new brand is based on the bond between man and horse – the respectful relationship - and includes an apple blossom pattern, one of the region’s most recognised agricultural symbols, and the word 'Normandy' – the host region of the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games™ 2014. The modern emblem showcasing the relationship between the horse and human symbolises the energy of the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games™ 2014, the speed and agility experienced at the world championships and its ability to reach out and inspire people all over the world. The core colour of the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games™ 2014 is green, a colour that holds great significance in Normandy as an agricultural region and also with Alltech, a natural animal health and nutrition company who for 20 years have served the agricultural community in France and in Normandy. In addition, white is used as a key colour to reinforce the freshness of the green. White also represents the values of fairness and transparency at the heart of the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games™ 2014 and these are the core values of Alltech’s brand. 
To celebrate, the Normandy 2014 Organising Committee have marked the 1,000 days to go milestone with the commissioning of a totem pole made up of three obstacle bars pointing up towards the sky. This will be erected in the stadium Michel d’Ornano and it will house a solar powered countdown clock. In addition, an equestrian themed event will take place this weekend on Caen’s Saint-Pierre main street, Rue Saint-Pierre. The street will be branded with the new identity, park benches will be turned into hurdles and the horses of the merry-go-round and lampposts will be wearing the official colours. 1,000 footprints and horseshoe prints will invite visitors and the people of Caen on a journey to the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games™ 2014 in Normandy. Free tickets for children to have a ride on the merry-go-round will be given out and origami flyers will transform into horses featuring the new logo and brand. The new brand is the result of more than six months of collaboration between the Normandy 2014 Organising Committee, FEI, Alltech and Whitestone International.
