The one year to go countdown to the FEI World Equestrian Games™ Tryon 2018 (WEG) was launched today.
With more than 500,000 people expected to attend the 2018 Games, the 12 day spectacle of equestrian champions is one of the biggest events on the global sporting calendar and will be the largest equestrian event in North Carolina's history.
Mark Bellissimo, CEO of host venue Tryon International Equestrian Center (TIEC) in Tryon, NC, announced today that tickets will go on sale to the public on Monday, October 16, 2017 with competition action at WEG 2018 running from September 12th through September 23rd 2018, with the Opening Ceremony scheduled for September 11th
A variety of ticketing types and prices will be offered such as an All Games Pass for each week of competition or both weeks, an All Session Day Pass, All Session Discipline Pass, as well as individual event tickets, and opening and closing ceremonies. Ticket prices vary, but include an inexpensive Day Pass that gives attendees access to event grounds and expo only.
Prior to winning the bid to host WEG 2018, Polk County, North Carolina dwelt as a hidden gem, tucked away in the bucolic Blue Ridge Foothills, bordering South Carolina. Surrounded by bold mountains and scenic foothills, the area is conveniently located within an hour of top cities including Asheville and Charlotte in North Carolina and Greenville in South Carolina. The rural community now joins the league of iconic destinations around the world - like Normandy, Stockholm, Rome and Aachen - to host equestrian sport's most distinguished championships.
The Games are expected to have tremendous economic impact to both Western North Carolina and the South Carolina Upstate. The previous WEG held in Normandy (FRA) in 2014 had an estimated economic impact of $400 million and attracted 575,000 spectators. North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper praised the organizers' success in bringing the Games to the Carolinas.
"The World Equestrian Games are an incredible opportunity for North Carolina, and we are pleased to host this event in our state," said Governor Cooper. "We applaud the efforts of Mark Bellissimo and the organizers at Tryon International Equestrian Center to bring this global event to North Carolina and stimulate tremendous economic growth for our state as a result."
