Freestyle at World Equestrian Games cancelled as Hurricane Florence moves in

 Stefan Lafrentz/DPA/PA Images

The Helgstrand Dressage Freestyle at the World Equestrian Games has been cancelled due to extreme rainfall.

‘Desperately disappointing’ 

The event had been rescheduled from Sunday to Monday, but despite the best efforts of the whole Tryon team the logistics of moving the event have proved “insurmountable”. 

“This was not an easy decision, but we have explored every option, including trying to reschedule the horse departures, and even looking at moving the competition into the indoor with a change of footing. But the logistics of making all this happen are just not possible,” said Tryon 2018 organising committee president Michael Stone.

“We know this is desperately disappointing for the 15 athletes who had qualified their horses for the Freestyle, and of course for all the spectators who had bought tickets, but the weather has simply left us with no choice.

“Horse welfare has to be the top priority and flying the horses out on the same day as competition doesn’t work, so sadly the decision to cancel the Freestyle had to be taken.”

All sport postponed

The decision does not affect the Olympic qualification process, as this was completed on Thursday. The teams that have earned their ticket to Tokyo 2020 are Great Britain, Germany, USA, Sweden, Netherlands and Spain.

All sport scheduled to take place at WEG on Sunday 16 September has been postponed due to Hurricane Florence. The final showjumping phase of the eventing will now take place on Monday 17 September.

You can watch all the action from WEG on Horse & Country in our daily review show. We also have coverage of all the Olympic and non-Olympic disciplines.

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