Horse Illustrated Magazine

As the ball dropped in Times Square last night, a countdown of an equestrian kind is happening in Lexington, Ky. Two digital clocks downtown are tracking the number of days remaining until the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games. The Games run Sept. 25, 2010 through Oct.10, 2010 at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington.

“The Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games have been the talk of the town for months,” Lexington Mayor Jim Newberry said. “It will be fun to watch the countdown as we continue to focus on our preparations.”

The excitement is building—literally—at the Kentucky Horse Park, where a new 6,000-seat indoor arena is making significant construction progress and designs for other permanent structures are underway. Kentucky Horse Park Executive Director John Nicholson says the 2010 Games have given the Park a surge of momentum to make both long-needed additions and improvements, and to help build a new future for the Park.

“As the countdown clocks mark off each day, we will know that we are one day closer to a new legacy for the Kentucky Horse Park,” Nicholson said. “As we prepare for the Games, and wait for the arrival of this incredible event, we must also remember that time will show how these Games will help usher in a new era of celebrating and honoring the horse long after October 10, 2010.”

The Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games are the world championships of the eight equestrian disciplines recognized by the Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI) and take place every four years. The Games have never before been held outside of Europe, nor have all eight disciplines ever previously been held together at a single site.

The 2010 Games are expected to have a statewide economic impact of $150 million. It is anticipated that more than 600,000 spectators will attend the 16-day competition.