Kentucky withdraws bid for 2022 World Equestrian Games
The Kentucky Horse Park will not host the 2022 World Equestrian Games.
On Friday (13 January) the park’s commission announced that it was withdrawing from consideration for holding the event.
The Lexington venue was one of two candidates to host the 2022 games.
Samorin in Slovakia is now left as the only official bidder.
Commission members expressed concerns regarding the “potential conflict” that hosting the games would create with the long-term goals of the park.
“We are committed to being good stewards of the Kentucky Horse Park,” said Tandy Patrick, chair of the Kentucky Horse Park Commission.
“We do not think it would be economically feasible for the park to host the 2022 games.”
Never miss out on the latest happenings in the equestrian world
The Kentucky Horse Park is a 1,224-acre equestrian facility that hosts a number of high-profile events and shows.
The centre hosted the games in 2010, becoming the first venue outside of Europe to do so.
The FEI announced that the park was in the running for hosting the 2022 games in December.
“We have had an open dialogue with the public through several visioning sessions and we’re hearing good ideas about long-term strategic growth at the park,” added Don Parkinson, secretary of the tourism, arts and heritage cabinet of the Commonwealth of Kentucky.
“Additionally, a recent survey of the park’s assets found $12 million in deferred maintenance expenses, and we recognise the need for immediate and near-term investments in our facilities.”
Related articles:
- New venue bids for 2018 World Equestrian Games
- What is the future of driving at the World Equestrian Games? *H&H VIP*
- ‘Spectacular’ WEG 2018 venue announced
The 2022 event will be the ninth World Equestrian Games, which are held every four years.
The games include competitions in all eight of the FEI disciplines: showjumping, dressage, eventing, para- dressage, driving, endurance, vaulting and reining.
For further information on the plans for the 2022 games don’t miss the 19 January edition of Horse & Hound magazine.
Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now
Rachael joined Horse & Hound in 2014, initially as a digital sub editor then became part of the news team as a writer in 2015. The philosophy graduate studied journalism at the Press Association before working as a local reporter at the Brentwood Gazette. Rachael is now a mum of two and still loves all things equestrian, including hacking, dressage and jumping with her cob Bert. Rachael left the H&H staff to go freelance in June 2019, but still contributes to our magazine and website, as well as our sister magazine Country Life, among others.