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.”
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.”
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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.
