WEG Vaulting Preview

Vaulting (6-10 October)
 Reigning WEG champions: Germany (team) and Megan Benjamin, USA (Female Individual), Kai Vorberg, GER (Male Individual).

 In this demanding sport, judged over two rounds consisting of compulsory and freestyle  tests, competitors must show technique, balance and athleticism along with  creativity. The performance of the horse has become much more important since the  last  World Equestrian Games in Aachen, as this vital member of the Vaulting  team  must  remain  calm,  controlled,  balanced  and  happy  while  being lunged by a longeur who ensures a steady, true canter is maintained on a circle as
 the vaulter executes their movements. The horse's way of going now accounts for
 20% of the overall score.

 The Austrian team won the 2009 European Championships at Bokeberg in Sweden, where Joanne Eccles claimed the Individual Female title and the British rider goes to Kentucky  as  one of the favourites. Germany's Kai Vorberg, defending Male Vaulting  Champion  at  the  Alltech  FEI  World  Equestrian  Games™,  was  silver medallist at last year's European fixture where Nicolas Andreani from France took gold.

(Courtesy FEI)