Posted: 09.23.2010

Halflinger horses from Wisconsin will be the sole representatives from the state at the "olympics" of the horse world in Kentucky.

Haley Madden, one of 40 Halflinger owners and riders that will be headed to Lexington, tells Pam Jahnke and the Farm Report Radio that they started the application process over three years ago.  The World Equestrian Games have been held every four years, half way between each pair of consecutive Summer Olympic Games, since 1990.  This is the first time the games will be hosted in the United States.

Madden says the group will be trucking 16 Halflinger horses to participate in the Equine Village (a place for clinicians and entertainers) at the World Equestrian Games.  The troupe will be performing September 29 - Octover 2nd.  Their main act will be performing the Sound of Music, which will be "acted out" with riding and driving horses. "It's about a 10 hour drive,"  Madden says, "we expect to get to Kentucky on Monday night.  Fortunately we have some Halflinger friends near Lexington where we can stop and rest and exercise the horses.  Then we'll actually move onto the World Equestrian grounds at the Kentucky Horse Park on Tuesday."

Madden tells Jahnke that the Halflinger horses are considered a "warm blood" breed - originating in Austria and northern Italy.  She says they're not only reliable light work horses - they've also got a wonderful temperment to be around children. The Wisconsin Halflinger group is the only Halflinger group selected for the show from across the United States.  "This will be the biggest horse event I will do in my lifetime I'm pretty sure." Madden beams.

Just to give you perspective on how important this event is - it's the first time the show has ever been hosted outside Europe.  It will involve 900 competitors and around 1,300 horses from around the world.  Madden says they're expecting a crowd between 500,000-700,000 through the course of the show, September 25-October 10.

Countries realize what a big deal the show is too.  Belgium is airlifting 450 horse to the United States to compete.  Australia's sending 19 and South America 35.

Find out more about the Wisconsin Halflinger group at http://haflingerownersofwisconsin.org/ and for the World Equestrian Games - go to http://www.fei.org/


 

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