The organisation of the 2014 World Equestrian Games in Normandy should generate a major knock-on effect throughout the industry. And although a precise assessment of the extent of such an effect is, as yet, premature, the following insight is already promising.

Lower Normandy, where 20% of French sports horses and 60% of its competition winners are bred, with over 10,000 foals born each year, now has a valuable promotional tool in the form of the World Equestrian Games. “This project should increase the sphere of influence of Normandy’s horse industry, particularly in terms of breeding and sales. We hope to see more shared projects emerge among the sector’s professionals,” predicts Dobrina Perrody, Project coordinator for the association Normandie 2014.

Over 900 horses

Indeed, the sector, which today is essentially comprised of SMEs, should largely benefit from such a boost. With around 200 businesses and some 10,000 jobs, the sector currently enjoys a yearly growth of around 4%. The five-year preparation for the event, which will reunite 800 competitors and 900 horses from 60 different nations, should also offer a valuable source of knowledge and experience for the region’s equestrian event organisers. “The idea is also to highlight the great diversity of equestrian disciplines on show throughout the games, with a view to developing them later in Normandy.” hopes Dobrina Perrody. “Furthermore, before the event itself, we are sure to see a number of major international conferences, along with an acceleration in the projects currently underway,” explains Guillaume Fortier, director of the Depratment of Animal Health at the Franck Duncombe laboratory. For the CIRALE(1) and the Franck Duncombe laboratory, the region’s two leading laboratories specialising in equine research, the games are an exceptional opportunity. “They offer an added argument that is sure to enhance our credibility among businesses and project initiators. What’s more, many research programmes will come to fruition in 2014. We will be ready.” And Lower Normandy will have become an even more attractive equestrian territory. These games would consequently appear to offer a well-deserved reward for an industry that, since 1998, has succeeded in developing its organisation and its international influence.

(1) Centre for Imaging and Research into Equine Locomotor Disorders.

Dobrina Perrody
Association Normandie 2014
Tél. : 02 31 84 02 97
Site : Normandie 2014

Anne Dupuis
Communication coordinator Horse Industry Competitiveness Cluster
Tél. : 02 31 27 10 10
Site : Pôle filière équine

Guillaume Fortier
Director of the Department of Animal Health Franck Duncombe Laboratory
Tél. : 02.31.47.19.50
Site : Conseil Général Calvados

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