The USA endurance team appeared to be on their way to finishing in the top ten in the 160-kilometer World Equestrian Games (WEG) Endurance Championship held on September 26. However, things began to fall apart at 93.7 kilometers, Gate 3, when team member Jan Worthington on Gold Lightning and individual rider Lindsay Graham on Monk were retired from the course. Then Meg Sleeper on Syrocco Harmony were retired at Gate 4, 120.9 kilometers, and the final blow came when Heather Reynolds on Ssamiam was unable to get a completion after crossing the finish line in fourth place. The sole U.S. survivor, finishing in 18th place in 8 hours, 42 minutes and 55 seconds was the alternate, Deborah Reich on Juniper RJW (Deste Onismus x Deste Toouche), who was put in the race a few days prior when Ellen Rapp's horse, Berjo Smokey, came up lame.

In a large pack leading the field all day was HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum (UAE) and his sons HE Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum and HE Sheikh Majid Mohammed Al Maktoum with Spain's Maria Mercedes Alvarez Ponton and Jean-Philippe Frances (from France) dicing back and forth. Ponton high-tailed it out of the last vet gate in first place, 2 minutes ahead of Frances and 3 minutes in front of the HH Sheikh Maktoum and HE Sheikh Hamdan Maktoum. Ponton held her position and ultimately earned the Individual Gold Medal. Less than 2 minutes later HH Sheikh Maktoum earned the Individual Silver Medal and HE Sheikh Hamdan Maktoum finished 16 seconds later to earn the Individual Bronze.

UAE took the team competition with a total riding time of 23 hours, 53 minutes and 36 seconds for the three riders.

With so many rumors flying around, one must always check the facts. The position of chef d'équipe, along with other French FEI officials’ positions, is being eliminated at the end of September. So the endurance French chef d'équipe was very much managing the team at the WEG. In fact, the French team won the Team Sliver with a combined course time of 24 hours, 49 minutes and 46 seconds! In addition, Hanaba du Bois, ridden by France's Jean-Philippe Frances, rightly earned the Best Condition award. Jean-Philippe completed in fourth place overall with a ride time of 7 hours, 40 minutes and 12 seconds.

Germany earned the Team Bronze with a course time of 25 hours, 24 minutes and 16 seconds.

The Kentucky course had the highest completion rate of any major international event with 55 of the 100 riders finishing.