TRYON, United States, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- World Equestrian Games 2018 Organizing Committee announced Saturday weekend rescheduling of the events due to the impact of Hurricane Florence.
The organizers said they will move Sunday's jumping phase for eventing to Monday and that Saturday's cross country phase will remain unaffected but the interval between horses will be reduced to three minutes.
Depending on further weather updates, it is also possible to reschedule Sunday's dressage freestyle event to Monday, the organizers said.
Saturday's individual reining final will be brought forward to 3 p.m. local time, the organizers added.
The latest weather forecast from the National Weather Service, which has an onsite weather station at the Tryon International Equestrian Center, shows heavy rain starting on Saturday evening through Sunday.
Hurricane Florence made landfall in the US state of North Carolina early Friday, with howling 90 mph (144 km/h) winds and also bringing heavy rain. At least five people have been killed so far in the aftermath of the hurricane.
The hurricane was downgraded Friday afternoon to a tropical storm with winds of 70 mph (110 km/h), but it will affect North Carolina for the next few days.
Tryon, a small Western North Carolina town, is famous for its rich equestrian history. The Tryon International Equestrian Center is the main venue for the World Equestrian Games 2018, featuring eight disciplines of jumping, dressage, eventing, the Paralympic discipline of Para-equestrian dressage, as well as driving, endurance, vaulting and reining.
