Introduction: managing and experiencing an equestrian event.

This introductory chapter begins with a brief discussion of key findings in the wider field of event studies, focusing mainly on sports events as our case study is primarily an elite sporting competition. We then introduce the idea of multispecies events, drawing on insights from human-animal studies to consider how the active involvement of nonhuman animals shapes all aspects of the event experience. After discussing equestrian tourism and equestrian events more broadly, we introduce the case study event - Landsmót, the National Championships of the Icelandic horse - in more detail to provide the reader with important background information to the event which provides the empirical base and therefore unites subsequent chapters. The chapter ends with an overview of the research process underpinning the book and an outline of the chapter contributions that enable holistic critical examination of a multispecies event and cultural festival.

Welfare assessment of Icelandic competition horses.

Veterinary examination of Icelandic competition horses, according to a specially designed protocol 'fit for competition', is performed prior to every entrance to the track during Landsmót, the National Championships of the Icelandic horse. This has provided valuable data for welfare assessment that have been used for improvement of general rules for the benefit of competition horses. It further prevents suffering on an individual level as horses expressing pain during the examination are found not to be fit for competition and are not allowed to start or continue competition during the event. The frequency of bit-related lesions can be regarded as a welfare indicator for Icelandic competition horses, reflecting the pressure placed on the mouth of the horse.

Volunteering at Landsmót: gaining knowledge and experience.

Landsmót (the National Championship of the Icelandic horse), the main equestrian event in Iceland, provides an opportunity to present Icelandic nature and culture in many ways, through horses, clothing, equipment and food. Landsmót is a biennial sports event which has become a meeting place for local and national participants (audience and volunteers) and also international audiences and volunteer tourists. It provides access to what is commonly termed 'the world of the Icelandic horse'. The findings in this chapter are based on interviews with volunteers and fieldwork at the Landsmót event at Hólar, Iceland, in 2016. There were two types of volunteers at the event: volunteer tourists who signed up due to their interest in the core activity; and members of local non-profit associations that took on tasks for the event as a fundraising activity. The findings suggest that these two groups require different volunteer management approaches and that a clearer strategy for managing international volunteer tourists is needed to meet their needs and expectations of the event community and to facilitate their co-creation of memorable experiences.

Identity construction in relation to niche events: images of Landsmót in social media.

In this chapter the concept of identity is discussed in relation to niche events as expressed through images produced and circulated in social media. Since niche events focus on special interests and activities for a limited number of people and attract participants from afar who share this interest, these types of events also influence the identities of the places that are represented in relation to them. By circulating images online - the people, attractions, landscapes and cultural practices of places connected to specific hashtags on social media - places are co-constructed and materialized in the minds of visitors, businesses and other stakeholders in an ongoing flow of communication. The study shows that social media posts related to Landsmót (the National Championship of the Icelandic horse) represent both the event and Iceland as a destination by stressing national pride and an Icelandic identity strongly connected to the rural landscape, to outdoor activities, to harsh nature and to skilled, strong and independent men and women who create their identities in relation to their horses.

Community impacts of events: resident expectations and experiences.

Horse events are common in rural areas but their effects on local communities is an under-researched field. Research indicates that events can have economic and social effects on communities. Skagafjörður in North Iceland was the host community of the event analysed in this chapter. The region has about 4000 inhabitants. The event in this case is Landsmót, the National Championships of the Icelandic horse, in 2016. The event attracted about 8000 human visitors and 800 horses and lasted for a whole week, so the event was quite extensive compared with the size of the host community. The expectations and experiences of local residents were researched through interviews before the event and an online survey following the event. Findings indicated high expectations and positive experiences expressed by the locals of this rural community. The respondents seemed to be committed to the event and cared that the event was successful. A high number of local residents welcomed human and/or equine visitors during the event and participated in the event, in the roles of spectators, competitors and volunteers. It is suggested that such horse events can impact the image of the host community and social cohesion of the local community.

Comparing Landsmót 2016 with other equestrian events: the case of the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games™ 2014 in Normandy.

This chapter aims to present the methodology and main results of research focusing on the short-term economic, social and environmental impacts, as well as the long-term legacy, of the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games™ 2014 in Normandy (2014 WEG). This event is then compared with Landsmót 2016 (the National Championships of the Icelandic horse), as they have a lot in common despite their apparent differences. It can be concluded that equestrian events have various impacts for local areas that host them and can contribute to regional development. In order to optimize such impacts, actions have to be implemented with sustainability in mind, taking into account economic, social and environmental aspects.

The star of the show: the Icelandic horse.

The Icelandic horse is one of the purest horse breeds in the world, reaching an average 140 cm (13.3 hh) height at the withers and weighing 340 kg. The conformation is rectangular and compact, with a sloping croup, and a long, thick mane and tail. The breed is most known and appreciated for the lateral gaits tölt and pace, which it has in addition to the basic gaits (walk, trot and canter/gallop). The breed is found in more than 30 countries, with more Icelandic horses abroad (ca. 175,000) than in Iceland (ca. 65,000). There is one international studbook, WorldFengur, with breeding associations in 21 countries and a common breed evaluation system. Following mechanization in Iceland around 1950, the role of the Icelandic horse changed from being 'the most useful servant' to that of a leisure and sport horse. Also in 1950, Landsmót - the largest outdoor sporting event for the Icelandic horse in Iceland - was held for the first time. It was then repeated every four years until 1998 and biennially after that. Landsmót has been held 23 times in total, at seven different locations in the south and north of Iceland, lasting for 3-8 days in the high summer period. The event has expanded over time with an increasing number of horses, riders and competition disciplines. This chapter introduces the disciplines, qualification of horses and riders and facilities required for Landsmót.

Segmentation, marketing, venue selection and competitiveness of events.

Competitiveness of events is not a widely researched topic. As with destinations, countries, industries and businesses, competitiveness is highly relevant to events and their development. A number of factors affect the competitiveness of events, including segmentation, targeting, marketing, information flow and venue selection. This chapter focuses on identifying the target groups of the national championship of the Icelandic horse - Landsmót - and how the competitiveness of the event can be enhanced. The research included data from an on-site survey among visitors at Landsmót 2016 and online surveys among visitors following the 2014, 2016 and 2018 events. A total of 2729 responses was used for analysis. Findings indicated that, despite common interest in the Icelandic horse, the visitors to Landsmót have different expectations and needs. Accessible information, good facilities and a carefully planned programme are of importance for the competitiveness of the event. Taking care of repeat visitors and attracting new visitors are both important for the event. Finally, it is concluded that selection of two main venues, one in the rural north and another in the urban south, is most likely to meet the requirements of the current target market and to maximize the competitiveness of the event in the long run.

Economic impact analysis of events: Landsmót 2016.

This chapter aims to explain some of the basic principles and practices of economic impact analysis (EIA) of events, with particular focus on smaller special events, and how results from an EIA are used in practice for decision making at various stakeholder levels. Data collected on site from 404 visitors to the special event Landsmót 2016 - the National Championships of the Icelandic horse - and analysis of the event's economic impact are used as an illustrative case. Starting with a review of the traditional approach to EIA, followed by a thorough description of the case, including details of data collection and descriptive statistics, the chapter ends by putting the results into policy-relevant contexts for different types of stakeholders.

Conclusions: planning, managing and experiencing equestrian events.

This volume uses a particular equestrian event - Landsmót, the National Championships of the Icelandic horse - as a case to illustrate various aspects of managing and experiencing sports events, their impacts and their legacies. The single event is used as an example from which to explore the different facets of events management, drawing on a range of disciplinary perspectives including sociology, economics, marketing and equitation science. For international comparison the case of the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games™ 2014 in Normandy is used. This chapter summarizes the key findings and the events management implications presented in this volume, and discusses further avenues of research into multispecies events management and equestrian events.