© Gilles Galoyer
Western
WESTERN
Pôle Western Competitions in 2026
OKLAHOMA ARENA - 100% REINING ! 
Equita Lyon 2025 - © Wanted Photos
If you’re not familiar with reining, take advantage of your visit to Equita Lyon to stop by the Oklahoma arena and get caught up in the excitement with the crowd! The competition in Lyon is one of the most important on the international circuit, and Europe’s top horse-and-rider pairs never miss it.
Reining is one of the flagship disciplines of American equestrian sports. The horses are ridden with one hand, and must perform, with loose reins and no apparent constraint, a prescribed pattern (the equivalent of a dressage test), consisting of several maneuvers such as fast and slow circles, spins (pivots on the hindquarters), roll-backs (half-turns on the hips at a gallop), and sliding stops-which are THE signature maneuver of reining.
Speed and risk-taking are sought after, while power and precision are essential.
The NRHA European Derby
It brings together the best 5- to 8-year-old horses registered in the European program of the NRHA, the American association that governs the sport of reining worldwide. For several years now, the event has been held in Lyon, offering the Lyon public an incredible opportunity to enjoy top-level reining.
All events are free to attend, with the exception of the professional riders’ grand finale, held as a night event on Saturday, October 31, for which we strongly recommend booking your tickets in advance! You’ll experience a thrilling sporting event and a true American-style show thanks to the many activities offered throughout the evening.
The Oklahoma Arena isn’t just reserved for the sport’s international stars: this year, it will also host the reining events for the FFE French Championship and the Equita Cup, the regional competition organized by the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Western Commission and Equita Lyon. The riders will need your support to perform well in this legendary arena, we’re counting on you!
Equita Lyon 2025 - © Wanted Photos
TEXAS ARENA - 100% VITESSE ! 
Equita Lyon 2025 - © Wanted Photos
Equita Lyon 2025 - © Wanted Photos
Barrel racing & pole bending
Fans of speed and thrills know it: the Texas Arena is the place to be for an adrenaline rush! Barrel racing and pole bending are two well-known Western disciplines that originated in American rodeos. In barrel racing, horses must navigate around three barrels arranged in a cloverleaf pattern as quickly as possible, while in pole bending they must slalom between poles, with the event also being timed.
Once again this year, the NBHA France Finals and the European Cup are on the schedule for the Equita Lyon Western Horse Show. What’s new is that the final round of the European Cup will take place on Sunday, November 1, in the afternoon. The stands are so packed that it’s sometimes hard to watch the events; purchasing tickets in advance will allow you to secure your seats and enjoy the show with complete peace of mind.
The Return of the Cattle Events
The Equita Lyon Western Horse Show wouldn’t be Europe’s biggest annual showcase for Western riding without the livestock events, which are the roots of most American disciplines stemming from ranch work. Health restrictions had prevented the show from hosting livestock for the past two years, but this time it’s finally happening—the cows are making their return to Equita Lyon! To celebrate this grand return, the AFET (French Association of Working Equitation) has put together a particularly exciting program, featuring international competitions in ranch sorting, speed sorting, and team sorting. Fans of these disciplines always turn out in large numbers to watch and participate in the Equita Lyon Western Horse Show, and we look forward to welcoming them back!
Link to the provisional Texas program
WYOMING ARENA - 100% WESTERN !FFE Mountain Trail Classes
This discipline originated in the United States, derived from traditional trail riding but designed to replicate a course through natural, rugged terrain featuring suspension bridges, logs to step over, and gates to open… These obstacles highlight the horses’ confidence, composure, and agility in a natural environment. Mountain Trail is booming in Europe, driven by the popularity of Western riding in general, as it is accessible to riders of all skill levels and suitable for various types of horses, emphasizing the horse’s mental resilience over its speed or technical ability. The competitions can be very spectacular to watch, and the Equita Lyon Western Horse Show is pleased to offer the Lyon public a glimpse of this sport, which is sure to gain many fans!
Federation-sanctioned events are on the program.
Equita Lyon 2025 - © Wanted Photos
Equita Lyon 2025 - © Wanted Photos
The FFE French Western Championship
For the first time in its history, the French Federal Western Championship is coming to Equita Lyon. It features no fewer than 11 disciplines, including showmanship, trail riding, trail in hand, Western pleasure, ranch riding, reining … and even Hunt Seat Equitation, which is somewhat less well-known to the general public.
Riders from the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region will also have the opportunity to compete in the 2026 Equita Cup final, a regional competition consisting of several stages, during which riders qualify as a team.
The FFE is an excellent gateway to discovering and practicing Western riding. Equita Lyon offers the chance to explore the main disciplines, as well as the riding schools that offer Western riding lessons throughout the country.
Are you participating in one of our Western events? Find all the information about your competitors information.
WESTERN ANIMATIONS AND DEMONSTRATIONS
ON WYOMING, TEXAS AND OKLAHOMA ARENA
Information will be available soon.
OUR WESTERN PARTNERS :
