Lexington, Ky. - The Paris Olympic and Paralympic Games were a highlight of 2024, showcasing not only world-class competition but an extraordinary level of media interest and coverage. US Equestrian Senior Director of Sport Communications & Social Media, Carly Weilminster, sat down with Hallye Griffin, US Equestrian Director of FEI Sport, to discuss the successes and challenges of promoting equestrian sports during the Games at the 2025 US Equestrian Annual Meeting.
US Equestrian maintains a strong digital presence across Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and X (@usequestrian), along with individual Instagram accounts for each of the Olympic disciplines- Jumping, Dressage (including Para Dressage), and Eventing.
Weilminster began by highlighting the major metrics of the Games. “In total, our US Equestrian platforms gained over 140,000 followers during the Olympic and Paralympic time period.”
Since launching the US Equestrian TikTok account in 2019, US Equestrian saw its most significant engagement spike during the Games, with a staggering 965% increase in video viewership - a remarkable achievement given the strict video rights restrictions in place. “We had to get really creative with how we amplified video during the Games period, knowing we can’t broadcast field of play,” Weilminster explained.
A major focus of the content surrounding the 2024 Paris Olympic and Paralympic Games was showcasing the staff who support the athletes and horses behind the scenes. "It was really exciting to be able to capture the work going on outside of field of play and give the staff the appreciation and recognition of the sacrifices and commitments they make to be at these championships,” said Weilminster.
Weilminster discussed the benefits of creating content with the athletes and grooms while on the ground in Paris, emphasizing how lighthearted, engaging pieces can help boost morale and ease stress during downtimes before competition. “The grooms love talking about their horses – it's why they do what they do. They love their horses to their core and providing a platform where they can share that with a larger audience was really special.”
One of Weilminster’s favorite moments from the Games was collaborating with Virginie (Virg) Casterman, McLain Ward’s groom, on a fun segment teaching fans how to speak French, which is Casterman’s first language. “It humanizes our grooms and the experience. It creates a fun, educational aspect to it [the Olympics] which I think is important.”
Griffin echoed the significance of integrating media into the sport itself. “It is important to highlight the sport and the diverse stories of our horses and athletes. It’s about having growth, success, and excellence. We understand on the sport side the impact these stories have,” she said.
She also emphasized the importance of a pre-Games content strategy, noting that collaboration with athletes and staff was key to creating engaging material. “A strategy that has worked for us is getting early buy-in from the athletes, their staff, and our team leaders. Being able to showcase our behind-the-scenes staff was a huge push for us this year.” One standout pre-Games piece featured an ‘interview’ between U.S. Olympic Dressage Team horses Helix and Bohemian, both owned by Zen Elite Equestrian Center, as they relaxed in their stalls prior to their arrival at the venue in Paris.
One of the biggest questions that US Equestrian answered through its content strategy was: How do horses travel to Paris? While equine air travel is well understood within the sport, it remains a mystery to the general public. “It’s a great opportunity to highlight horse welfare,” Weilminster explained. “We’re highlighting grooms and the care prior to getting on the flight- even on the tarmac of the airport.” Through a collaborative effort between the FEI, US Equestrian, the Associated Press, and the ARK at JFK Airport, the content provided a backstage look at every step of the air transport journey, from horses leaving their home stalls, to boarding the plane, and arriving at their pre-games training camp. The video was a huge success, amassing over 4.1 million views on US Equestrian’s social media, while the Associated Press story reached a global audience, generating 1.5 billion media impressions.
Snoop Dogg became a viral sensation in 2021 for his enthusiastic commentary on the equestrian events in Tokyo, so when NBC reached out to US Equestrian ahead of the 2024 Games revealing that Snoop and Martha Stewart wanted to attend, they seized the opportunity. With the U.S. Olympic Dressage Team not contesting the FEI Grand Prix Special for team medals, the USEF media team was able to coordinate a special interaction between the athletes, their horses, and the celebrity duo. The resulting content not only became a massive hit but helped counter some of the negativity surrounding the discipline of dressage leading up to the Olympics. “It was an extremely massive undertaking but ultimately came out as one of the best things we helped to coordinate and support during the Games,” said Weilminster. Watch the viral Snoop & Martha video here.
On US Equestrian platforms alone, the Snoop Dogg and Martha Steward content generated 22.7 million impressions and over 247,000 shares. Looking ahead to the LA 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games, Weilminster emphasized the importance of maintaining the positive momentum.
Griffin added that while media moments like this are valuable, athletes’ focus remains on the competition. “We’re there to win medals and it’s always important for us to minimize distraction. Thanks to the close collaboration within our teams, we were able to make this a success while keeping our athletes’ priorities at the forefront.”
The 2024 Paralympic Games were an immense opportunity to shine a light on para dressage and the U.S. para athletes. The U.S. Paralympic Dressage Team were virtually
unstoppable in Paris, earning multiple medals, including the team gold medal, an incredible feat breaking Great Britain's 20+ year winning streak. “It was a huge moment for the program, and we wanted to make sure that everyone on the team felt we were celebrating them in every possible way,” said Weilminster.
Weilminster also spoke about the role of graphics in Olympic and Paralympic content, which showcased horse and athlete combinations, breeding details, and horse and athlete headshots. By designing graphics similar to those used by high-profile sporting leagues such as the NHL, NBA, and NFL accounts, US Equestrian made it easier for larger platforms, such as Team USA and NBC, to repost content, ultimately broadening their reach and bringing more exposure to equestrian sport.
To further engagement, US Equestrian launched an informational hub using the platform, Shorthand, and published on USEF.org to serve as a Guide to the Games, providing an inside look at the journey of the athletes and horses leading up to Paris. Two guides were created, one for the Olympics and one for the Paralympics. Each guide included streaming schedules, bios on horses and athletes, and original content on past Olympic winners. US Equestrian plans to use Shorthand as a digital hub leading up to and during the LA 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Collaboration with the USOPC, NBC, USA Today and other media outlets increased fan engagement and generated significant reach during the Games. US Equestrian leveraged these partnerships to connect with high-profile athletes such as NFL quarterback Tom Brady through his attendance at the Games with his daughter Vivian, who is an equestrian, and a team shoutout on social from NFL Linebacker Devin White. In total, US Equestrian’s Communications & Media Team helped generate 2.5 billion media impressions across top-tier outlets. “Once we have teams selected, we really hit the pedal hard to get as many opportunities as possible locked in for our athletes,” said Weilminster.
With the 2028 LA Olympic and Paralympic Games on the horizon, US Equestrian plans to continue maximizing media strategies to engage and reach new audiences to promote equestrian sport and the horses of Team USA. “It is something we are going to continue to explore in the next four years. With our home Games on the horizon, the question of how we can maximize coverage and engage with our members is something we’re thinking about every day,” said Griffin.
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About Hallye Griffin
Hallye Griffin is the Director of FEI Sport at US Equestrian which includes serving as the Chef de Mission at the Olympic, Paralympic, and Pan American Games as well as the FEI World Championships.
Hallye entered the role with extensive experience and deep sport knowledge. The native Kentuckian joined US Equestrian as the Director of National Dressage Programs in 2011, following her role as the Competition Department assistant for the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games. She was promoted to Managing Director for Dressage in 2015, overseeing both the national and the FEI side of the discipline, which allowed her to hone her management and leadership skills. Griffin managed U.S. Dressage Team efforts at two Olympic Games (Rio and Tokyo), which yielded a team bronze and team silver medal, respectively. Additionally, she has served as Dressage Team Leader through two World Championships and many FEI Nations Cup events, finals, and National Championships, providing leadership, oversight, and support for teams that garnered multiple medals. Hallye is coming off the 2024 Paris Olympic and Paralympic Games and setting big goals for the next Olympic & Paralympic Games taking place in Los Angeles in 2028.
About Carly Weilminster
Carly Weilminster is a seasoned media professional with nearly 10 years of experience within the equestrian industry. As Sr. Director of Sport Communications & Social Media for USEF, Carly has worked collaboratively with stakeholders, athletes, and staff to help shape impactful content creation to elevate US Equestrian’s brand and storytelling abilities across the organization’s 25+ owned digital platforms.
Carly’s insights on media activations and content creation strategy have helped develop key fan engagement opportunities and digital growth for US Equestrian at multiple championships, including the Paris 2024 Olympic & Paralympic Games.