At WEG Opening Ceremonies, Vive la France!

The French are mad for Anerican Quarter Horses. Photo by Jennifer Bryant.

The main attraction: Team France! Photo by Jennifer Bryant.

Barbary horses at the WEG opening ceremony. Photo by Jennifer Bryant.

The audience at the 2014 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games opening ceremony thrilled to the "breeds of honor" exhibitions: Norman Cobs, Quarter Horses, Barbary horses, and Akhal-Tekes. But they saved their biggest applause for -- naturally -- the French athletes' entrance into D'Ornano Stadium.

Actually, the overwhelmingly French audience seems thrilled to have the Games here, and is enthusiastic about everything. As the media shuttle bus made its agonizingly slow way toward the press center this afternoon, it was slowed by the massive traffic jam and crowds lined up to enter the stadium, a good two-plus hours before the show's commencement.

With events such as these pageants, pictures are most definitely worth a thousand words, so enjoy these snapshots!

Pre-sbow flyover. Photo by Jennifer Bryant.

Akhal-Tekes race from D'Ornano Stadium. Photo by Jennifer Bryant.

Canadian athletes. Photo by Jennifer Bryant.

Steffen Peters (front, left) helps to carry the USA banner during the parade of nations. Photo by Jennifer Bryant.

An exuberant handstand by a Team USA athlete. Photo by Jennifer Bryant.

French fans do the wave as the French WEG athletes parade. Photo by Jennifer Bryant.