2 N.B. women ride out Hurricane Florence at N.C. equestrian event

Two New Brunswick women are riding out Hurricane Florence at the FEI World Equestrian Games in North Carolina.

Fredericton's Jordan Laughlin, who is a groomer for Moncton's Jill Irving and her horse, says they're at the Tryon International Equestrian Center in Mill Spring, N.C., about 480 kilometres from the coast.

"This was an evacuation zone for [last year's] Hurricane Irma, so we're in a pretty good sheltered location," she told CBC's Shift on Thursday.

We're keeping an eye on it.- Jordan Laughlin

Florence made landfall as a Category 1 hurricane a few kilometres east of Wilmington Friday morning, ripping apart buildings and knocking out power to more than 480,000 homes and businesses.

The hurricane's top sustained winds have dropped to 140 km/h as it moves slowly toward South Carolina at 9 km/h, according to the National Hurricane Center.

Laughlin said the 13-day equestrian competition — the largest event of its kind in the world — has a weather centre on-site that tracking the hurricane and keeping participants informed.

"They've kept us so up to date that's it's really easy to kind of not worry about that and focus on the games," she said.

"So far it seems like we're going to be just a little on the quieter side of things, but we're keeping an eye on it."

The slow-moving storm is expected to possibly linger for days and wreak havoc over several states, according to the hurricane centre.

Heavy rain and estimated winds of 64 km/h aren't supposed to hit the Mill Spring area until Sunday, Laughlin said.

'Robust contingency plans'

Emergency protocols, including evacuation routes, are in place. Trucks and generators at the ready, she said.

In a statement on its website, the FEI World Equestrian Games said it has "robust contingency plans" in the event of severe weather conditions, which include sheltering plans for personnel and horses.

It said the barns are built to withstand winds up to 145 km/h and served as a refuge for horses from five states ahead of Hurricane Irma last year.

Laughlin said other than a couple of thunder-showers, the weather has been good. As of Friday afternoon, it was sunny and humid, with temperatures of about 32 C, she said.

The competition remains on schedule and is going "great," she said.

Irving, 55, and her horse Degas 12, a 17-year-old gelding, finished "about middle of the pack" in the dressage competition — a highly skilled form of competitive riding.

It was Irving's "first major games" and it's "tough competition," Laughlin said.

Brittany Fraser-Beaulieu, of New Glasgow, N.S., and her horse All In, her 13-year-old gelding Dutch warmblood, also finished "about middle of the pack," she said.

Fraser-Beaulieu is Canada's top-ranked dressage rider. It's also her first time competing at the games, which are held every four years.

"We have the best riders in the world here the best horses in the world, and it's really amazing to be here," Laughlin said.