Want to spend a Kentucky autumn day watching some elite equine athletes and riders do their thing against a backdrop of Bluegrass? How about getting an inside view of the veterinary work behind the scenes at an international endurance event?

The organizers of the endurance portion of the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games are looking for a few good volunteers–160, in fact–to assist at their Kentucky Cup Endurance test event Oct. 14. The available positions include vet scribes, trail stewards, road crossing marshals, training trail marshals, stables stewarding, hospitality assistant to officials, and food runners. Some positions require a full day commitment, while others are broken into sessions.

Most of the jobs don’t require specialized knowledge about endurance competition, explained Discipline Manager Emmett Ross. Those with some experience working in equine health might be most suitable for the veterinary scribe positions.

The Kentucky Cup Endurance will feature both a 75 mile (120 km) race, and a 100 mile (160km) race. Both races will start at the same time the morning of Oct. 14. Riders from 18 countries are expected to compete, including current and past national and world champions. The base of operations is the Kentucky Horse Park, with the course stretching out into surrounding property