Miguel Vila Ubach spent 100 miles and more than nine hours in the saddle. But at the end of it all, he was first past the finish line at the games after 160 kilometers (99.4 miles) and won in the endurance category. The Spaniard cantered with his horse Hungares past two French competitors just before the finish and was greeted with a burst of applause by 20,000 spectators.

"My horse can fly," said the 32-year old, who won the European Championship title in 1999.

With his victory, Ubach enters the history books, as no Spaniard had won a medal in an endurance championship, even when the games were held on home ground, in Jerez, four years ago.

Endurance is one of seven disciplines featured at the global equestrian event, which brings together 800 competitors from more than 60 nations. The other competitive categories are show jumping, dressage, eventing, driving, vaulting and reining. It's the largest sporting event that Germany will host this decade, after this summer's World Cup.

"I've got goose bumps," said Michael Mronz, spokesman of the event's organizing committee. "I can hardly believe it after five years of preparation."

Opening gala

The games, officially called the FEI World Equestrian Games (WEG), run from Aug. 20 to Sept. 3, and opened on Sunday with a colorful ceremony that attracted almost 40,000 spectators.

In the opening sequence, a herd of 32 mares and foals were let loose in the stadium before another herd, this one made up of 500 children, ran onto the field and formed the WEG logo, a horse's head.

Then it was time for some stallion spectacle, as 64 bay and black horses performed to Michael Jackson's "Billie Jean" and Prince's "1999."

Germany's own up-and-coming riders presented the seven disciplines before the ceremony finale took place, a parade of nations.

Over the two weeks of the competition, 16 championship trophies will be handed out.

But the first full day of competition did not go off as smoothly as planned. The timing system went down on Monday and caused delays of several hours in posting team results. There was also a protest by an Austrian rider, who complained that when she crossed the finish line at 9 pm there were no officials present, a violation of the contest's rules.