Florida's Wellington & Ocala Winter Circuits Kick Off

WEF Premiere this week kicks off the Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF) in Wellington and Ocala's World Equestrian Center that over the winter make Florida the most concentrated and competitive horse sports anywhere on the globe.

WEF that began in 1974 and has become the world’s largest and longest running hunter/jumper horse show that now runs for 13 weeks and attracts 31,000 competitors from more than 50 countries and all 50 U.S. states. This week launches the first of 13 Challenge Cups and the popular Battle of the Sexes that marks the start of weekly Saturday night Grand Prix.

The top three American jumper riders--Kent Farrington at No. 1, Laura Kraut No. 7 and McLain Ward 11th are based in Wellington in winter. Top Europeans hopscotch across the Atlantic.

And the first riders from China are at WEF this year.

Among the highlights of a rehabilitated WEF venue are a CSIO4* Nations Cup in February and four CSI5*s, including the $1 million Rolex Grand Prix coupled with the US Open finale for jumping Mar. 24-29. It is part of the Rolex Series of six events at leading venues on both sides of the Atlantic.

Wellington International is separated by 250 miles/400km on Florida's Turnpike from the sprawling World Equestrian Center (WEC) which has 11 weeks of international events. WEC has become a city unto itself on almost 400 acres with 3,000 permanent horse stalls, two multi-story hotels and other permanent facilities including a convention center, an almost completed high end shopping mall.

Featured competitions in Ocala include a CSI5*/World Cup Feb. 10-15 and CSI5* League of Nations Mar. 17-22.

Competitions by other organizations are staged around the two major show grounds--among them a long-time hunter-jumper event near WEC.

In addition to the hunter/jumper events, Wellington and neighboring West Palm Beach host eight international dressage shows including three World Cup qualifiers, a Nations Cup and a CDI5* while Ocala's WEC holds three CDIs.

This is likely the last year at the Global Dressage Festival's current site in Wellington as it's being turned into a high end housing, retail and sports complex.

Expansion of the Wellington show grounds to accommodate dressage is well underway with completion of a massive covered arena and four new competition arenas to add to the 18 that already exist at WEF.

Construction of the area likely to become a new dressage centerpiece arena, VIP hospitality marquee and permanent stabling has begun a year ahead of the targeted move. 

A master class named Dressage Infusion of world renowned trainers and competitors Kyra Kyrklund, Cathrine Laudrup-Dufour and Jan Brink has been organized by 3 Graces Dressage and Wellington International Jan. 21.

Isabell Werth, the most successful Olympic equestrian in history, plans to compete in Wellington's dressage World Cup qualifier Feb. 18-22.

Photo: Expanded Winter Equestrian of new competition arenas, covered arena and are for centerpiece dressage and permanent stabling. © Ken Braddick/DRESSAGE-NEWS.com