World’s Top Equestrians Return To Wellington For The 38th Annual Winter Equestrian Festival
The 38th annual Winter Equestrian Festival has returned to the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center in Wellington for 12 weeks of world-class equestrian competition. The largest and longest-running equestrian circuit in the world, WEF awards more than $9 million in prize money and offers unrivaled opportunities for international show jumpers to earn valuable FEI World Ranking points.
The Palm Beach International Equestrian Center is home to the season’s major events. It encompasses a total of 500 acres, with competition rings alone covering more than 80 acres. PBIEC has two core facilities containing 18 competition arenas, including a grass jumping field and the largest covered arena in the world.
Making the event unique, WEF hosts more than 70 different divisions for competitors of every level, from leadline to Olympic-level show jumping. Children, juniors, adults, amateurs and professional riders of every age, from 43 countries and all 50 states, bring more than 6,500 horses and ponies to participate in events throughout the winter season. With so many opportunities to compete during the 12-week circuit, WEF provides valuable education and experience for every horse and rider, making Wellington the world’s most popular winter equestrian destination.
Georgina Bloomberg, the No. 8 rider in the Rolex/United States Equestrian Federation Show Jumping Ranking List, has been coming to Wellington since she was junior rider. She enjoys being based in Wellington for the winter in order to enhance her riding and her horses’ education. Having horses at all levels, the Winter Equestrian Festival gives her a chance to improve them all.
Bloomberg is competing with two young horses at WEF this year. Both are 6 years old and are homebreds where Bloomberg rode both their dam (mother) and sire (father). “It’s great to have many classes each week for them to keep getting the experience of competing in the show ring,” she explained. “It really shows how much they develop over the months.”
While young horses are the future, Bloomberg is excited to compete with her top-level horses at WEF against the best in the world.
“I’m looking forward to Saturday Night Lights. I love being in the spotlight and the feeling of pulling off a clear round in front of the crowd that comes to watch,” she said. “WEF is the hardest competition in the world because you not only deal with the best riders, but also the biggest numbers. You are riding against good riders, and a lot of them. You have to be on your game every class if you want to win. There are no easy wins at WEF.”
The extended amount of time that horses and riders spend at WEF can be a benefit to both, Bloomberg added.
“You get a chance to develop yourself as a rider and work on your relationship with your horses,” she said. “We travel so much, and when we are at other shows, we can usually only bring a few horses. To be able to ride and compete all of your horses every week, like at WEF, is rare and gives you more time with them.”
Top international show jumper Lauren Hough calls Wellington home but spends much of her year traveling to compete around the world. She also enjoys the opportunity to show in one location throughout the winter months, taking advantage of the 12-week circuit to develop her young horses, while also competing her more experienced horses in grand prix competition.
“Wellington is home for me, so it is always nice to be in one place, and not have to pack a bag,” Hough said. “Florida is great for developing the young ones, and, obviously, it is top-level competition at the five-stars. There is a place for all of the horses to develop and showcase the best ones at the highest levels of competition.”
Between Hough and her three students, the circuit is going to be busy, with 18 to 20 horses showing.
“I will be bringing along a new group of young horses,” Hough said. “My top horses won’t start until a little bit later, as I am still competing in Europe until the start of the circuit. My students will get going early on. We are all very excited for a new year, and Florida is always a nice way to start it off.”
Oliver Kennedy is another familiar face (and voice) of the WEF circuit each year, serving as an international judge and ring announcer, as well as bringing horses and riders to Wellington from his family’s ESP Farm in Maryland, where his wife Rachel is head trainer.
“This is my 12th year in Wellington working at WEF,” Kennedy said. “It is always fun for me to work at WEF because the quality of the horses and riders is so high. The competition is some of the best we see all year long.”
Spending time in Wellington is always special, he added.
“What is fun for my family is that I can come down and work either judging or announcing all winter long, and my wife Rachel can bring the whole barn and all of the clients down for the winter season,” Kennedy said. “We always have great circuits in Wellington, and we have riders showing in the Low Adult Hunters, all the way up to the big jumpers.”
While trainers from across the country and around the world bring their students to train and compete at every level of WEF competition, the world’s best riders have unparalleled opportunities to participate in top competitions in Wellington.
Highlights of the 2017 WEF circuit include four weeks of CSI5* competition. The five-star grand prix events will be featured on Saturday nights, Feb. 11, Feb. 25, March 11 and March 25. The $500,000 Rolex Grand Prix CSI 5*, previously held in the 12th and final week of competition, has been moved to Week 11 this season.
An international fan favorite, the popular $150,000 Nations Cup, returns during Week 8 of CSIO 4* competition, where teams represent their countries over two rounds of competition to see which nation is best. A fantastic night of sport and fun at PBIEC, the exciting event brings horses and riders from around the globe to compete on Wellington’s international stage on Friday, March 3.
As always, several events are taking place on the grass jumping field at the PBIEC Stadium this season. Two of the big events scheduled for the derby field this year include the $216,000 Ariat Grand Prix CSI 4* on Sunday, Feb. 5 and the $50,000 USJHA International Hunter Derby to conclude the circuit on Sunday, April 2.
The Suncast 1.50m Championship Jumper Series returns in 2017 with events hosted both on the Stadium’s grass jumping field and in the main International Arena at PBIEC. The annual series features great prize money and more opportunities for international riders to earn valuable world ranking points.
While the established show jumpers take on the major grand prix events throughout the circuit, the Hollow Creek Farm Under 25 Grand Prix Series returns this year, offering opportunities for up-and-coming grand prix competitors to gain valuable experience as well.
Thanks to new title sponsor Hollow Creek Farm, the U25 series will offer 10 events throughout the circuit, totaling $215,000 in prize money and giving young riders a valuable steppingstone from the junior and amateur ranks to the grand prix level.
Another highlight is the eighth annual Great Charity Challenge, presented by Fidelity Investments, which returns to WEF on Saturday, Feb. 4, with professional and amateur riders competing to raise money for a good cause. To date, the event has distributed more than $9.2 million to more than 200 nonprofits in Palm Beach County. This year, the Great Charity Challenge has a minimum fundraising goal of $1.5 million to add to its already incredible fundraising amount, surpassing the $10 million milestone.
Hot off an Olympic year, many of the world’s best will return to utilize the WEF circuit as an important part of their seasonal training. The Winter Equestrian Festival has proven to be a valuable training ground for both riders and horses at different points in their careers, especially in championship years.
Equestrian Sport Productions looks forward to welcoming international competitors to Wellington for another fantastic season. Don’t miss all of the fun and excitement at this year’s Winter Equestrian Festival. To learn more, visit www.pbiec.com.
