The eventing scene in Florida is really ramping up.
The World Equestrian Center in Ocala has acquired the Ocala Jockey Club, about 20 minutes from the WEC, which opened in January and offers restaurants and a four-star hotel, in addition to indoor and outdoor competition venues.
The nearly 1,000-acre Jockey Club, to be known as the World Equestrian Jockey Club, was the home of the international Ocala Jockey Club CCI4*L 3-Day Event. That 2020 edition of that event, which was scheduled for last November, was cancelled due to Covid.
Plans are to continue the tradition of top sport by transitioning the Jockey Club facility to be the site of World Equestrian Center eventing cross-country competition. The WEC site in Ocala offers hunter, jumper and dressage competition as well as a variety of western and other disciplines in indoor and outdoor arenas. A cross-country course was originally planned for WEC, but that space now is going for new indoor arenas.
Renovations are being planned to prepare the Jockey Club facility for hosting weddings, equestrian and special events under the World Equestrian Center brand of hospitality management.
“The Ocala Jockey Club brought a combination of training, competition and elegant hospitality in the venue that is in line with our World Equestrian Center vision,” said Roby Roberts, who is at the helm of WEC.
“Through this acquisition, we aim to continue those traditions of great sport and grand entertaining, while investing in the future of equestrian sports in Ocala.”
About a 2 1/2-hour drive south of Ocala, the new TerraNova Equestrian Center in Myakka City was just approved for a new event Oct. 22-24. It will host Starter, Beginner Novice, Novice, Training, Modified, Preliminary, Intermediate, CCI2*-S, CCI3*-S and CCI4*-S.
The Split Rock Jumper Tour announced that their Sarasota International CSI 2* at TerraNova Equestrian Center will kick off their 2022 tour in January, pending USEF and FEI approval.
There are also several weeks of hunter/jumper shows at TerraNova that are in the mix for approval in February and March 2022. Look for the possibility of dressage and driving events down the road.
The Terra Nova offices are based in the Florida west coast city of Sarasota, about 20 miles from the facility itself.