As the Winter Equestrian Festival officially got under way this week, it was an opportunity to look at what lies ahead through the end of March at the Wellington International showgrounds in Florida.
With a re-do over the last year, the facility has been spruced up, complete with a covered arena, a grass field, new footing, renovated FEI stables, dust reduction and many other improvements. It’s all been done under the watchful eye of Murray Kessler, Wellington International’s CEO.
Speaking Wednesday at a press conference to kick off the 12 weeks that are the heart of the season (last week’s show was simply a preview), Murray was very much about the big picture in terms of how things are progressing under new ownership (that for the most part still has the same players as a previous ownership).
He remembered when staging one $500,000 grand prix during the season was a big deal for 15 years or so. Now there are three $500,000 grands prix and a $1 million grand prix to wrap up with the Rolex Finale, which also serves as the USEF Open.
The abundance of prize money has attracted seven of the world’s top 10-ranked jumpers (Qatar is running a rich circuit at the same time that got a few of the others, such as world number two Scott Brash of Great Britain).
Fans turn out by the thousands for WEF grands prix to cheer on favorites such as McLain Ward.
WEF is “elevating the sport,” said Murray, who notes that even beyond show jumping the festival is improving conditions for every discipline, including hunters and equitation, as well as dressage and para dressage.
This year, the dressage components are still over at the Global showgrounds a short distance from the main facility, though there is hope they will be at the main showgrounds in 2027.
The presentation of the grand prix jumping features has been jazzed up with laser light shows and videos that command attention.
“It’s like going to Madison Square Garden,” Murray suggested.
An estimated 6,000 people are regulars at the Saturday Night Lights grands prix, but the 2025 finale (which offered $750,000 in prize money) drew 10,000 fans. Last year, WEF (not including dressage) was the number one sporting event in all of South Florida, with an economic impact of $536 million.
But its unique character doesn’t stop there.
“What makes Wellington different from any other facility in the world is that this is where people live,” said Murray, referring to the many equestrians who call the village home for five or six months of the year.
“We like to talk about (how) other horse shows are where champions meet (Devon’s motto), maybe 200 or 300 riders meet for five days. At Wellington, it’s where champions are made,” he continued, citing his daughter, Reed, who started in short stirrup at WEF and wound up at the Olympics, or Lillie Keenan, who also began in the short stirrup division and now is a pillar of the U.S. show jumping team.
Others who have built their careers at WEF include Liza Boyd, a top hunter rider who has been competing there since she was a kid.
“It really feels like home. We’re really lucky to be here and be a part of the family,” said Liza, who won the World Champion Hunter Rider Hunter Spectacular at the show last year. It’s an important class for moving forward into the rest of the year.
“I feel like we leave here with well-trained, exposed horses,” she said.
Thomas Bauer, who runs the dressage competition, is excited about week seven, when Germany’s Isabell Werth returns to compete at Global, something she hasn’t done since 2010.
He noted improvements include shade over the bleachers and an FEI lounge. They add luster to a venue where the highlights are the Friday Night Stars musical freestyles that offer a perspective on dressage for spectators new to the discipline, while drawing those who already are devotees of dancing horses.
Ben Ebeling, winner of the first USEF Open of dressage last year, said he is “so thankful for everything Wellington has given me and helped develop me into a nice rider and somebody who is fortunate enough to be able to be put in a position to win these championships.”
Thomas Bauer, Ben Ebeling, Liza Boyd, Murray Kessler
Like many of those competing in Wellington, Ben is aiming to qualify for the FEI World Cup Finals in Ft. Worth during April. A hopeful on the show jumping side is Laura Kraut, the top-ranked female show jumper in the world.
She’s pointing Tres Bien toward the World Cup, starting him up a little early to “get him organized” for a Cup bid.
“I’ve probably been coming to WEF longer than anyone,” said Laura, who first rode there in 1976 and remembers when Pierson Road, which runs between the venues, was dirt and dead-ended at South Shore.
Laura Kraut, the world’s top-ranked female show jumper, has been a WEF competitor for decades.
“I’ve really seen the evolution of it,” she said of WEF.
“It’s crucial in preparing and trying to have our horses up to the level that we need for international competition, she continued, contending that a lot of the U.S. Equestrian Team’s stellar show jumping record is due to the show’s “great jumps, great course designers and now, a lot of prize money.”