The 2022 season at WEF and Global Dressage has officially kicked off, and Wellington Equestrian Realty will return for our 11th year of sponsoring these world class competition venues. The excitement for the 2022 season is underscored by the announcement that spectators will be allowed to return this year to enjoy the best of international dressage and hunter/jumper competition!
The Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF), which is located at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center (PBIEC), hosts 12 weeks of AA hunter, jumper and equitation divisions from January 5th – April 3rd. The PBIEC is located in the middle of an 8000 acre land preservation, and serves as an equestrian destination to approximately 10,000 horses in this special community. In addition to competition at WEF, the adjoining Adequan Global Dressage Festival (AGDF), located at Equestrian Village, hosts 7 international and 10 national level dressage competitions, as well as select show jumping competitions on the derby field. Wellington Equestrian Realty’s sponsorship encompasses support of both these events and facilities.
Dressage Delights at AGDF
As a First Founding Sponsor of the AGDF, we hope that a you will join us at Equestrian Village where dressage competitors will trot down center line in the Wellington Equestrian Realty Arena for national level competition. Through our continued support of the Global Dressage Festival, we will also be presenting sponsors of the international level CDI competitions, which will take place during AGDF 5, February 9-13!
Wellington Equestrian Realty also welcomes back spectators for Friday Night Stars, where you can enjoy an evening of incredible Grand Prix Musical Freestyle performances under the lights. VIP tickets are available, or the whole family can enjoy free general admission with access to grandstands along the main arena and a variety of food & beverage trucks, as well as vendor pop-up shops.
We do hope you’ll join us during AGDF 5, when Wellington Equestrian Realty will be the presenting sponsors for the CDI 4* Grand Prix and CDI 4* Grand Prix Freestyle!
Schedule highlights for top level competition at AGDF are as follows:
- Friday Night Stars – Grand Prix Freestyle (every Friday beginning 1/14)
- AGDF 5: (February 9-13) CDI 4* Grand Prix and CDI 4* Grand Prix Freestyle
- AGDF 7: (February 23–27) CDI5/National Friday Night Stars – Grand Prix Freestyle CDI5
- Palm Beach Derby (March 2-6)
- AGDF 10: (March 15–20) CDIO3/National Friday Night Stars – Grand Prix Freestyle CDIO3
WEF is Underway with New Improvements
Just around the corner from AGDF is the expansive Palm Beach International Equestrian Center, where the Winter Equestrian Festival’s season has already begun. The 2022 season promises to delight, with new improvements to the facility and the welcoming back of spectators after a year’s hiatus due to Covid.
Throughout the 12 week series at WEF, spectators and competitors will be able to enjoy a full roster of hunter, derby, jumper and equitation classes ranging from lead line to grand prix. Spectators will be thrilled to come back to watch top international competition during Saturday Night Lights, which features Grand Prix show jumping competition up through the CSI5* level.
Schedule highlights for top level competition at WEF are as follows:
- $216K NetJets Grand Prix CSI4* (January 29)
- $216K Bainbridge Companies Grand Prix CSI4* (February 5)
- $100K USHJA/WCHR Peter Wetherill Hunter Spectacular (February 20)
- $406K Douglas Elliman Grand Prix CSI5* (March 12)
- $500K Rolex Grand Prix CSI5* (March 29)
Ushering In A New Era with the Global Equestrian Group
During the summer of 2021, Palm Beach International Equestrian Center was acquired from Wellington Equestrian Partners, by the newly formed Global Equestrian Group, in partnership with Waterland Private Equity. This new partnership is turning the page on an era of incredible horse sport at PBIEC under the previous leadership of Mark Bellissimo and Wellington Equestrian Partners.
Below is an excerpt from Global Equestrian Group’s press release:
Global Equestrian Group, Waterland Private Equity, and Wellington Equestrian Partners join forces to invest in the Globalization of Equestrian Sport
“Andreas Helgstrand, CEO of Global Equestrian Group (GEG) and Mark Bellissimo, CEO of Wellington Equestrian Partners (WEP) announced an unprecedented partnership focused on developing international equestrian sport. GEG, will acquire the Wellington, Florida based Palm Beach International Equestrian Center (PBIEC) and will invest in WEP equestrian lifestyle initiatives. WEP’s largest partners, Mark Bellissimo, Roger Smith, Lisa Lourie, and Marsha Dammerman as well as Michael Stone will co-invest in GEG.
“Mark Bellissimo and PBIEC have transformed Wellington into the world’s premiere destination for equestrian enthusiasts, with competitions and events across more than 40 weeks every year. PBIEC is home to the Winter Equestrian Festival, spanning 13 weeks and is the world’s largest and longest-running equestrian sports event – 4,000 families, 8,000 horses, and 250,000 spectators from 43 different countries converge on Wellington to compete for over USD 12 million in prize money.”
Source: Global Equestrian Group
PBIEC employs over 500 people during high season, operates 16 competition arenas, 2,500 stalls, and provides participants and spectators with a variety of restaurants, shopping, hospitality areas, and other first-class facilities. In addition to new footing improvements, there are other aspects of venue improvements that will make PBIEC safer for horses and competitors, as well as more accommodating and entertaining for spectators.
Mark Bellisimo still retains ownership of the Equestrian Village and the International Polo Club properties. Global Dressage Festival retains a 5 year lease of the Equestrian Village property will also ensure that the Global Equestrian Group will continue to host top level international dressage competitions at AGDF as well!
The Team at Wellington Equestrian Realty is looking forward to our sponsorship this year after the absence of spectators due to the Covid restrictions during the 2021 season. We would like to thank the USEF and Equestrian Sport Productions for all of their hard work in providing safe competition for equestrians last year and we look forward to working with the newly formed GEG during their inaugural season in 2022.
For all the details of each competition venue, please go to their websites at:
Global Dressage Festival
www.GlobalDressageFestival.com
Winter Equestrian Festival
www.PBIEC.com
And while you’re in town, please contact Craig Martin and our team at Wellington Equestrian Realty for a tour of available farms, luxury properties for sale or seasonal rentals!