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Hero Riders & Events

At the start of each year, horse and rider teams congregate in sunny Florida for the Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF) at Wellington International. Participants represent over 35 countries and 40 states within the US, competing at what’s commonly known as the winter equestrian capital of the world.  The 13 weeks of competition from January to April attract top athletes competing in hunters, jumpers, equitation, and derby classes accommodating all level of riders.

As a long-standing partner of WEF, Horseware Ireland hosts Week 10 as it commonly falls over St. Patrick’s Day and we’re excited to share an on-the-ground guide to all things WEF 2024!

WEF Horseware Week WEF Horseware Week

The Show Grounds by the Stats:

  • Over 400 permanent stalls on-site: WEF has recently invested in making life better for horses and riders on the showgrounds by converting several of their temporary stabling options into permanent barns and renovating previous structures. Barns now feature BarnWalker Stalls, Equitan Flooring, designed for maximizing airflow and electricity.
  • Miles of horse trails and walking paths: The beautiful landscape WEF offers wonderful hacking opportunities while not competing. Many farms have trails connecting to the show grounds so horses and riders can enjoy a relaxing stroll.
  • Dedicated shopping & hospitality areas: The showground offers some of the best on-site shopping experience with a variety of vendors. You can find everything from premium jewelry to your everyday horse care needs. And don’t forget to visit the Tiki Bar!
  • 18 arenas with adjoining schooling rings featuring state of the art footing: With rings so efficiently managed, it’s an experience just watching the fluidity of rounds from riders. There’s rarely a pause in the action.
  • The famous Rolex Bridge: Iconic of Wellington International, the Rolex bridge arches over the in-grate of the International Ring. It provides a unique viewing perspective for spectators at WEF where you can watch the top riders warm up then walk underneath you and into the ring to compete.

 

Who shows there?

Top riders from all over the world head to Wellington International to compete. Horseware Hero riders Laura Kraut and Cian O’Connor as well as Newcomers Max and Tom Wachman will attend this year. All riders have off site farms allowing them to stay for the duration of the series. Max and Tom are based at Cian's barn and under his tuition.

 

What’s happening during Horseware Week?

Horseware Week is March 12 – 17, 2024 and leads up to the the FEI $226,000 Horseware Ireland Grand Prix CSI4* happening on Saturday, March 18.  Throughout the week, we will be sharing behind the scenes stories with Horseware Hero riders and share in-the-moment updates live from the showgrounds all week.

 

You can join along by following us on Facebook, Instagram, or TikTok and then watch the Horseware Grand Prix live stream  on Saturday night! To download the Horseware Week class schedule, click here.

 

To stay up-to-date with all things WEF, follow our socials!

Cian O'Connor HorsewareCian O'Connor Horseware