Last October, I began working for American show jumper Peter Wylde, at his home base in Germany. Naturally, I was thrilled to have the opportunity to work with one of the world’s most recognized riders. I gained invaluable knowledge working in Peter’s pristine stable and observing his hands-on involvement with every aspect of his operation. I felt confident that I was becoming a better horseperson every day that I worked at “Stall Wylde,” even if it was a constant challenge to keep up with all of the details. In any case, I was making the most out of my first trip to Europe.
Before leaving home, my only trepidation had been regarding the weather: my thin California skin did not easily adapt to the change of seasons from fall to winter in Southwestern Germany. Bone chilling cold (by my standards, anything below 40 degrees) sucked the fun right out of riding and grooming. By mid-December the temperature, even inside the barn, barely reached above freezing. I coped as best I could, wearing every piece of warm weather clothing that I had packed, all at once, every day. A complicated combination of wool coolers and scarves accompanied my horse and I every time we ventured outdoors for a ride. Suffice it to say, I was beyond thrilled when I realized that Peter would be traveling to Florida for the winter, largely to participate in the 2008 Olympic trials. As a member of his staff, I would be going as well! Skipping winter? Now that was something to get excited about!
New Horizons
Much like the warm breeze that I indulged in as I walked out of the airport in Miami, stories of the East Coast’s winter equestrian capitol had wafted my way over the years. “The horses are just on another level.” “The barns are unreal.” “Everyone who’s anyone is there.” As I would quickly learn, these stories were true.
Wellington, FL was as much a new frontier for me as the grand old continent of Europe. I was instantly overwhelmed by the sheer scope of the horse industry surrounding the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center, the site of the three-month long Wellington Equestrian Festival. Lavish barns, groomed arenas and perfect green Grand Prix fields full of jumps met my eye wherever I looked. I tried, but I couldn’t find the end of it. Every barn appeared to be attempting to out-do the next. Bronze statues, opulent fountains and manicured landscapes are the norm here. The most extravagant barns stop resembling barns at all, and the casual observer can be tricked into thinking that these are the mansions of the very rich. That is, until a horse pops its head out of one of the “windows.”
Bigger and Better
The Wellington Equestrian Festival had recently pulled itself out of some major upheaval. Last November, a years-long dispute between Stadium Jumping Inc. and Wellington Equestrian Partners, two groups with holdings in the development and management of the Winter Equestrian Festival, was finally resolved with the merger of the two groups. Equestrian Show Holdings was thus created, and with it fears of the dissolution of the famous Wellington Equestrian Festival were put to rest.
As part of that settlement, the show grounds went through a major upgrade. Stadium lights were installed around the Grand Prix field to accommodate night classes. The old grass field, which was a torn up mess by the end of circuit, was replaced by sand footing, which is really not sand at all but a high tech sand/fiber/wax blend, similar to what I saw at shows in Europe. Extra seating was added, and the entire facility was redesigned to be more user friendly. Raised walkways and labeled paths for golf carts, horses and pedestrians make it easy to negotiate the 16 rings (show rings and warm ups) that make up the main show grounds. More trees were added around the rings for horses to find relief from the strong Florida sun.
And did I mention the landscaping? Every flower, tree and blade of grass is fluffed and coaxed to maximum shine. The horse community of Wellington must employ an army of landscapers, who arrive by the truckload nearly every day to trim palm trees, rake gravel and blow leaves into submission. They work furiously in groups of no less than a dozen, moving from one spotless property to the next.
I had my “only in Wellington” moment one morning as I cooled a horse out on the gravel path that winds its way past various jaw-dropping barns in the ultra exclusive “Grand Prix Village,” a gated community of barns adjacent to the show grounds. Ever the diligent rider, I shortened my reins and sat straighter as I neared, anticipating that my horse would spook at the weed-eaters, leaf blowers and rakes that half a dozen landscapers were using with gusto outside a barn.
Little did I know, there was no need to worry. As my horse and I approached, a silent code passed through the group of men. All machines were silenced, every man ceased movement. Each face turned in unison toward the ground as I passed, preventing me from catching even one man’s attention to thank them for their courtesy. The practice was repeated every time a horse and rider passed by. Wow. This was far from any reality I’d ever known.
Similar experiences repeated themselves many times during my three-month stay in Wellington. Hard work notwithstanding, it was easy to settle right in to this fantasy land of extravagance. Peter’s barn, owned by one of his clients, was paradise found for any horse enthusiast. Situated in a prime location within Grand Prix Village, it boasted the largest Grand Prix field in the village and had the most open views in Wellington. Everywhere I looked, the view was pleasing. Not that I was spending all my time gazing at the scenery. This was prime-time people watching land, and I was becoming an expert star-gazer. What former Pony Club kid wouldn’t pinch herself every time Joe Fargis said good morning as he passed by on the trail? Or relishing in the moment, however brief, when you shared a warm-up ring with Beezie Madden? I sure didn’t need Europe to be starstruck!
Erin Gilmore can be reached at callierin@aol.com.
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