For more than 10 years, the Winter Equestrian Festival in Wellington, Fla., has been the site for three FEI World Cup-qualifying grand prix classes. But a sponsorship conflict between Longines, the sponsor of the FEI World Cup series and final, and Rolex, a WEF venue sponsor, meant the end of World Cup classes at WEF after the 2015 classes.
The Jacobs family, who own the 300-acre Deeridge Farm in Wellington, Fla., bid with the FEI to host a World Cup qualifier for the 2015/16 season and were awarded the Feb. 3-7 date. The stand-alone show will host a Longines FEI World Cup qualifier and additional classes for junior and amateur riders.
“When we heard there was a strong possibility the World Cup qualifier was at risk, we wanted to do something to ensure it would stay [in Wellington],” said Lou Jacobs. “My family discussed how we could help and we decided to host the event at Deeridge Farms. Now we are assured that this important Longines FEI World Cup™Jumping North American League qualifier will remain in the Village of Wellington for the next three years. It is important to the community, competitors and enthusiasts that we keep it here.”
Deeridge Farm is the Jacobs’ family farm and just a few miles from the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center, the venue of WEF. It has hosted jumper shows on the The Ridge Turf Tour series.
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The Longines FEI World Cup Jumping North American League—East Coast qualifying series for the 2016 Longines FEI World Cup Final—which will be held March 25-28 in Gothenburg, Sweden—includes just seven events, down from 13 in the 2014/15 qualifying season.
The East Coast qualifiers include a Bromont, Quebec date in August, the American Gold Cup (N.Y.) in September, and the Washington International Horse Show (D.C.) and National Horse Show (N.Y.) in October. The Royal Winter Fair (Toronto) is the last World Cup class of 2015 in November, while in February the Wellington class will be joined by a World Cup class in Ocala, Fla., at the Live Oak International.
The West Coast of the North American League includes seven classes in Langley, British Columbia; Rancho Murieta, Del Mar and Thermal, Calif.; Calgary, Alberta; Las Vegas; and Valle Bravo, Mexico.
