Some of the biggest names in horse sport gathered Thursday morning for a press conference to mark the opening of the 2025 Winter Equestrian Festival and Adequan® Global Dressage Festival, set to be the biggest and most notable events in the history of the prestigious Wellington International. The season will welcome returning Paris Olympians, including members of the U.S. silver medal show jumping team and gold medal dressage Paralympians, plus more than half of the world’s top-20 ranked show jumping athletes.
The season at Wellington International will showcase top-tier dressage, show jumping competition for the span of 13 weeks, and in 2025, both disciplines will culminate in the newly introduced U.S. Equestrian Open, elevating the profile of equestrian sports leading up to LA 2028.
In attendance for Thursday’s press conference were Murray Kessler, CEO of Wellington International; Michael Stone, President of Wellington International; Thomas Baur, Adequan® Global Dressage Festival Sport Director; United States show jumping athlete Lillie Keenan; and German dressage U25 European Champion Felicitas Hendricks.
Those who have attended the Winter Equestrian Festival and Adequan® Global Dressage Festival over the years can attest to the incredible level of growth it’s sustained, both in the physical property and in the caliber of competition. Having recently taken over the reins as CEO, Kessler is proud of the venue’s accomplishments and what they bring to the table for 2025 and beyond.
“It's not just a horse show; it's a destination,” Kessler stated. “And our vision is to keep Wellington the premier horse sports destination in the world.
“I take a lot of pride in the fact that Wellington International is the anchor of this community,” he continued. “[In 2024,] there was $403.6 million of economic impact to Palm Beach County. We are the number one sport in Palm Beach County by far, and a lot of people count on us. We want this to be the very best experience it can be. That starts with horse sport.”
Kessler touched as well on the Great Charity Challenge Sponsored by Fidelity Investments®, an event held under the glow of ‘Saturday Night Lights’ where riders are selected to compete for teams and contribute funds towards local charities. Outside of the 2024 economic impact, the Great Charity Challenge provided over $2 million in additional charitable donations for nonprofits in Palm Beach County.
World-Class Talent to Take Show Jumping Stage at Wellington International
The final week of 2024 brought an unmatched slate of competitors to Wellington International, and the momentum seen that week is continuing to build as many riders worldwide choose to devote more time to the Winter Equestrian Festival each season.
“I think you'll see us raising our game here this year,” Kessler continued. “We have a lot in store, but it all starts with the horses and I'm happy to say we anticipate that eight of the top 10 ranked riders in the world will come this season and 35 Olympic riders between the two venues.”
Stone echoed the importance of building up the sport and attracting top talent, both for the good of the community and for every rider that competes in Wellington. “We're fundamentally about the sport and we want to make the sport as good as it possibly can be,” he shared. “The best way of doing that is having the best athletes in the world. That drives the level for the U.S. athletes. It's the opportunity they have to compete against the very best in the world and show how good they are and how successful they can be.”
As part of the US Equestrian Open, both dressage and show jumping athletes will have the opportunity to compete on one of the biggest stages worldwide. The US Equestrian Open of Jumping Final, the culminating event known each year as the Rolex Grand Prix, has jumped from $500,000 to $750,000 in prize money.
“Having a championship like the US Equestrian Open is perfect,” Kessler concluded about the new series. “We want this to feel like the US Open [of Golf] or Wimbledon. Major championships are an important part of the sport because it gives a much broader group of people the ability to work their way into a championship.”
Keenan, one of the riders with her eye set on that Rolex US Equestrian Open CSI5* Grand Prix, has skyrocketed through the world rankings over the past few years of international competition, both in Wellington and beyond.
“I've been coming to Wellington for 20 years,” the 28-year-old remarked. “I have jumped FEI here for about 12 [years], and it's the one time of year that we actually get to stay in one place, which is so wonderful.”
Keenan referenced her most recent CSI5* Grand Prix winner, the 2014 stallion Kick On, and how the horse started the 2024 Winter Equestrian Festival season in the 1.30m, advancing all the way to a clear round in the 1.50m final.
“I think that's something that's so unique about this place, that we are able to bring horses to the very top level in conditions that they're the most comfortable in,” she shared.
Keenan has risen from the ponies to the grand prix podium in Wellington, and the venue has allowed her to not only thrive but to take her offerings to the next level. “It's a unique opportunity for us to also develop our business,” she continued. “I'm able to teach students here and actually my mom still rides and I get to ride with her every single day at home. It's the one time of year that we get to all be together.”
With a full string of both up-and-coming and seasoned mounts, Keenan sees plenty of opportunity to give every horse the time and attention it needs, from daily jumping opportunities to some of the show calendar’s biggest events, all strategically forming part of her complex plan to approach championship events in future years, all leading up to LA 2028.
Top Dressage and Para Dressage Athletes Descend Upon Wellington International
The Adequan® Global Dressage Festival is setting the stage for its biggest year as well, featuring seven US Dressage Open Qualifiers, four CDI World Cup Qualifiers, the CDIO3* Nations Cup, a CDI5* event, and 10 national shows. The schedule will also feature two CPEDI events – international shows for para dressage athletes – which began at Wellington International in 2016 right before the Rio Olympics.
“The sport of para in this country has grown so much,” Baur said with pride. “They won, in total, eight medals in Paris, and five were gold. I think that is also a tribute to Wellington. We were a part of that journey. That was quite a success story over the years.”
The number one, two, and three-ranked paralympic riders are all United States riders, pointed out by Kessler, who shared that there were no Americans in the top 10 prior to the para dressage program beginning in 2016.
The first ‘Friday Night Stars’, set for January 10, will host a tribute at 6:45 p.m. to the paralympians, featuring Rebecca Hart, Kate Schumacher, and Fiona Howard, showcasing for the audience the essence of para dressage.
The CDI competition will be fierce as well as additional athletes and champions return to Wellington International. Hendricks is back for another season after a career high in 2024, scoring her first Friday Night Stars CDI5* victory in the 2024 edition of the Adequan® Global Dressage Festival. The 24-year-old began competing in Wellington in her early teens and has grown to become one of the most recognized U25 dressage athletes worldwide.
“Wellington has been the kickstart of everything for me,” Hendricks explained. “Whether it was juniors or seniors, I really went all the way. I'm always so happy to prepare [Drombusch OLD] for the European season over here because the conditions are just amazing. The competition organization is fantastic. It's just perfect conditions all over, so it's always the perfect start of the season.”
Still in an early phase of her career but with huge successes under her belt already, Hendricks knows being in Wellington sets the stage for the preparation that goes into arriving at the major championships on her bucket list.
“I feel like every professional rider’s ultimate dream is going to big championships and going to the Olympics,” Henricks shared. “But this is just a very long-term goal for the future; for now with Drombusch I'm just really going to try to go as far as we can.”
Friday and Saturday Nights Dazzle for Wellington Community and Athletes
Hendricks and Keenan agreed that they love the energy and atmosphere they get from competing under the lights throughout the winter season.
“I think the special thing about it is the positive vibe,” Hendricks shared. “Everyone is cheering you on, and even if a mistake happens, they really feel for you and they want you to do well. I think that's very special.”
Keenan has jumped many ‘Saturday Night Lights’ over her years as a show jumper and agrees there’s nothing quite like it.
“The atmosphere is electric and the best horses really grow in that condition,” she said of the night class setting. “It’s incredible because we get to do it quite a few times if you're lucky enough to have a grand prix horse that you get to jump on the Saturday nights here. Then throughout the year, you feel the most comfortable in that atmosphere and I guarantee you when the crowd gets into it, we do better.”
Stone echoed the importance of the night environment for the special events held across the property.
“I think the main thing is it's fun,” he remarked. “It's very high-level sport—the highest level you can watch—but it's also fun and free. You pay $22 for your car and you're here for the night. I think it's really important for the community to have this in their backyard. The fact that they can come watch Olympic champions in both disciplines and also have a great night out is an amazing opportunity for everybody.”
Competition at Wellington International is already underway and the venue is open to spectators all season long, with Friday and Saturday nights featuring thrilling competition for the entire family. The Saturday night schedule can be seen here and the Friday night schedule for the Adequan® Global Dressage Festival can be seen here. Ticketing information is available at WellingtonInternational.com.
