Eventing is typically seen as a fairly “gritty” sport- where results are less about polish and more about the combined determination and skill of a horse and rider to tackle the obstacles ahead of them. So seeing a cross country course that winds through fountains, expensive cars, and big screens is an interesting experience.

Just like at the American Eventing Championships in Tryon this past year, it’s obvious what stamp the Bellissimo brand has on an event. Even the simplest hanging log was emblazoned with the Tryon logo, and the elegant mansion fences made their appearance on an immaculately groomed (read: vacuumed) grass footing.

Big screens made sure no one missed any of the action, which in itself is an interesting addition that is so far unique to a Bellissimo event to my knowledge. And as a showcase, well, it does help to be able to see everything at once. It was obvious from the crowd that not only eventing fans were in attendance at the showcase- many a polo player, dressage queen, and U25 jumper star was there to catch the cross country phase.

It was a pleasure to see some of eventing’s greats up close and personal, and the course walk with Boyd, William, and Sir Mark Todd was enlightening and entertaining. I use the word entertaining to really describe much of the showcase, because really that’s what it seemed like in many aspects- the stars, the jumbotrons, and the stage tricks (such as dodging Land Rovers, and running through the VIP tent) all playing a part.

And yet, despite being an invitational for some of the biggest names in the eventing sport, the cross country phase was still one to be respected- this was no derby class. The gimmicky tent fence caused not a single issue, instead, the bogey fences proved to be one giant corner coming out of the first water combination and a combination later in the course that allowed itself to be angled brush-to-brush or jumped, then circle to get a straight approach to a rather vertical brush fence.

All in all, the showcase seemed like a great way to display our sport in a condensed fashion that invited spectators of a kind that may bring more owners and patrons to the eventing discipline. And while it was an enjoyable experience for most horses, riders, and spectators alike, there were a couple drawbacks. But more on that later in the week.

Florida is a mecca for winter equestrian sport in all of the english disciplines. And why not? It’s warm, it’s relatively dry, and you can’t beat that sandy footing.

So when my friend J made her second trip down to Ocala to work and train with Schramm Equestrian, it didn’t take any much convincing to cobble together a plan and visit for the Wellington Eventing Showcase.

Since highlights of the trip include a marked lack of sleep, the introduction of multiple patches of sunburn, and a lot of wine, I’m feeling a bit foggy this morning trying to process everything.

He wanted to come home with me. Oh yes he did.

Wellington specifically though… made me feel poor. Here live the ultimate .001% surely, since nowhere else would you be caught wearing stilettos at a horse show. It was eye-opening to see the practices of the equestrian elite, including pruning their palm trees to the nines, hand grazing their horses in lieu of turn out, and so much more.

I will say, the only obvious commonality I have with the residents of Wellington is a love of horses, and wine. For once, my group was not the only ones to be found carting about coolers filled with arrays of chardonnay and pinot grigio. We made plenty of friends with fellow spectators who in true eventing style, were more than happy to share the shade of a palm tree and pass glasses of wine to and fro.

While I can’t wait to share with you the thousand photos I took, some really exciting portrait sessions (at least to me), more stories will have to be saved for future posts!