The Palm Beach International Equestrian Center (PBIEC), the longtime home of the Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF) as well as nearly 30 weeks of annual series horse shows, will now be called Wellington International.
The acclaimed venue hosts the longest-running hunter/jumper horse show in the world and has welcomed thousands of riders from all 50 states and 38 countries. The new name is the start of many exciting changes to come in the near future, including facility improvements that will make Wellington International the preeminent equestrian venue in the world.
The reveal of the new Wellington International name came ahead of the WEF 11 Saturday Night Lights class of the 2022 WEF circuit on March 26 with an official announcement from Michael Stone, president of Wellington International. He signaled an important shift in the development of the storied facility.
“Along with our new owners at the Global Equestrian Group (GEG), we look to the future in order to better serve our exhibitors, stakeholders and community. We are committed to setting new standards for our venue, as well as for equestrian sport, guest experiences, entertainment and innovation. To commence this exciting new initiative, our first step is transitioning the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center to its new name, Wellington International,” Stone said.
The renaming and rebranding of the iconic property, complete with a makeover of the iconic bridge over the International Arena entrance, is the next step in the facility’s history. Committing to a new motto of “setting new standards,” Wellington International will enhance the experience and offerings on-site for the community, both equestrian and non-equestrian.
Riders, trainers, sponsors, spectators and more can expect to see significant improvements across Wellington International in the coming years. Already a popular destination for participants and visitors from across the globe, the property is slated to see even more growth as significant investments are made, all with the goal of elevating equestrian sport.
“The Winter Equestrian Festival came to Wellington in 1974, made its permanent home here at our facility in 1989, and has continued its unprecedented growth ever since, along with the entire Village of Wellington and Palm Beach County, to become the pinnacle of equestrian competition throughout North America and beyond,” Stone said. “We take great pride in our designation as the ‘Winter Equestrian Capital of the World’ and enjoy welcoming thousands of exhibitors and visitors each year to experience the joys and thrills of the sport.”
While the history and status of Palm Beach is recognized, appreciated and contributed greatly to the previous venue name, Wellington International looks to move forward and continue to bring the Wellington name greater prominence in Florida, the United States and around the world.
Wellington is now a destination for thousands of equestrians every year and is a reputable name in its own right. While equestrian sport is and will continue to be the main focus at Wellington International, future plans include the versatility to host an assortment of events to broaden horizons outside of the main horse show weeks.
As Wellington International, the famous equestrian show venue promises to further modernize as it builds upon the strong foundation of success it has seen over the past four decades. Following the conclusion of the 2022 Winter Equestrian Festival season, the first phase of upgrades will begin. Further updates regarding Wellington International and the exciting endeavors in store for the venue and its events will be announced in the coming months.
