What is the Winter Equestrian Festival?
The Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF) is the largest and longest-running horse show in the world: 13 consecutive weeks of competition each winter — January 7 to March 29 in 2026 — at Wellington International in Wellington, Florida, a 111-acre showgrounds with 18 competition arenas.[1] [2]
How does it work and who competes?
Each week is a full international show, graded by the FEI star system up to CSI5*, alongside national hunter, jumper and equitation divisions — headlined by the Saturday Night Lights Grands Prix. A season awards more than $13 million in prize money and draws riders from all 50 states and more than 30 nations, including a large share of the world's top ranked jumpers, who base in Wellington for the winter.[2] [3]
How do athletes enter?
International classes run under FEI rules: riders enter through their national federations, with the star level of each week defining the field — 5-star weeks effectively require standing in the Longines Rankings. U.S. national divisions run under USEF rules and licensing. A WEF season therefore documents, week by week, competition against the sport's best.[2] [4]
Why does it matter?
Wellington is the winter capital of equestrian sport — for the first quarter of every year the world's jumping elite competes there, and Olympic and championship campaigns are built on its results. Placings at WEF's 5-star weeks are top-of-sport results at the sport's biggest annual gathering.[1] [3]
References
- Wellington International — official site. Accessed August 2026.
- Wellington International — Winter Equestrian Festival event schedule. Accessed August 2026.
- Palm Beach County Sports Commission — Winter Equestrian Festival. Accessed August 2026.
- The Palm Beaches — Winter Equestrian Festival. Accessed August 2026.