25 February 20  |  Equestrian   |  

World Equestrian Center Ocala Update

This time next year, World Equestrian Center Ocala will be open to the public, and Golden Ocala is just as excited about that as you are! We’re making progress every week and constantly updating our social media, so that you have something fun to engage with as you wait for the completion of what is guaranteed to be a masterpiece unlike any Horse Country has ever seen. For now, let’s recap all you may have missed and the very best of the first-class site to date.


2021 Show Schedule

With new construction like signage and landscaping installations comes our 2021 show schedule. It includes 12 weeks of World Equestrian Center hunter/jumper horse shows that run from January 5th through March 28th:

  • $10,000 Non-Pro Hunter Derby 2’6
  • $10,000 3’ Hunter Derby OPEN
  • $10,000 3’ Hunter Derby NON PRO
  • $30,000 World Equestrian Center Hunter Derby
  • $10,000 World Equestrian Center Pony Hunter Derby
  • $25,000 World Equestrian Center Welcome Stake – Regional Standard
  • $75,000 World Equestrian Center Grand Prix – American Standard
  • $25,000 Future Prix

Prize money for these weekly events is expected to be over $400,000 per week, and overall circuit money and prizes are slated to be nearly $5 million. More than 100 divisions will be offered, from opportunity classes to Grand Prix. For a proposed prize list, visit HorseShowing.com.

Stall Reservations

While we’re on the subject of shows at World Equestrian Center Ocala, Golden Ocala encourages exhibitors to reserve stalls ahead of the facility opening on January 5, 2021. They are priced at $250 per week or $2,500 for the 12-week circuit, and, with a reservation, payments are not due until October 2020. Tack and grooming stalls are also $250.

On-site stabling includes 2,100 permanent stalls in 23 steel and concrete barns, with 17 of them being climate-controlled spaces. With 12×12 and 12×14 barns, each is equipped with:

  • Individual fans
  • Stable-comfort mattress
  • 12-foot aisles with individual water spigots
  • 12 hot and cold wash racks
  • 12 lockable tack rooms
  • Surveillance cameras monitored by 24-hour security team
  • Individual rest areas for exhibitors

For stall reservations, retrieve an official form via HorseShowing.com or WEC.net, and submit that form or form modifications to OcalaStalls@wec.net. Please note, stalls are sold on a first-come, first-serve basis. If you’re placed on a wait list, you will be notified by Stabling Manager Vinnie Card if a stall becomes available.

State-of-the-Art Amenities

World Equestrian Center Ocala is set to be the largest equestrian complex in the U.S., with 4,000 acres that consist of amenities that take this venue from just another arena to a prime destination. And the best part, those amenities are constantly expanding:

  • Six-story, five-star, pet-friendly hotel with 248 extra-large suites; a spa, salon and fitness center; indoor and outdoor bars, fire pits and fireplaces; and 18,000-square-feet of attached retail space
  • Three-acre grand outdoor stadium
  • Riding trails spanning scenic areas and schooling areas
  • Multiple dining options, including a 500-seat restaurant and a 10-seat private dining room, both in the on-site hotel, as well as four field concessions and on-site catering
  • Exclusive membership opportunities via Golden Ocala
  • On-site chapel featuring nondenominational services for 100 people at a time
  • RV park with 278 camper spaces, water and power hook-ups, and WiFi
  • 2,100 permanent stalls
  • Four indoor, climate-controlled arenas that each seat 1,500 people — including 300 VIP, ringside seats with top-notch cuisine
  • 21 outdoor arenas with all-weather footing and grass
  • Two grand outdoor arenas with stadium seating
  • One grand arena for over 8,000 spectators
  • Second grand arena that accommodates over 3,000 spectators
  • 40,000-square-foot veterinary clinic with specialty vets and dog groomers
  • Convenience store
  • Coin-operated laundry facility

If your eagerness for World Equestrian Center becomes just too much to handle, visit WorldEquestrianCenter.com or call Vinnie Card at (352) 428-1393.