It’s Week 12 of ‘Winter in the Midwest’ at World Equestrian Center and we’ve got another sold-out horse show with thrilling equestrian sport and family-friendly fun for everyone. Thursday and Saturday feature exciting jumper classes in the Sanctuary Arena, while Friday and Saturday the R+L Arena and the Roberts Arena each host a hunter derby. In-ring action is accompanied by plenty of fun events this week including a Sip & Shop in Vendor Village on Friday afternoon and a Paint & Sip class in the Paddock Club on Saturday night.
What to Watch
Thursday | $5,000 Welcome Stake 1.35m – Sanctuary Arena
Friday | $5,000 USHJA National Hunter Derby – R+L Arena
Saturday | $25,000 WEC Grand Prix – Sanctuary Arena
$7,500 Futures Prix 1.30m – Sanctuary Arena
$2,000 Non Pro 2’6” Derby – Roberts Arena
Where to Eat
The Paddock Club is serving up two delicious buffets on Friday and Saturday for an all-you-can-eat price of $19.99. Friday will feature a seafood dinner with shrimp cocktail and entrée options of grilled mahi or fried cod. Side choices will include a vegetable medley and garlic potatoes along with a salad bar and crab soup. Saturday’s buffet features a build-your-own pasta bar with three choices of noodles and two choices of sauces. Chicken and shrimp will be available to add into pasta and sides include grilled vegetables, bread and a salad bar. Dessert will be a delicious tiramisu.
Enjoy ringside popcorn and a cash bar in the Sanctuary Arena on Thursday during the $5,000 Welcome Stake 1.35m and in the R+L Arena on Friday during the $5,000 USHJA National Hunter Derby. The Sanctuary Arena is hosting an exhibitor party on Saturday during the $25,000 WEC Grand Prix.
The International Grille and Café offers delicious options for breakfast and lunch. Hearty hot breakfast items include breakfast burritos, eggs and a variety of breakfast sandwiches. Take a lunch break with a made-to-order sandwich, or grab a salad or wrap in the cooler for an on-the-run lunch.
Need a snack to go? Stop by the Rider’s Lounge each morning for complimentary pastries and a hot cup of coffee. The Junior Rider’s Lounge also provides snacks throughout the day. TroGo is also on site by the R+L Arena serving freshly made giant pretzels, lemonade, iced tea, doughnut bites and plenty of other homemade goodies. Be sure to stop by for a sweet treat on the way to the ring.
What to Do
Head to the Paddock Club after the conclusion of the $25,000 World Equestrian Center Grand Prix for a fun Paint & Sip class. All ages are welcome to participate in the painting portion of the class. Those that are 21 and over are welcome to enjoy a glass of wine while they create their masterpiece.
Stop by the show office to purchase raffle tickets for a chance to win a limited edition linocut print of Kevin Babington and Shorapur by Sarah Lockwood-Taylor. Raffle tickets are $5 each or five tickets for $20. All proceeds benefit the Kevin Babington Foundation. The raffle will take place on March 14 at World Equestrian Center (you do not need to be present to win).
This is the final week for A Bit of Class Salon & Day Spa’s Chocolate Spa Pedicures. Treat yourself to a Chocolate Spa Pedicure, including a chocolate foot mask and chocolate scrubs along with treats like chocolate wine, hot chocolate and other sweets.
Join us in Vendor Village on Friday from 2:00-4:00 p.m. for a Sip & Shop sponsored by Mona’s Monograms and Dragonfly Academy. Have a bite to eat and visit all of your favorite storefronts in Vendor Village. Take a few minutes to chat with representatives of Dragonfly Academy, World Equestrian Center’s private school and tutoring center. Dragonfly Academy offers everything from hourly supplemental tutoring to full-time enrollment. Stop by for more details.
Each horse show week, Chaplain Larry Speelman holds worship services on Sunday at the ingate of the Sanctuary Arena from 7:30-7:45 a.m. and in the Chapel in Vendor Village from 11:00-11:15 a.m. Join Chaplain Larry for an uplifting message. If you are unable to attend, but would still like to listen in, Chaplain Larry’s sermons are available as podcasts on WEC.net. This week’s sermon is titled “Secularization” and is the fifth sermon of the seven-week series “Trojan Horses.” Chaplain Larry describes the sermon:
There is an old story about a frog in the kettle, more metaphoric than true. Supposedly, you can boil a frog alive if you turn the heat up slowly. While many have concluded it is impossible to boil a frog this way, becoming content with slow, incremental change is one way individuals begin to embrace the unacceptable over time: the abnormal can be viewed as the norm. The same is true in the equestrian world. You wouldn’t expect an untrained horse to automatically jump over a six-foot oxer. You would start conditioning the horse with poles on the ground and work your way up. Eventually, he will see the unattainable as nothing more than a routine trip around the course. The Trojan horse of “Secularization” has been at work for some time, eroding away the cultural influence of the Bible and the Church. Society often holds contempt for traditional values, seeing them as irrelevant in a modern world. This sermon will address the issues presented by this Trojan horse. The early service occurs in the Sanctuary Arena at 7:30 a.m. with free coffee and pastries. A later service is offered at 11 a.m. in the Chapel. Come be encouraged in your walk of faith!
Where to Shop
Take some time during the horse show to visit all of our vendors. World Equestrian Center vendors offer a range of items from unique home decor and gifts at Equestrian Sundry to premium travel goods and accessories at Baekgaard. A Sudden Impulse is the go-to spot for all WEC branded merchandise including clothing and accessories. Chagrin Saddlery, Riders Boutique and The Custom Fox offer a selection of show clothing and tack while CWD and Antarès are on site to help with saddles and custom tack needs. Dandy Products, The Apothecary and Farm Vet bring the barn essentials to the horse show, so stop by for treats, medications or even custom barn padding. For all of the best personalized items including jackets and brass nameplates, visit Mona’s Monograms. While you’re in Vendor Village, bring your four-legged friends to Shaggy Chic for a quick and easy bath that will keep them looking and feeling their best.
Your health is your wealth! Saek’s Chiropractic and Pulse Equine are here to help get your body ready to horse show (or recover from a week of riding).
Capture those special horse show moments with Andrew Ryback Photography. Photos will not be posted online, so be sure to pay their trailer a visit between Vendor Village and the R+L Arena to purchase your photos. Photos from previous weeks at World Equestrian Center are also available.
Thank you to our Event Sponsors
We want to extend our thanks to all World Equestrian Center sponsors for their continued support: Antarès Sellier, Buckeye Nutrition, CWD, Dandy Products, EquiJet, Horse First Supplements, MARS Equestrian, Perfect Products, R+L Carriers, Tribute Equine Nutrition, Sport Data, Inc. and Voltaire Design. Many sponsors and their products are on-site weekly at World Equestrian Center, so be sure to stop in and say hello.
We look forward to seeing everyone for another exciting week at World Equestrian Center.