Act Now To Save The 2014 Season

We hope everyone has been enjoying this year’s equestrian season. It’s hard to believe there are only two weeks remaining for WEF and that the Global Dressage Festival is well into its final month. 

The brevity of the equestrian season is why one of the Forum’s major goals is to expand the season. 

We had hoped that by season’s end we would be approaching a resolution to the village’s revocation of the approvals of the Equestrian Village equestrian venue. But as it stands now, come May 1 the venue will be shut-down indefinitely until and unless the village decides to allow the covered arena and other facilities to be used by us year-round or the courts take action on the pending litigation. 

There is no reason for optimism that the village will take positive action.  The council majority of Bob Margolis, John Greene and Matt Willhite recently appropriated an additional $400,000 to sustain the lawsuits that will close the venue on May 01. The final legal tab is expected to exceed over a million dollars of taxpayer money.

The council majority will again deprive the community the use of a covered arena this spring and summer and indefinably into the future. They are also depriving charities the use of the venue for the 30 days they were to have it available for events. 

Of great concern is the uncertainty that exists in the international equestrian community regarding next year’s GDF and other activities slated for Equestrian Village. Local trainers, riders, barn owners and others will begin losing money as equestrians worldwide decide not to make Wellington their 2014 winter destination. 

Equestrian Sport Productions is submitting an application this week to the village council to allow the 2014 GDF. But the council majority has been increasingly hostile towards ESP and any of their productions.  We must do something NOW to get the village council to act NOW to allow the 2014 GDF.

We ask you to attend the village council meeting of Tuesday, March 26th at 7:00 in Village Hall to show your support to keep the Equestrian Village venue open and to allow the 2014 GDF! 

We seek the answers to two (2) questions:

1. Can the covered arena be used this spring and summer ?

2. Will the use of the facilities for GDF 2014 be approved ?

Following the meeting we will have a meeting at the Polo West Cantina discuss the Council actions.

Please go to our Facebook page to let us know if you’ll be joining us or send an email to:

equestrianforum@gmail.com