Largest equestrian complex in the country still growing in Ocala
OCALA, Fla. - About a hundred miles up I-75 from Tampa, the City of Ocala calls itself the "horse capital of the world." It's a title that may have just been clinched with the opening of the largest equestrian complex in the United States — The World Equestrian Center.
The complex is a sprawling property that is nearly 400 acres of show rings, barns, cart paths and an impressive five-star European-style hotel.
"You walk in and peoples' jaws drop," said Justin Garner who is with The World Equestrian Center.
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Guests see the lavish marble lobby with no equine detail overlooked. It's plush, posh, and also pet-friendly. They also have an old-fashioned toy store where guests can find a giant stuffed bear singing, a lion roaring and a wall full of popular Breyer horses.
"Toys generally show up in an Amazon box, so we recreated that childhood experience of really feeling and touching and being amazed," Garner said.
Vinnie Card, the director of operations with WEC in Ocala, said the complex is a game changer for horse shows in Florida. It has giant arenas, more than 100,000 square feet of riding space in each one and five indoor arenas that are air-conditioned for summer shows.
Card said the owners of the complex spared no expense on making sure the horses came first.
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"There's already a fan in your stall. There's a mattress in your stall for your horse's comfort," Card said.
WEC's 3,000 stalls were all filled with evacuees when Hurricane Ian battered Florida's coast back in September – they even housed a kangaroo named Spanky.
"We had minis, the donkeys, turtles, tortoises, some people brought their tortoises with them...the kangaroo. It was a modern day Noah's Ark," Card said.
He said at the rate they are growing, all those stalls will be filled with horses all year-long.
"I run into people every day or get a phone call every day from people looking to move here," Card said.
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Even if you don't ride or show, you can watch and dine. There’s an outdoor plaza where guests can enjoy a three-course chef’s dinner and watch Grand Prix show jumping during the season.
The World Equestrian Center is still growing with another new hotel with nearly 400 rooms going up. They’ve also acquired property for riders who do cross-country and eventing.
It's also all lit up with millions of lights for the holidays. After Thanksgiving, they're inviting everyone to come see Santa and celebrate the holidays Thursday-Sunday.