Anyone spend time at WEC Ocala for winter circuit?

[kwpn_01]

Hey all,
I am planning a trip to WEC Ocala in 2025 possibly 2026 depending on budget. I plan on talking through the numbers with some of my barn mates who have been, but essentially I’m looking for a ballpark cost/week ($CAD) on how much it costs to show/keep your horse on the property + personal accommodations. If you’re from Ontario and have some ballpark commercial shipping costs, even better.

Essentially, I’m looking to keep my horse on the grounds for 4-5 weeks. 1 week to acclimatize as we’re coming from the north, 2-3 weeks of showing and then a final week for downtime. I have my eye on a few Airbnbs in the area that I would split with another barn mate, so that much I know/general food costs. Just looking for a rough idea on how much to budget, especially with inflation, for this ordeal!

Thanks for any input!

[LaurieB]

I believe @Madison goes to WEC in the winter. Hopefully she can weigh in.

[Madison]

Oh sure @LaurieB, make me do totals I hate totals lol.

@kwpn_01 I had a circuit stall last year and will again this year, and my weekly show office bills with one weekend hunter division and occasionally a schooling class or two ran roughly $400-500 (in USD) with the classes, the fees, and a tack stall split. My division didn’t offer much in the way of prize money and I wasn’t doing derbies. The prize list and entry blank give you a pretty good breakdown you can use to create a spreadsheet to calculate your exact costs based on your own division if you really want to break it down. Weekly stalls are $375/week. We didn’t get a paddock because my trainer’s farm is 10 minutes away, so I don’t know if they sell out. Hunter braiding was $240/weekend for two days of mane and tail. The rest of the costs would depend on your personal arrangements for coaching, rides, day care, groom tips if you have help, etc, plus travel expenses.

Schedule wise, the barns that are there for circuit tend to do 2 weeks on, 1 week off, so on your 4-5 week schedule with a week to settle in, you’d probably get the most bang for your buck by either doing a 4 week schedule of show week/off week/show week and ship home, or 2 show weeks/off week/show week. Having a week of down time on the back end is an expensive way to do down time, unless you are going to use it to train in ticketed rings, etc . . . which is a useful option.

Good airbnb options will book up so don’t wait too long to book once you decide to go. My friends and I locked in our rental for this winter last month. On food costs, factor in that you will inevitably end up eating on site more than you think, and they have good options but they aren’t cheap. Hard to get out of the Mexican place on site for less than $20 at lunch, but it hits the spot so I kept going back lol. TBH, I have never totaled up what I spent last winter, because I didn’t really want to know! Feel free to PM me any specific questions.

[LaurieB]

Sorry, not sorry @Madison.

But look at all that useful information you had. Well done!

[MHM]

@Madison

TBH, I have never totaled up what I spent last winter, because I didn’t really want to know!

A true horseperson. Lol.

[kwpn_01]

LOL. Totally fair and reasonable. I would do the same. I’m budgeting for around $12-15k CAD not including flights/rental (I may just drive my truck down). Not sure if that sounds about right or if I should be expecting more. I know it can also vary depending on where you eat, shop etc.

[Madison]

I really didn’t have a lot of unexpected costs - most of the costs really are fixed other than what you choose to spend on food, shopping, etc. But even with all the great shopping on site at WEC, I really didn’t shop. I didn’t need stuff, and I wanted to ride, watch my barnmates, trainer, and friends show, and do my work for the job that was paying for all of it! So, I do think it is possible to budget and stick to it. I just don’t want to know in black and white, cold hard facts, LOL!

Editing to add one thought - golf cart rentals are super expensive. They went up last year and lots of us boycotted and just drove our cars if we needed to pop back to another ring! So, take a scooter, or an e-bike, or something like that if you want to be able to get around other than your car or on foot! I’m taking a scooter this year.

[MHM]

There is no shortage of shopping opportunities, that is for sure. You don’t even need to leave the property. You pretty much don’t even need to leave the hotel!

[AndNirina]

Golf cart rentals are super expensive! We used Lectric brand folding e-bikes to scoot around and they were great and very useful. You may or may not want to pad your budget for daily chocolate croissants from Emma’s in the hotel lobby, too. You are going to have a blast, WEC is great.

[Belmont]

Definitely pad your budget for Emmas. Also, the guava cheese danish is to die for if fruit is more your style! I, like @Madison , ate onsite a lot at the Mexican spot. It was my favorite of the quick services around the show without going to the hotel.

For me it went:

1. Filos
2. Ralphs (their breakfast sandwich hits)
3. Viola & Dots

I also grabbed Starbucks at the General Store pretty much daily.

FWIW, I just brought a regular Bike and rode that everywhere. The grounds are very bike friendly, but you could easily park/drive around towards the different rings if you didn’t want to bring anything. There are a lot of conveniences (ie food & snack stations) around that make it easy to spend extra $$ without thinking about it, not including the awesome shopping.

[EmilyM]

I live in Ocala during the winter, and I show at WEC. You likely need a golf cart or bike. For me it’s essential because I have to check in at rings all over the grounds, and they are far apart. if you just have one horse it might be possible to avoid. If you are there short term, you will likely end up in the barns in the middle where you have to cross the parking lot on your horse, and they are pretty far from Jumper land. Are you doing hunters or jumpers? Jumper nomination fee of $200 starts at 1.10m. The hunters usually have good prize money 3’ and up. the prize list came out a couple days ago so you can see prices. https://worldequestriancenter.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/2025-Winter-Spectacular-Prize-List-FINAL.pdf

I use the online check out to save myself from being in line in the office, etc. you email ocalacheckout@wec.net (before 5pm on Sunday) and send them the back number/name of horse/owner/rider and they send you a link to review your bill and checkout online. there are credit card fees, but for me this is worth it because I leave every sunday to take the horses back to the farm, and I don’t want to deal with waiting. Also, then I can wait for A/O results if they aren’t prompt and get my prize money applied (if I get any) without having to be at the show.

I usually bring snacks, but I might eat a beyond burger from Ralph’s and get my groom a hamburger and a coke which usually comes to like $35. I always have waters and drinks. The restaurants are SLOW (although getting much better and now they have an online order/pick up option which i have yet to master). Everyone going to Emma’s–the one time I went on a Sunday morning i was in line for AN HOUR. I don’t have time for that usually.

You can see all the prices for hay and shavings here where you order them. https://worldequestriancenter.jotform.com/form/223222771406146
Hay is very expensive in Florida compared to most of the rest of the country so that would be something to consider in your budget.

Hope that helps.

[AndNirina]

Oooh, good mention about the online ordering app, download the WEC Ocala app on your phone and it makes ordering ahead to three of the onsite restaurants – Filo’s, Ralph’s and Viola & Dot’s - -so much easier. I’ll agree with the others who say that Filo’s is fantastic for a quick bite. The app’s online ordering feature can come in key on busy show days.

[nunyabusiness]

Oh, that guava cheese danish is to die for!

[bamboopole]

If you get a tack stall or tack room, get a little fridge. Once a week go to Costco and stock up.
We have chips, guacamole, cold drinks.

[SLR]

Ummm. No Costco in Ocala. Sam’s club, though.

[bamboopole]

You’re correct. Sam’s Club. Forgot it’s not WEF.

[Peggy]

But my understanding is that there will be a Trader Joe’s in the new complex they’re building at WEC.

[bingbingbing]

That would be amazing!

[MHM]

I thought they were putting in a Whole Foods, but I heard that a while ago. So maybe it has morphed into a Trader Joe’s by this time.

Regardless, it’s always a good idea to bring your own snacks and drinks to any horse show in case you’re too busy to hit the food stand.

[rothmpp]

@EmilyM

Hay is very expensive in Florida compared to most of the rest of the country so that would be something to consider in your budget.

Not specifically WEC - but my friend who used to spend the winter in Loxahatchee would ship her horse commercially down to Florida from Michigan and would load her trailer with as much hay as she could fit in it. Then would bring her horse back north herself in the spring in the empty trailer. It helps cut down on the hay costs as she could get through most of the winter with just a small amount of locally sourced hay mixed in.