This was an invitation only event, and it would surprise me if anyone other than Marilyn Little actually wintered at WEF.
[QUOTE=aadams89;8521137]
Also, why the hate for VIP tents? I think it’s fine to have a nice place for owners, sponsors, etc., to sit, enjoy themselves, and be out of the way of busy riders and horses.[/QUOTE]
My problem with this is that I AM the owner and sponsor. I can’t afford VIP tents. Sure, there are always some people in every sport with more money. But I always felt in Eventing you could participate alongside them and even stand a chance. The legendary Saturday night party was open to all.
Yeah, I’m waxing nostalgic about the good ol’ days. So sue me.
[QUOTE=Blugal;8521664]
My problem with this is that I AM the owner and sponsor. I can’t afford VIP tents. Sure, there are always some people in every sport with more money. But I always felt in Eventing you could participate alongside them and even stand a chance. The legendary Saturday night party was open to all.
Yeah, I’m waxing nostalgic about the good ol’ days. So sue me.[/QUOTE]
this. This has been the direction of the H/J world where to play at the top now…you actually have to be a billionaire (not millionaire). Eventing has been heading that direction. I make a very good living. I’m a 1%er. And even I can’t afford being an owner and hence why formation of syndicates have risen. I hope eventing doesn’t keep going down this road as I don’t think it is sustainable. If anything kills off the sport…the costs will.
That said…I don’t think Wellington like events will crop up everywhere. This one has a useful date and location. But most eventers are not going to forgo an actual event to hike out to one of these.
If you think Bellissimo is not in this to make money and simply has altruistic motives about helping the sport, you are kidding yourself.
And his money-making mindset could very easily affect the rest of us even if we won’t be doing the WEF showcase
He is set to host AECs at his venues for the next few years. I believe he has proposed doing things like imposing fees on event riders on top of entry fees for use of his facilities (and not small fees either). That idea was apparently shot down (don’t remember if it was for AECs or not) but you can bet your a** that won’t be the last time it comes up. That kind of stuff is going to price mere mortals (like myself) right out of the sport.
And if the BNRs start going to his fancy venues for the sponsors and prize money (and can afford it because their owners are footing the bill and his “facility usage” fee), that is going to start hurting other competing venues, which in turn hurts us even though we won’t be the ones going to MB venues.
This sport is too small to say, oh this will only affect the ULs and not the rest of us.
I am not saying that is where we are heading or trying to be histrionic about the imminent downfall of our sport :), but neither should we be dismissive of it and say it is just one WEF showcase and so has nothing to do with me
[QUOTE=bornfreenowexpensive;8521810]
this. This has been the direction of the H/J world where to play at the top now…you actually have to be a billionaire (not millionaire). Eventing has been heading that direction. I make a very good living. I’m a 1%er. And even I can’t afford being an owner and hence why formation of syndicates have risen. I hope eventing doesn’t keep going down this road as I don’t think it is sustainable. If anything kills off the sport…the costs will.
That said…I don’t think Wellington like events will crop up everywhere. This one has a useful date and location. But most eventers are not going to forgo an actual event to hike out to one of these.[/QUOTE]
Yes. This. Again brings us back to the unsustainable rat race eventing will become if it continues down this path. The same few names with their billionaire backers will get richer - as in win these events. I work in Corporqte America & am getting to the point where maybe I could help support a rider. Well, not even going to go there with the trajectory eventing is taking. I don’t have that much money. Nor do I like my hard earned dollars being wasted supporting events ran by MB & crew. By riders who I’ve heard say, “I’m not paying the xyz, the owners do, so I don’t care.” This type of entitled attitude gets more prevalent as you introduce more & more money. MB went to Harvard business school & carries hard knocking Bostonian attitude that’s all about the end game. Yes, it’s sugar coated, but no - there will never be a ‘Just’ with that man 
Then, they get bored & move on without caring about whatever they’ve left behind.
With that education of his, there are many end games. You don’t plan for one. I do wonder if his major payday from the IOC is #1. He can create a community of horse sports & knows he can already pay off the eventers to get their support. The lack of leadership & direction of the sport is something I’m sure he immediately identified & is exploiting that weakness. Add in the land & format concerns some are caught up on, riders who want big pay days with less effort, has all made eventing a very easy target.
Dom Shramm made an interesting comment about the cost to build a XC course at the Olympics & how we all need to think about that - be thankful :lol: (Dom, that’s the type of stuff the IOC lives for, rediculous spending). Then flies in Mr. Belissimo who can snap his fingers & delivers some type of course. So eventing can stay relevant in the bloody Olympics. If we’re going to make it two different sports, I can almost say sure, but riders will need courses & owners & funding for the second type of sport. That will impact my sport.
Why does it not surprise me he is a Harvard attorney.
[QUOTE=BaroquePony;8522020]
Why does it not surprise me he is a Harvard attorney.[/QUOTE]
He is not an attorney…Harvard MBA (Business school).
VERY different.
Ah … thanks for pointing out what I missed … silly me for jumping to conclusions after speed reading the post … the Harvard attorney that I know was involved in embezzlement, fraud, real estate fraud and money laundering … and “land development”.
[QUOTE=BaroquePony;8522076]
Ah … thanks for pointing out what I missed … silly me for jumping to conclusions after speed reading the post … the Harvard attorney that I know was involved in embezzlement, fraud, real estate fraud and money laundering … and “land development”.[/QUOTE]
Some pretty darn good legal minds do come out of Harvard…and some bad ones too just like anywhere.
But you have to be pretty sharp to get into (and through) the MBA program at Harvard. So regardless of whether you like the guy or agree with him…he likely is more intelligent than most. That is the only conclusion that I would be willing to draw.
I didn’t say he was stupid …
http://www.chronofhorse.com/article/sun-fun-and-few-concerns
Chronicle blogger read this thread! No response, other than to saddle up.
[QUOTE=flyracing;8522416]
http://www.chronofhorse.com/article/sun-fun-and-few-concerns
Chronicle blogger read this thread! No response, other than to saddle up.[/QUOTE]
…and lube up while you’re at it.
Allie put it better than I did. You will still have grass roots because some of us can’t afford any more than that. I moved from VA to AZ. AZ has almost nil in the way of eventing. Some of the trainers take me back about 30 years in their technique. We have a couple of very low key events where everyone knows everyone. But they have a great time, they bring in clinicians, have small shows and then head to CA for the big leagues.
[QUOTE=OverandOnward;8519493]
A lot of assumptions, jumping to conclusions …[/QUOTE]
Its COTH…
[QUOTE=OTTB_;8522698]
Its COTH…[/QUOTE]
Or, people very familiar with the business world. With Mr. Belissimo’s tactics, his education, etc. However, it is much easier to discredit & cast away someones view or opinion if you group them as Stoopid or ASSumption makers. Closed minds tend to do that. I do appreciate (though often disagree) the non logical-fallacy stuff O & O mentioned. The whole point of this thread was to have a discussion.
Yes, it’s great to see that blog. Sun in the fun & end-game 
[QUOTE=goodmorning;8522895]
Or, people very familiar with the business world. With Mr. Belissimo’s tactics, his education, etc. However, it is much easier to discredit & cast away someones view or opinion if you group them as Stoopid or ASSumption makers. Closed minds tend to do that. I do appreciate (though often disagree) the non logical-fallacy stuff O & O mentioned. The whole point of this thread was to have a discussion.
Yes, it’s great to see that blog. Sun in the fun & end-game :)[/QUOTE]
It would be interesting to see how the entries from the past two years at the traditional events from this past weekend (I believe Poplar Place and Sporting Days for Area III) compared to the entries 3 years ago before the WEF showcase. They’ve basically pulled away every ULR (and possibly some of their students) from the regular shows for the entire weekend. How many horses would PD, BM, etc. have normally been riding at one of these events?
[QUOTE=goodmorning;8519537]
But that’s not Belissimos goal; a good time. His goal is money. This laissez-faire attitude, dismissiveness & defensiveness does absolutely nothing for the sport. [/QUOTE]
Huh? Has =Belissimo stated that his goal is money? Or is that an assumption based on scant fact and no data?
[QUOTE=BaroquePony;8522020]
Why does it not surprise me he is a Harvard attorney.[/QUOTE]
Geeze oh Pete, are we going to bash people who are exceptionally intelligent and well-educated? And use this as a basis for assuming they have ill will? Oh Coth… Oh Coth…
[QUOTE=aadams89;8521137]
Also, why the hate for VIP tents? I think it’s fine to have a nice place for owners, sponsors, etc., to sit, enjoy themselves, and be out of the way of busy riders and horses.[/QUOTE]
Yes VIP tents offer a nice place to sit and enjoy the show. For those who can’t afford them, or for those who would like to have a table but don’t need it for multiple days, it has been my experience that show organizers aren’t keen on
providing information about general seating, or selling those tables for the day.
I’ve sat ringside at the International Arena at WEF with a small group of first time visitors for lunch. Show organizers told me that the only place to have lunch was the Tiki Hut. When I asked if there was any place nicer, I was told no.
So there we sat, eating out of red plastic baskets (not that there’s anything wrong with that if that’s what we had in mind) with plastic “silverware” (as the waiter called it) while right next door to us, within 15’, was an immense and empty VIP area with set tables and chairs, under chandeliers. Bored waiters chatted with each other, and not one person -rider, owner, sponsor, friend - was there watching the jumpers or having lunch.
I would have happily paid the cost to have one of those tables for the day so my out-of-town visitors would have the best possible experience at WEF.
But hey, if WEF doesn’t need the additional revenue, more power to them. The next year we went to lunch at Oli’s in Wellington.
[QUOTE=Winding Down;8523146]
Huh? Has =Belissimo stated that his goal is money? Or is that an assumption based on scant fact and no data?[/QUOTE]
Unless he’s going to bankrupt his company - His goal is in fact to protect & grow his investments. To do his job & make money.
Some facts from a 2012 article, answered by MB himself:
Mark Bellissimo, 49, is managing partner and the largest shareholder of Wellington Equestrian Partners LLC, which includes Equestrian Sport Productions LLC. ESP operates the Winter Equestrian Festival in Wellington, Fla., attracting more than 5,000 horses from 49 states and 30 countries with more than $6 million in prize money to their Palm Beach International Equestrian Center each winter.
What’s your involvement in ESP?
While I oversee a number of personal private equity investments, I’ve pretty much evolved to WEP and ESP full time. This has turned into a larger investment and a larger scope project than I originally anticipated (more than $200 million), and I personally have tens of millions of dollars of capital invested. It’s much more of a lifestyle investment as I’ve had the pleasure of interacting and working with my wife and family on this endeavor, and I’ve developed some great relationships/friendships with my partners.
And as to that him identifying a weakness and lack of leadership in eventing. You betya! Another quote form Mb himself, and though it contextually refers to WEF, identifying others weakness means a business opportunity for someone else.
“[I’ve had significant experience with] corporate restructurings and business turnarounds. I’ve been involved in a diverse set of industries including airlines, manufacturers, software and service companies. The common theme in failing/flailing companies is the lack of focus and discipline in understanding the relationship between evolving market conditions, customer value propositions and business cost structures/capital investments. I believe this to be true also in the horse show business.”
