WEF then and now

[EyesUp]

I started showing there in 1984. It was the frontier. On off days we would ride our way up Pierson Rd, (towards the existing horse show now). The rode was nothing but sand. They would ride the polo ponies up the rode too. The 5.00 ring was across the street on the South east corner of South Shore and Pierson. South Shore was just 2 lanes and we would park our cars on the shoulder. There were 3 barns where the shopping center is now with Tackeria. The tents were in the vacant area across the street from the show. There was only the Polo club, Royal Inn, Holiday Inn (on Lake Worth Rd) to stay. There was an apartment complex (I forgot the name) which still exists on Wellington Trace. You could lease a place there. The restaurants Cobblestone, Steamers, or you would drive to Abby Road on Lake Worth. 441 and Forest Hill was a 4 way stop sign. There was a cattle farm where Olympia is at now. Koboskos was just a farm stand. I lots of great memories.

[MHM]

@EyesUp

On off days we would ride our way up Pierson Rd, (towards the existing horse show now). The rode was nothing but sand.

Part of Pierson remained an unpaved road for a remarkably long time, considering the amount of traffic on it. The stretch from Palm Beach Equine out to around 120th did not get paved for years and years.

[nutmeg]

A big factor in the general mellowness was the fact that every day would start off with the Peter and David show on the loudspeaker that was often as funny as it was informative. I vote that now that Peter and David are in their dotage they should start a podcast. Also everyone that never chipped in to John Boy’s barbecues should pay him now.

[mroades]

They still do an “around the world” broadcast from all the rings in the mornings. But yeah, that was part of the whole thing. I remember hacking down to the field on the right on Pierson to have amazing group flat lessons with the guy who shall not be named. The best of times. Unfortunately I lost all my videos of those shows to a divorce custody dispute.

[MHM]

@nutmeg

I vote that now that Peter and David are in their dotage they should start a podcast.

Omg. That would be enough to actually make me start listening to podcasts.

Plus I’m sure they have a huge amount of tea to spill, although they probably never would.

[TWilson]

@mroades

amazing group flat lessons with the guy who shall not be named

The sad thing is there’s more than one of those.

[EyesUp]

When I arrived in Palm Beach for the first time in 1984, I walked off the plane down the outside stairs.
I picked up my bags at an outside luggage turnstyle. The airport has come along way! When I drove to Wellington for the first time, I took Forest Hill Blvd. I kept driving west wondering when I would get to Wellington. When I crossed Jog and Forest Hill ( a 4 way stop), it was nothing but trees and cow pastures. I finally saw the Wellington walls which are still there.

[BAC]

@nutmeg

There WAS something about it. The Sunday classes were in front of the polo grandstand, on the grass with grassy berms where you could picnic or watch while hand grazing, edged by palm trees… If Abdullah was not IN the class he was watching from his paddock across the street, looking like a marble statue. No flashy night classes, just sun and sky. No towering bleachers, no VIP section. No city feel at all, you were getting what you came to Florida for… an oasis. RIP Gene Mische, we were lucky to have had you.

I was only there once, I guess it was the late 80s, when it was at the polo club and it was just as you describe although I don’t remember seeing Abdullah.

[MHM]

@EyesUp

The 5.00 ring was across the street on the South east corner of South Shore and Pierson.

After all these years, now it is the $30 ring towards the back of the main showgrounds. But I will say it stayed at $20 for a long, long, long time.

At one point when it was still the $5 ring, I had a confused pony dad ask me where he could find the nickel ring. I still laugh at that memory to this day.