Wheels Up is now the official private aviation and hospitality partner for the World Equestrian Center (WEC) based in Ocala, Florida.

The company will be the named sponsor for all Grand Prix VIP shows and other events throughout the year at the venue.  

The deal also entails that two events hosted at the venue during the 2023 show season will be named as the Wheels Up Grand Prix.

“We are thrilled to have the opportunity to become the official private aviation and hospitality partner of the World Equestrian Center,” said Bill Roberts, senior vice president, Communications, Public Relations and ESG, Wheels Up.

Wheels Up added that the partnership provides a valuable option for those looking to attend events at the venue, as there are no commercial flight options to Ocala.

The WEC, Ocala is an equestrian sports venue and hotel complex. With nearly around 378 acres of land, the Ocala site is the largest equestrian complex in the US. WEC said it also has another 300 acres it plans to use for further expansion.  It also has another facility in Wilmington, Ohio.

Roby Roberts, CEO, WEC said: “We are honoured to welcome Wheels Up as an official partner at World Equestrian Center – Ocala, and we’re looking forward to providing our guests and visitors with the opportunity to travel effortlessly to our future events.”

The equine industry is big business in the US. According to the American Horse Council’s 2018 Economic Impact Study, it contributes a cool $50bn in direct economic impact to the US economy, creating 988,394 jobs.

It also provides $38bn in wages, salaries, and benefits. From those direct effects, the horse industry’s contribution to the US economy totals around $122bn, and a total employment impact of 1.7m jobs.