Beyond The Arena
How Marion County is Shaping the Future of Dressage
By Heather Lee | An OHP Exclusive
Photos Courtesy of Andrew Ryback
Ocala, Florida—a town rich in history, surrounded by sweeping green pastures that pulse with a rhythm you don’t just see—you feel. Here, dressage transforms from a refined ballet of horse and rider into something deeper, blending elegance with a raw, unmistakable spirit. Beneath the sunny skies of this unassuming town, a new chapter of equestrian artistry is unfolding, where tradition meets unbridled passion.
At the helm of this revival is Kim Van Kampen, a woman with dirt on her boots and grit in her soul—the kind of person who could organize a cavalry in a storm and still help a neighbor unload bales of hay. Indeed, Kim is one of those rare people who slips into a scene and, without making a single grand gesture, shifts its entire orbit.
A prominent breeder of P.R.E. (Spanish) horses and a dressage enthusiast, Kim found her way to Ocala through the simplest of motivations: love. “My husband has lived here for over 30 years,” she shares.“ When I met Michael [Crook], the World Equestrian Center (WEC) was just a sandlot with a couple of buildings going up. I’ve been able to see it develop from the inside out, which has been incredible.”
In those early days, the WEC was more dust and dream than reality—a field where only the bones of something grand poked through the dirt, and yet she saw it, as visionaries do. This was the pulse Kim felt, the place where her Hampton Green Farms could truly thrive. So, she moved her life’s work from Wellington to Ocala, a shift that rumbled through the dressage community like a low earthquake. A co-founder of the Global Dressage Festival in Wellington and a central figure among the Wellington Equestrian Partners, Kim had been part of Wellington’s ascent to global renown in equestrian sport. Yet after two decades, she saw with almost prophetic clarity that the future of her beloved sport lay in Marion County’s rolling pastures.
When Kim started hosting dressage shows at WEC, there was no guarantee the Ocala community would rise to meet her ambition. The sport here had long been a quiet heartbeat—“a loose cloud of passionate locals who loved their horses and one another,”she says, well out of the spotlight of international acclaim.
"People were genuinely excited when we started talking about creating a series of competitions," Kim recalls. "It felt like the start of something bigger—like dressage riders were beginning to see our community as a destination, not just a stop on the way to Wellington."
The tipping point was when Chris Desino, Rob Desino and Matt Varney of Ocala Horse Properties hosted a meeting at their new offices, bringing together local equestrians and industry leaders to discuss the vision for Ocala as the next hub for dressage.“ The room buzzed with excitement,” Kim says. “Everyone could feel the shift, like the first stirrings of something that was bound to grow into a movement. It was a no-brainer after that.”
“When Chris, Rob, and I co-founded the Global Dressage Festival with Kim back in 2011, it was a true expression of our deep commitment to the sport,”says Matt Varney.“ Seeing it thrive in Marion County has always been a dream of ours, and there was never any doubt that Kim would have our full support.”For Matt, that dream is deeply personal.“ Dressage isn’t just important to me professionally—it’s woven into my life. My wife, Dr. Courtney Varney, has been competing at the Grand Prix level for years. As an FEI Veterinary Delegate and Treating Veterinarian, she’s dedicated to the sport, and supporting dressage has become a core part of who we are as a family.”
“Kim and I have been working together in Florida for almost 14 years now,” Matt continues.“Its tarted in Wellington and nothing has made me happier professionally than to be a part of her move here in Ocala. Being able to support her vision for a presence here has been rewarding."
Unlike Wellington’s sprawling stables and seasonal celebrity crowds, Ocala’s charm has always been subtler, wrapped in rolling pastures and oak-lined lanes. But as WEC began to take shape,and with each new event and every mark on WEC’s calendar, the world began to take notice.Riders, trainers, coaches, families, and even curious onlookers began to arrive, drawn not just to the sport, but to the feeling that something rare and precious was taking root.“
I tell everyone,‘ You have to see it to believe it,’ she insists, and it’s easy to understand why. Spanning 4,000 acres, WEC is not just another equestrian center but a marvel of architectural grandeur that blends luxury with practical elegance. From exquisitely designed barns to beautiful arenas, every detail reflects the community of dressage aficionados that is growing with it. “The scope, the elegance, the practicality—it’s something everyone in the horse world should see,” Kim says.
Today, WEC hosts a robust dressage calendar, with national competitions throughout summer and international events nearly every month from November through May. The growth has been staggering; some events now attract up to 350 horses—a number unimaginable just a few years ago. And in 2024, WEC completed work on a widely-anticipated climate controlled indoor arena and seven outdoor rings.
This isn’t some exclusive sanctuary for the elite; it’s a space where anyone can walk in with muddy boots, a kid tugging at your sleeve, and lose yourself in the spectacle of dressage—this the real dance between horse and rider that’s somehow as rugged as it is regal. For Kim and Matt and Chris and Rob, it’s also about fostering an inclusive community that invites everyone to experience the magic of the sport. She recalls families and locals wandering into WEC, drawn by the sight of horse trailers and riders trotting past.“ On a Saturday morning during a regular dressage show, you’ll see people who aren’t even part of the horse world sitting in the stands, watching, asking questions. It’s becoming accessible to everyone,” she says.
“What riders, trainers, and coaches are discovering here is a different pace but with a depth of resources they never expected,” she says. “Ocala is already the horse capital of the world for thoroughbreds, and now the dressage community is catching on. ”For those looking to settle in Florida, Ocala offers larger, more affordable tracts of land with temperate weather and rich, limestone-based soil perfect for horses.“ This land is known for producing some of the richest, lushest grass—perfect for horses. Thoroughbred breeders have known it for years, and now the sport horse community is starting to realize it too,” she explains.
If WEC were only a world-class equestrian center, that would be enough. But Mrs. Roberts, the owner and visionary behind WEC, has bigger plans, and Kim is as excited as anyone to see them unfold. Future developments include a convention center with rooftop dining, a luxury shopping district modeled after Worth Avenue, and even a soccer stadium. WEC already boasts fine dining, retail, and even car shows and concerts with more to come. “As soon as they build it, it's filled,"Kim notes with a smile.
For Kim, the soul of her work lies in nurturing the next generation of riders. Every March, the Florida Youth Dressage Championships transform WEC into a hub for young talent, drawing competitors from across the Southeast. This national-level event offers not only high-stakes competition but also clinics and social gatherings for riders and their families. “You don’t make team members out of thin air,” Kim says with conviction. “You need a strong youth base, and it's been incredibly rewarding to bring these programs to Ocala.”
Ocala’s understated allure has quietly but profoundly attracted the sport’s elite—riders, trainers, and breeders who now call it home. Their presence has elevated the region, infusing it with top-tier competition and world-class horsemanship. Ocala is fast emerging as America's preeminent dressage destination, a place where young riders can glimpse their dreams just by looking over the fence.
“As Ocala has grown into a dressage hub over the last few years, my practice has grown right alongside it,”shares Dr. Courtney Varney. “I’ve had the privilege of working with top riders, trainers, and owners who’ve been drawn here, including Kim and her horses. It’s exciting to see Ocala evolve into a destination for dressage, and I’m honored to be part of its expansion.”As a rider herself, Courtney knows the magic firsthand.n“I might be a little biased,” she says, “but Ocala is the perfect setting for dressage. It combines world-class facilities with an atmosphere that’s both welcoming and supportive. ”For Kim, though, it’s always been about building something bigger than herself. “When I first started inviting people here, there was skepticism,” she recalls. “People questioned whetherOcala had the infrastructure. Now, we’re hearing, ‘Why didn’t we come sooner?” Ocala and Marion County have become more than just a destination—they’re a testament to what's possible when vision meets opportunity. For dressage enthusiasts like Kim, Matt, Courtney, Chris, Rob, and countless others, this isn’t just where they work or compete—it’s where the future of the sport is being written.
