tournament of carriage driving & jumping

Live Oak International is a unique show in Ocala, Florida. Combining jumping with carriage driving, the picturesque farm that hosts the tournament has been enjoyed by locals and visitors of Ocala for 32 years. The Co-President of the event is driver Chester Weber, who has won silver medals around the world in such a beautiful sport overseen by the FEI. He shares the task with his niece, show jumper Chloe Reid.

When did you start driving horses?

I started when I was 13 years old. My family always had racehorses. As you know, a jockey must have a certain weight, they cannot pass the 110 pounds, soaking wet. I was already that weight at 13, and it looked like I was going to be 6 feet tall. I couldn’t be a jockey, so I had to find something else. My family owned the Clydesdale horses, and I was driving them with great passion, six or eight of them. I followed my passion, and then started training and competing around the US. Particularly in the Midwest, and in Toronto. Eventually we started a horse event, my parents made that decision when I was a little kid.

How long ago was this?

This event was started 32 years ago, when the local driving club came to my family and asked them to start a live event. They asked us to organize a driving marathon at this farm. Back then we had a show facility, just for Saturdays doing cross country. We then built a proper arena. Chloe (my niece) asked us, why not add jumping to the live show? She was way younger than us. My sister and I worked hard at it, and we started a FEI 2-star event. It has continued to grow. The FEI gave us the World Cup qualifier. So far, we’ve been doing it for eight years.

It is a magnificent venue. Tell us about the tradition of carriage driving?

Driving carriages have existed for a very long time, before the automobile was here, and back then people did it with a lot of style. There is something about driving four horses. Some of these families of the era, like the Rockefellers, would drive beautiful carriages with friends to go for dinner in NY, or to go shooting or hunting. The sport grew in the mid 70’s with the help of Prince Phillip, late husband of Queen Elizabeth. He was an ex-polo player but was injured playing polo. He was looking for something to do. They had the carriages around the castle, and he thought, well, I can’t play polo anymore, why not start carriage driving… He became very passionate about it. Originally it was for amateurs and now people are professionals in this sport.

How has the sport grown?

It's growing in the United States. In Europe it continues to grow. For me, my next stop is Windsor in England, then France. I also compete in Germany at the biggest outdoor horse show. It is a 120-year-old competition. It would be the equivalent of getting involved at the Masters in Golf. The sport is governed by the FEI, the Federation International Equestrian. They govern six different sports, and this is one of them.

Why Florida?

I think Florida is a great place to be in the winter and here you have the ability to compete year round. Florida is really the mecca for carriage driving. It’s also practiced in Aiken, North Carolina, and in the Northeast, Virginia, in Central New Jersey at Gladstone. There are some competitions in California and Kentucky. But yes, ultimately Florida is the mecca of the sport.

Can you describe Ocala for us?

Ocala is a huge horse community. It has 1000 horse farms. Here you see horse racing, jumping, paso fino, carriage driving… so there has been a lot of growth in Ocala, of course with the addition of the center. My family had a vision to help the tournament and currently we have riders from 20 different nations. It’s all about sport, here is not only about the competitor, but also the customer, the sponsor and ticket purchaser. It’s equally great that attendees get to enjoy a nice bag of chips with a Budweiser in hand, while others also have the opportunity to enjoy champagne and caviar. Bottom line, spectators feel comfortable in the venue.

You are the President of the venue? How do you envision the future of it?

I’ve been the co-president with my niece Chloe, we do it together, it is a family affair. The tournament continues to be a place not only for the top sport, but for people to come and enjoy it, socialize. People want to watch it, and you don’t have to be involved with horses.

You’ve lived for a while in Ocala, but give us a bit of information about your background?

I moved here after graduating from Cornell, went to boarding school in New Jersey, I felt there were limitations living in Upstate New York, my bones were “cold”. Reason why I left upstate New York. Ocala wasn’t like what you see today, it was a bit more rural, more land. But the county and the people in Ocala realize the green spaces, and the culture needs to remain about the horses. Beautiful live oak trees, and the rolling hills surprises people. Ocala is not much about palm trees, but about oak trees. From an economic standpoint, the Economic Development Council have been very good at it and have also made it a transportation hub.

What’s next for you?

I will continue traveling to Europe. There’s nothing better than seeing these four animals working together, and the small details, how the reins help guide the horses to work together, to produce poetry in motion.

How was meeting Queen Elizabeth?

I met her a few times; her husband was an advent carriage driver. It humbles me to have lived those experiences. She always made you feel great. She always knew the right energy to make you feel comfortable.

She bought horses in Kentucky……

A lot of them for her racing program. They are bred in Kentucky. America is a huge country, with wonderful horses that come from all the Americas. The beauty of any equestrian sport competition is that you see people of all ages, competing at the same level. Here you can see people competing in their 20’s next to a rider in their 60’s.

You have achieved everything you wanted?

What else are you aiming for?

To become the world champion. I have silver medals individually but would love to earn my gold medals as well. I have two beautiful children, 8 and 5 years old. I feel very blessed.

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