Wellington, Florida – ProEquus, a world leader in equestrian arena construction, saw its innovative Equibase OT40 concussion/drainage mat system selected for installation at the prestigious Palm Beach International Equestrian Center in Wellington, FL.

Footing is one of the most important factors in running a high-quality equestrian competition and no one knows that better than the leadership team at Equestrian Sport Productions (ESP). With thousands of rounds held each week during its marquee Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF), safety and comfort are paramount considerations when building a horse show ring.

ESP did its diligence in selecting the best footing products available on the market when reconstructing the DeNemethy Ring, which hosts top show jumping competition week in and week out during the 12-week WEF. The innovative OT40 Equibase concussion/drainage mat system created by ProEquus was one of the products selected for testing. The results were impressive.

“We had been evaluating all of the different footing products out there and the ProEquus product tested fabulously,” said Michael Stone, President of ESP. “We decided to use it in the DeNemethy Ring and it’s been getting rave reviews. People love it and the riders are really happy.”

The product was originally recommended to ESP by Lisa Lourie of Spy Coast Farms, the title sponsor of WEF’s Developing Young Jumper divisions and circuit finals. Having installed the ProEquus system at her Spy Coast Farm locations in Lexington, KY, and Wellington, FL, Lourie’s belief in the product convinced ESP leadership to take a closer look. The riders and horses at this year’s WEF are glad that they did!

“The horses jump fantastic off it,” confirmed Stone. “The ProEquus matting system underneath the footing itself gives a real spring. When you have a system that allows for a great take-off and a cushioned landing, it’s the perfect combination.

“Also, we’ve had some heavy rains this season and the drainage was excellent; we were ready for competition almost immediately,” continued Stone. “We’re very happy to be working with such a high quality product.”

Stone also noted that Bill Hawe of iEquiTek and Travis Gould of JTWG who oversaw the engineering and rebuilding of the DeNemethy Ring were extremely positive about the matting system. Based on the results and feedback, ESP will once again utilize the ProEquus system when it reconstructs the Mogavero Ring for the 2022 show season.

For ProEquus owner Joachim Längle, this high praise is music to his ears.

“We believe strongly in the quality of our product,” said Längle, whose Austrian-based company provides matting systems, European geo textile footing solutions, and arena-related products for several high-profile European competition arenas and stables. “To know that the management team at WEF shares our belief based on its own positive experience is confirmation that our product is a true leader in the worldwide footing market. We have heard time and time again from our customers that they love the product, and that they also enjoyed significant cost savings by starting with a quality base.”