Mettawa, Ill. – December 19, 2019 – Team Welles is excited to announce the expansion of their training and sales operations, adding a base in Mettawa, Illinois, located only 45 minutes from Chicago’s city center on the scenic north shore of Illinois. Their base in Mettawa will offer a complement to their additional operation, located in Wellington, Florida. Team Welles is an international show jumping operation, offering top-notch training for show jumping athletes and horses up through the highest levels from founder and international show jumper Andrew Welles and his accomplished team.
Andrew Welles and Primo Troy competing at the 2019 American Gold Cup
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“We are excited to make Chicago a summer home as an addition to our new winter facility in Wellington. We look forward to showing the Chicago community and the greater Midwest what we have to offer,” Andrew commented. “Being from the Midwest, it really feels like home: the values, the culture, and we think Chicago is such a beautiful city. I don’t think there is a nicer place to live!”
Born and raised in Minneapolis, Andrew is excited to return to his Midwestern roots for the new summer-base with his team and family. The team is looking forward to working on their collective goals in the sport while enjoying such close proximity to the Chicago metropolitan area. With Team Welles’ exponential growth in the sport in the past year, the teams’ migration to the Midwest will compliment the area’s already established and reputable equestrian community.
Eric Glynn and Andrew Welles training Team Welles rider Quinn Larimer to champion of the High Amateur Owner Jumper division
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“Our team is a boutique sized high-level jumper operation. While I focus on my goals in the sport, I also love being able to engage one-on-one with students that are hoping to move up in the sport, whether that be to the U25 level, the Grand Prix ring or whatever their goals may be,” said Andrew. “The horse shows we attend and the schedule we follow really promotes the best in riding and growth in the sport. We are a specialty stable that really focuses on the individual horse and rider to get them to excel to the highest level of the sport.”
Despite the new location for a home base in the summer months, the team plans to continue to maintain their established show schedule. This will include many of the highest level competitions in North America such as, Spruce Meadows, Devon, Kentucky Horse Shows, the Hampton Classic, Traverse City and more. Additionally, the team looks forward to adding new shows to the calendar, such as local Chicago favorite, the beautiful Lamplight Equestrian Center.
Lamplight Equestrian Center show grounds |
Another benefit to Mettawa’s central location to the best horse shows in North America, is the close proximity to Chicago’s International Airport, giving Team Welles easy access to one of the largest direct outputs to fly horses to Europe to continue the international side of their operations.
Up next for Team Welles is the quickly approaching 2020 season in Wellington, Florida. Andrew will continue to campaign his string of horses, from 6-year-old Idol H&H, owned by the Itasca Group, to his seasoned string, including Primo Troy and Brindis Bogibo. Additionally, Andrew and his assistant trainer, Eric Glynn, will continue to help their students grow and achieve their goals in the show ring. Following the winter circuit, Andrew and his team will make the trek up north to settle in the Mettawa area for the summer months. Keep up with Team Welles through their website, teamwelles.com, their Instagram, and Facebook.