Andrew Welles and Brindis Bogibo ride at the Winter Equestrian Festival. PHOTO BY BARRE DUKES/PHELPS MEDIA GROUP
How Andrew And Alex Built A Business
IN WELLINGTON
By Callie Clement
“Power couple,” “dynamic duo” “supercouple” — however you choose to describe them, international show jumper Andrew Welles and his wife, amateur rider Alexandra Welles, fit the bill. The pair have long been familiar in the show jumping world, specifically at the Winter Equestrian Festival in Wellington, both as fierce competitors themselves, in addition to operating Team Welles, one of the fastest-growing training operations. Andrew and Alex Welles are at an exciting time in their life, with the birth of their baby girl, a new farm being constructed in Wellington, a string of talented horses, students and more. This duo is one to watch as the 2020 Wellington equestrian season approaches. Alex, originally from New York’s Long Island, began spending her winters in Wellington at age 13. Moving up through the equitation ranks and into
the jumper ring, now with Andrew as her trainer, she quickly became a force to be reckoned with in the amateur divisions. Today, with her longtime equine partner XM, she is a consistent top-placing competitor in the Low AmateurOwner division across the country. Additionally, Andrew and Alex welcomed their first child in April 2019, Anderson Reese Welles, keeping the
pair busy outside of the show arena as well. A regular at horse shows such as the Hampton Classic and the American Gold Cup with the team, Anderson is already an integral part of Team Welles. Growing up riding in Minnesota, Andrew often felt isolated from the sport, not fully grasping the scope of show jumping and the opportunities available that WEF has to offer. However, soon after attending a clinic with trainer Frank Madden, Andrew learned of all the opportunities available and was determined to go all-in with his riding career and work his way up to the top of the sport. “During my freshman year of high school, I came down for a weekend,” Andrew said of his first visit to Wellingwellington the magazine | november 2019
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