Wellington, Fla. – February 15, 2026—Kelly Tropin Whitridge’s 18-year-old Württemberger gelding Chablis was officially retired from competition on Saturday evening, February 14, in a ceremony at Wellington International ahead of the $150,000 WCHR Peter Wetherill Palm Beach Hunter Spectacular at the Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF) in Wellington, FL.
Photo ©Ashley Neuhof
Discovered as a 4-year-old by Peter Lutz in 2012, Chablis was purchased by Tropin Whitridge two years later and remained under the training and care of Lutz and Mary Manfredi for his entire career.
“The term horse of a lifetime gets used a lot, but it is an absolutely appropriate description for Chablis,” said Tropin Whitridge of the horse that never missed a WEF season during his competitive career. “From the moment Peter first saw him, he knew that Chablis was incredibly special, and he proved that time and again.”
In a career that spanned 12 years, Chablis accumulated 105 championship and reserve titles. He won high score awards at the Pennsylvania National Horse Show, National Horse Show, Washington International Horse Show and Devon Horse Show. At WEF, Tropin Whitridge competed in the WCHR Hunter Spectacular four times and scored a 98 in one appearance.
Additionally, Chablis was named WCHR hunter of the year in 2020 and was memorialized as a Breyer horse model in 2022.
“The only reason Chablis was able to accomplish these results was because of the longevity of his career, which is a tribute to the team around him,” said Tropin Whitridge. “Chablis was never pushed as a young horse, and throughout his career, we prioritized his soundness and health over doing one more show or one more round. Mary, Peter, and I would all rather do less in the short term to get more in the long term, and I think that is a big part of why he is now able to retire sound and happy. We also had an incredible team of grooms that had eyes on him at all times, and our vet Dr. Amy Rabanal and farrier Mike Boylan kept him sound throughout his career. Because of those people, this horse never missed a show for his entire competitive career.
“On the one hand, it is sad for Chablis’ show career to officially be over, but on the other, I am so happy that he was as successful at the end of his career as he was at the beginning,” she continued. “This horse provided so much joy over our time together, and giving him a happy and long retirement is the best way of thanking him for his incredible generosity of spirit over the past fourteen years.”
The entire team at Wellington International wishes Chablis a collective congratulations on an exceptional career and expresses their sincere thanks to Kelly Tropin Whitridge and her team for sharing his moments with us.
To learn more about Wellington International, click here.
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