Located in Ocala, Florida – the Horse Capital of the World – the World Equestrian Center occupies 380 acres and is ready to expand into an additional 300 acres. When it opens in January 2021, more than 20 Danley loudspeakers and subwoofers and accompanying multichannel amplifiers with onboard DSP provide audio fidelity, coverage and weather resistance for all mission-critical outdoor events.
The facility includes 2,000 fully-appointed stalls, four indoor arenas and 17 outdoor arenas. Visitors will be able to stay in a five-star hotel or strike a pitch an expansive RV park. Supplying sound fell to A/V integration firm All Pro Integrated Systems, who designed and is in the process of installing systems from Danley Sound Labs.
‘The Roberts family [owners of the facility] and Vinnie Card, director of operations, made it clear at the beginning of our discussions that horses have very sensitive hearing and that the sound reinforcement system should not upset them or break their concentration,’ says Sales Manager, Mark Salamone. ‘Think of the stress the horses are potentially under – many will have flown in from across the Atlantic and will be housed in unfamiliar stalls with unfamiliar neighbours.
‘The Roberts family didn’t want the horses riding into and out of coverage. It had to be perfect. In addition, the World Equestrian Center will be a high-class environment with people, who are accustomed to excellence, flying in from all around the world. When our design team hears these kinds of expectations, Danley is our go-to. We know from experience with churches, performing arts centres, sports stadiums, and more that Danley will reliably deliver the kind of high-end performance that the client expects.’
The 8,000-seat facility will use four J3-94 Jericho Horns for coverage of the field, the main, east-side seating and a courtyard. Sixty Go2 8CX distributed loudspeakers cover the seating on the north and south sides of the arena from under its awning. Twenty-four Nano Subs pair accompany the Go2 8CXs to give low-frequency support. A rack of Danley DNA 10k4 Pro amplifiers with integrated DSP and Dante connectivity will power the system.
The 3,000-seat Derby Field will use two J7-95 Jericho Horns for coverage of the field and the main seating area. Fifty-two distributed OS80 loudspeakers, paired with 20 OS115 subwoofers, will provide additional coverage. Another rack of DNA 10k4 and 20k4 Pro amplifiers will power the system. More than 30 OS80s on poles provide additional coverage for smaller arenas, training spaces, and warm-up areas.
‘The way Danley’s point-source technology throws sound is exactly what the World Equestrian Center needs – the frequency response stays intact such that the sound near the speaker is identical to the sound far away. And the coverage is remarkably even,’ Salamone explains. ‘On top of those considerations, we know from experience that Danley’s weatherized loudspeakers and subwoofers can stand up to central Florida’s onslaught of 90°-plus temperatures, high humidity, torrential rains, and tremendous winds. That’s a very important consideration.’
Although much work remains before the opening, the All Pro install teams have completed installation of several of the systems, and is working on the centre’s future event spaces and cross country course.
