Presented by the Wellington Garden Club
Story by Krista Martinelli, Photos by Monica Kallas
If you’ve been “around Wellington” for a while, you know very well that the winter months are also the equestrian months. You have easy access to all the great equestrian events including polo, dressage and the Winter Equestrian Festival (hunter/jumper competitions). But when do you ever get a window into the real world of those who live the equestrian lifestyle and bring these beautiful horses to us to enjoy? Fortunately, the Wellington Garden Club presented a private tour of five of the most lovely equestrian farms on Saturday, April 6th.
The full day tour began at 10am at Village Hall in Wellington, where we were greeted by friendly members of the Wellington Garden Club, handing out tour booklets and pink wristbands. Tour goers were allowed to visit the five equestrian farms in any order they wished.
Santa Rita Polo Farm
So, we (my photographer Monica and I) began with the Santa Rita Polo Farm, owned by Melissa Ganzi, a polo player herself. There was a polo game going on at one of the four polo fields on the property, which we caught the tail end of. We were given access to a golf cart to explore the property on our own. The beautiful, modern looking barns were covered in bright pink and purple Bougainvillea. We enjoyed walking through the barns, seeing the many polo ponies and seeing some of them during their tail braiding session. We also strolled by the bright pink sign “Polo is beautiful” amidst the stables.
Mida Farms
Our second stop was nearby at Mida Farms, home of 17 champion Clydesdales, other horses, sheep and donkeys, owned by Victoria McCullough. The entrance of the property leads to a gorgeous stone mansion, covered in ivy, and includes a grand prix field. We were in luck – Victoria was on hand to answer questions and even to open up refreshments for all of her visitors. Victoria was happy to answer questions and guide us to the “cookies,” so that we could give her Clydesdales a snack. Beautiful, gentle horses with an unending appetite. Chandeliers hanging from the stable ceilings. A wonderful experience.
Eagle Tree Farm
The next stop was Eagle Tree Farm, which included a large, covered arena for practicing dressage and a dressage barn, owned by Lourdes Fernandez Miranda. The dressage arena includes a mirrored wall, so the rider and horse can see themselves as they practice their “dance” routines. We had the luck of watching someone practice during our visit. United States Dressage Olympian Robert Dover is the trainer here and the barn space is rented out to many dressage riders.
Helgstrand Farm
Next up on our tour was Helgstrand Dressage USA, covering more than 45 acres of beautiful fields and gardens. The property includes a large, covered arena, a grand prix grass field and an all-weather ring. Managed by Olympic Dressage champion Lars Peterson, the farm includes dressage horses as well as show jumpers.
River Run Farm
Our last, but not least stop was River Run Farm, owned by Phoebe Wesley, who was on hand to give group tours. Phoebe has won many championships, including amateur hunters and hunter derbies. Phoebe showed us how the stables were wider and more comfortable for the horses because they were built in the 80’s when wider stables was the norm. She also stopped by a groomer, who was giving an acupuncture-type treatment to one of the horses. She explained that her horses are given many treatments like this, including showing us a machine that the horses stand on and receive vibrations from the ground up. Phoebe also explained that they intentionally built several areas within the farm with different kinds of surfaces for the horses to walk on, and that the variety is good for them. These are some of the best hunters in Florida, and she spares no expense in caring for them. Meanwhile, the beautiful farm included many native plants and a small koi pond.
Our tour concluded right around 4pm, as planned. Monica and I realized we were both exhausted -in a good way – from the great day, including the walking around and the bright sun. I also really enjoyed the in-between moments, when we saw the many other equestrian farms, in between our official stops. As the winter equestrian capital in the world, Wellington is rich in equestrian culture. This beautiful tour, presented by the Wellington Garden Club, is really the best way to get an inside peak into that world.