by Nancy Jaffer | Aug 11, 2023
After a 40-year gap in bringing home the Aga Khan trophy, the Swiss team reclaimed the prize with a stunning victory in the FEI Nations Cup of Ireland on Friday.
Steve Guerdat was the lead-off rider for Switzerland with Venard de Cerissy.
The fans who jammed the stands around the massive arena at the Royal Dublin Society saw an impressive display of quality horse flesh and fabulous horsemanship, but none outrode the Swiss.
The team of Martin Fuchs (whose father, Thomas, was on Switzerland’s last Aga Khan winning team in 1983), Bryan Balsiger, Steve Guerdat and Edouard Schmitz was spectacular in its precision along the swath of emerald turf.
Martin Fuchs on Leone Jei, a member of the winning Swiss team 40 years after his father, Thomas, was on the winning squad at Dublin.
During two rounds over the course laid out by Irish designer Alan Wade, they scored six clears, one 4-fault score and their anchor rider, 24-year-old Schmitz (winner of the grand prix at Dublin last year) did not have to compete a second time because they already had clinched the title.
The Swiss won the first Nations Cup at Dublin in 1926 and are counting on returning for the centennial.
“It’s an amazing feeling to hold this trophy,” said Michal Sorg, the Swiss chef d’equipe, after his team took possession of the massive gold cup.
“It’s the dream of every rider and chef d’equipe to win the Aga Khan trophy and today, yeah, we did it. I will never forget this day.”
The team was reluctant to let go of the trophy, and took it with them on its victory lap. But when they finished, only the lid was still being held by Balsiger. Whoops.
The Aga Khan trophy before it separated…
The victory was so complete that runner-up Ireland did not bother to send out its anchor, Shane Sweetnam, who was fault-free in the first round on James Kann Kruz. The home side had no way of catching up with the eventual winners, whose total was 0 penalties. Ireland’s 12 penalty total offered a safe margin over third-place Mexico (16), a previous Cup winner.
U.S.-based Shane Sweetnam was the anchor rider for the Irish team on Jame Kann Cruz.
Without the top two teams’ anchor riders, the competition lacked the drama of last year’s Aga Khan, when an Irish team member jumped off against a French competitor, as Ireland took the prize to much acclaim from the packed stands.
But enthusiasm still ran high this afternoon, and the fans obviously enjoyed celebrating the Swiss as much as they cheered for the runners-up; Michael Pender, Michael Duffy, Cian O’Connor and Shane.
The eight teams at Dublin did not include a squad from the U.S. The Swiss now have won the European division of the Nations Cup, with 370 points to 330 for Ireland and 305 for Great Britain. In addition to Dublin, they also won at home in St. Gallen and in Falsterbo, Sweden, as well.
The British wound up last in Dublin after Samuel Hutton, clear in the first round on Oak Grove’s Laith, met disaster in the second when his horse stopped at the first fence of the triple combination and he fell off.
Sienna Charles, the daughter of 2012 team gold medal Olympian Peter Charles, had 8 and 12 with Stardust, while her brother, Harry, collected 4 with Romeo in the first round, then had everything go south in the second, winding up with four rails and 13 times faults added to that. Tim Gredley was the best of the squad with 4 and 8 on Medoc de Toxandria, but there was no saving the effort.
Next up for the winners is the European show jumping championships, the equivalent of the Western Hemisphere’s Pan American Games, but dare I say it, but with a greater number of highly ranked riders.
Still, the Pan Ams will be tough enough, as the U.S. likely will be looking to qualify there for the Paris Olympics, if it doesn’t do that at Barcelona in the Nations Cup Finals next month.
Click here for results.
by Nancy Jaffer | Aug 1, 2023
The World Equestrian Center in Ocala has been named as one of four venues for the new Longines League of Nations that gets under way next year. The allocations, which run through 2027, were also made for Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates, St. Gallen Switzerland and Rotterdam in the Netherlands.
Teams from 10 countries must appear for all four CSIO 5-stars in the unfortunately named League of Nations (click here to read my opinion about the name that was chosen for this initiative.) There was also supposed to be a fifth venue, but because of logistics involving the 2024 Paris Olympics, the qualifier sites were kept to four.
The final of the series, featuring the eight best teams, will remain in Barcelona as it has for 10 years.
“We have made a historic decision for the future of equestrian sport,” FEI President Ingmar De Vos said.
“This series is about inspiring individuals and nations around the core values of our sport -– camaraderie, team spirit, horsemanship and excellence — and for over a century, it has played an invaluable role in the development of equestrian globally.”
Roby Roberts, WEC CEO, said, “We are grateful to the FEI for choosing World Equestrian Center Ocala to host this prestigious event and thank U.S. Equestrian for its support through the bid process.
“World Equestrian Center was built on our three core values of quality, class and distinction, and hosting a qualifier for the Longines League of Nations embodies these values, as well as achieves a long-held goal of welcoming the best equestrians in the world to our facility.”
The stadium at WEC will be a great showcase for the new series. (Photo © by Nancy Jaffer)
While the other shows named as hosts have some history behind them, WEC is only three years old. The 378-acre WEC complex, set in the midst of nearly 4,000 acres, offers a 248-room, 5-star hotel. Grooms will stay in the Home-Away-From-Home manufactured homes. The competition likely will be held in March, which was the date WEC requested.
“I think it will be great exposure to WEC. We’re super-excited about it,” said Christy Baxter, WEC’s director of equestrian operations.
WEC always does things on a grand scale, so there are plans for an equine expo during the competition week, and discussion is getting under way about production thoughts for entertainment and other attractions.
“This is definitely something that will put us a little bit bigger on the map and more exposure, a lot more people to come and visit,” said Christy.
“I know everybody reads about us on line, but to actually come and see it in person is another thing. We’re hoping everyone comes and has a good time during that week.”
The FEI president said, “We were very pleased with the large number of organizers eager to host a Longines League of Nations event in the coming seasons. We undertook the task of selecting the events with great responsibility and I believe we have made a difficult but fair choice, striking a good balance between continuity and evolution.
“This fresh and exciting series gives us the opportunity to display the very best of team equestrian sport to large audiences in key territories and we are looking forward to working closely with these organizers to continue the Nations Cup legacy and inspire future generations of equestrians.”
The League was created following a six-month consultation phase with a dedicated task force, which was set up to review and redefine the iconic Nations Cup series and included all the key equestrian stakeholders. It was designed to “give a fresh start for the century-old equestrian team series” and will see a full makeover starting in 2024.
The format, which was approved unanimously by the FEI Jumping Committee, will be unique to the Longines League of Nations. In the first of two rounds, all four athletes from all 10 teams (and potentially the host nation) participate with the three best scores to count, followed by a second round where the best eight teams compete in reverse order, carrying forward their penalties from the first round. In that round, however, only three athletes per team will ride, so there will be no drop score for that segment.
Other Nations Cups, such as Spruce Meadows, Aachen and the one at the Winter Equestrian Festival that are not part of the new league will continue under the same rules they are using in 2023, but they will not be called FEI Nations Cup and will not be part of a series or lead up to a final.
There have always been many CSIOs on the FEI calendar outside of the Longines FEI Jumping Nations Cup™. There are 48 CSIOs ranging from 1* to 5* level on the FEI calendar for 2023. Only 11 of those (10 qualifiers and one Final) are part of the the Longines FEI Jumping Nations Cup™ 2023.
by Nancy Jaffer | Jul 31, 2023
Congratulations to Kim Herslow for winning the 3-star Intermediate I and I-1 Freestyle during Dressage at Devon in 2021.
Wait–what? 2021? This is not a news flash that got buried by mistake nearly two years ago.
This month, Ailene Cascio, owner of Herslow’s mount, Elvis HI, finally received the redistributed prize money for her horse’s 2021 victories at the Pennsylvania show. Herslow had finished second in both competitions, but was elevated to first place when Cesar Parra on Belle Ami was disqualified and ordered to return the prize money and ribbons.
Cesar Parra and Belle Ami at the 2021 Dressage at Devon. (Photo © 2021 by Nancy Jaffer)
That was part of an agreement with the FEI (international equestrian federation) connected to an “Equine Controlled Medication Rule Violation (Presence of Benzocaine in the Horse’s Sample).”
Belle Ami also tested positive for caffeine, but Parra’s caffeine matter and two unrelated cases in show jumping were closed, according to an FEI report on 12 Atypical Findings (ATFs). The FEI stated, “The majority (9 out of 12) of the ATFs involved Prohibited Substances which are generally considered more likely to have been ingested by horses for a purpose other than the enhancement of sport performance, for example, through a contaminated feed source.”
Parra thought the presence of caffeine might be attributed to a driver who had spilled a Starbucks order on the horse’s hay. He pointed out a stimulant like caffeine is counter-intuitive, because mounts should be calm in the arena.
A member of the 2015 U.S. gold medal dressage team at the Pan American Games in Toronto, Herslow finished second in the Prix St. Georges at Devon 2021 behind Donna Gatchell and Reflection. Parra came in third with Belle Ami and was disqualified from that class as well.
Herslow missed being able to ride the I-1 and I-1 Freestyle victory passes on Elvis in front of the crowd at the prestigious autumn show (Parra got that honor), because of course, medication disqualifications are never immediate. What made it worse for her, however, was the long delay in receiving the redistributed prize money.
“I was wronged. I feel there is no accountability,” said Herslow, who now owns Elvis in partnership with Cascio.
She only found out about the disqualification because Steven Tarshis, a Flemington, N.J., attorney who is representing Belle Ami’s owner in an unrelated lawsuit involving Parra, called to tell her he had learned of it after he sought an appraisal of the mare for his client.
Kim Herslow and Elvis HI at Devon 2021. (Photo © 2021 by Nancy Jaffer)
When he had his expert check with the FEI on the horse’s show history for the appraisal, he was told about the Devon disqualification. Since Herslow is a friend and a client, Tarshis passed the information on to her.
The FEI provided Tarshis with a copy of a notification it sent to Parra on December 9, 2021, advising the rider that he had been disqualified from the classes in which he competed on the mare at the show two months earlier.
The FEI communication stated that if Parra accepted the penalty of returning all the prize money ($2,890), the ribbons and other items he received in the three classes at Devon, paid a fine of 1,500 Swiss Francs and costs of 1,000 Swiss Francs to the FEI, he would not be suspended. Parra noted he didn’t want to dispute the finding of a “minimal” amount of Benzocaine, and the FEI said it could “fast-track” the matter if he complied with the penalty. He mentioned he had never been sanctioned by the FEI, and once the process was completed, “I totally forgot about it” in terms of returning prize money to the show.
He said he never got anything from USEF that would have reminded him, “but I don’t think it was anybody’s bad intention.
“Time went by and then we remembered. So I called Monica (Fitzgerald, the Devon show secretary).” At first she said she didn’t know anything about it, then told him, “Let me find out.”
When she did, “I just sent them a check and that was it,” commented Parra, who rode on the 2011 U.S. dressage gold medal Pan Am team in Guadalajara, Mexico. He also competed for his native Colombia at the 2004 Olympics in Athens, as well as on its silver medal team in the 1999 Pan American Games in Winnipeg.
Belle Ami’s owner was concerned that her horse had a sore in her mouth and shouldn’t go to Dressage at Devon, according to Tarshis, but Parra said the sore had cleared up prior to the show. He mentioned the benzocaine was in a remedy one of his grooms sprayed on her arm for a skin irritation, and he wasn’t sure how it entered the horse’s system. He suggested it could have gotten on a thermometer when the horse’s temperature was taken, but emphasized there was no ulterior motive.
“What’s the point to win something if you are cheating? It doesn’t make any sense,” said Parra.
He believed the groom was using Dermoplast, listed generically as benzocaine. According to the Mayo Clinic website, benzocaine, available without a prescription, is used to relieve pain and irritation caused by sore throat, sore mouth or canker sores. On the container, Dermoplast is recommended for minor cuts, scrapes and burns.
When Tarshis contacted the U.S. Equestrian Federation about Parra’s status, he said, “At first, they told me that they had no record of his disqualification. I made them look further, and they were able to confirm that they had been notified. The next day, the USEF show records that are listed on their website (were) revised to show Cesar’s disqualification.”
Herslow, who runs Upper Creek Farm in Stockton, N.J., pointed out, “No one has called me to apologize that it took almost two years to get this reconciled.”
Elvis HI and Kim Herslow in the Dixon Oval at Devon. (Photo © 2021 by Nancy Jaffer)
That happened, “only because it came up from a separate lawsuit. My owner was short over $1,000 ($1,065), which finally just got paid from Devon.” The show also is sending ribbons and replica trophies to Herslow and will have her name engraved on the perpetual trophy.
“This shouldn’t have taken so long,” a USEF spokesperson stated about the prize money redistribution, maintaining the show had been notified about the disqualification in a timely manner.
Anne Moss, the show’s president, knew nothing of the Parra situation when she took the post in 2022. But as soon as she learned that money needed to be redistributed, the wheels went into motion. She confirmed the show received a check for the prize money from Parra this month.
Until last week, when this website asked him about the disqualification, Parra’s own website, Dr Cesar Parra Dressage Sport (he had been a practicing dentist, hence the dr. title) still listed Belle Ami as the winner of the I-1 and I-1 Freestyle. That information was deleted by last weekend. Parra said he personally does not work on the website and it is handled by an employe.
by Nancy Jaffer | Jul 27, 2023
Wayne Barr Jr., 59, suffered a fatal accident when he was unseated in a training jumper class at the Saratoga Summer Celebration Horse Show last weekend.
During the tiebreaker at the New York competition on Saturday, his horse, Pacco, put in an awkward jump that got the rider off balance. He “tried to save the fall” and hung on for several strides, but wound up dropping in front of his horse, who tripped and fell, but did not land on his rider according to Mr. Barr’s trainer, Marcia Kulak. The horse was uninjured.
“It was a very freak accident because Wayne was a very competent rider, riding at a very nominal level for where he is and for the horse’s abilities,” said Marcia.
Mr. Barr was taken by ambulance to Albany Medical Center, where he died. Autopsy results have not been released.
The CEO of Innovate Corp. was a longtime devoted horseman.
“Wayne was totally committed and loved every moment of it,” said Marcia.
“I’m not sure I’ve had another person ride in my career that was as into it, and just totally loved being part of our team and riding and just the involvement. He was just as comfortable behind a wheelbarrow and a pitchfork as he was on the back of a horse,” Marcia observed.
“Those kind of people don’t come along very often. It was a great ride. We really enjoyed the whole process.”
Wayne Barr was a gritty competitor who loved his sport. (Photo courtesy Kulak Equestrian)
Mr. Barr grew up riding Welsh ponies for Mollie Butler in Ithaca, N.Y., and continued to ride when time allowed throughout his adult life. After many years of hard work and business success, he fulfilled his lifelong dream of getting back into horses three years ago, Marcia noted.
The late Wayne Barr Jr.
“Wayne could have ridden with any professional and I am honored that he chose our team. He was a dedicated, exceptional student and a very good athlete who was totally immersed in our program,” she commented.
The U.S. Equestrian Federation issued a statement offering condolences to Mr. Barr’s family, while emphasizing the organization “takes every fall very seriously and will be reviewing the accident thoroughly to learn how we may further minimize risk and increase safety in equestrian sport.”
The federation noted, “Safety is paramount for USEF and integral to our mission. Falls that potentially involve a serious injury are currently required to be reported immediately to USEF.”
Beyond that, the federation recently announced a new requirement to collect uniform and actionable fall data across all levels of competition. Beginning in December 2023, it will require all falls of horse and all falls of riders to be reported in class results at each competition.
“This will give us additional data to inform change, evaluate risk and provide greater insight to further improve safety in the future,” according to USEF.
Marcia noted how devoted Mr. Barr was to his sport
“He patiently committed to investing in quality horses and traveled from his home in North Carolina, or wherever he happened to be working around the country, to train and show regularly. Wayne always came to the barn with a beautiful smile and an arm full of goodies for all the staff, which quickly endeared him to the entire Kulak Equestrian family. Wayne made our world a better place with his kind, intelligent and exceptionally generous nature.”
As Marcia concluded, “There are no words to adequately express how we feel. We can take some solace in knowing that Wayne loved his family and his equestrian endeavors with his horses. He
was truly a special gentleman, and his passing has left an enormous hole in our hearts,”
In addition to his sons, Thomas and Spencer, Mr. Barr is survived by mother, Patricia (Byrne); his brothers, Kevin, Brian (Leslie) and Trevor (Belinda); his former wife, Rita Barr, his dog, Quinn and his horses,
A funeral was scheduled for Saturday, July 29, but his friends are hoping to plan a celebration of his life in Wellington, Fla., at a later date.
Those wishing to make a contribution in his memory may do so at https://www.justworldinternational.org/donate/
Mr. Barr also was devoted to a project involved with the Royal Poinciana Playhouse, undergoing renovation in Palm Beach, Fla. It has been closed for nearly 20 years, but a foundation is being started to make it accessible to all, including under-served children, who would have an opportunity to experience the arts there. Those who wish to make a contribution once the foundation is set up should keep checking on line.
by Nancy Jaffer | Jul 19, 2023
Managing risk when investing in horses is always tricky. The fragility of these animals and the whims of fate too often can result in a devastating outcome for owners, riders and trainers.
Catherine Haddad Staller, based in Califon, N.J., and Wellington, Fla., knows well the ups and downs of the horse business. Twice the U.S. dressage team’s reserve rider for the World Equestrian Games, she has had many other accomplishments during more than three decades of being active in the industry.
Her most recent success was the selection of her home-bred seven-year-old Hanoverian, Vianne, to compete in the FEI World Breeding Championship for Young Horses in the Netherlands next month. Doing the riding will be 23-year-old Hope Beerling, an Australian being trained by Catherine. Vianne is the only American-bred horse representing the U.S. that is participating in the competition.
Vianne takes a good look at the flag she will be representing at the Young Horse Championships with Hope Beerling. (Photo © 2023 by Nancy Jaffer)
Along with her achievements, Catherine, 59, also has dealt with her share of crushing disappointments over the years, and had to figure out a way of coping with them.
What she learned has been instilled in the development of NorCordia, an innovative company started in 2021 whose platform is geared to “helping our horses find their best partners” and enabling those who invest in the concept to seek a profit. It is the “first sporthorse portfolio investment company,” Catherine explained.
The Nor in NorCordia is for Nordic, which she calls “a representation of value,” (her partners are Danish), while Cordia refers to “the assurance of heartstrings,” a commitment to caring in connection with the horses.
The company initially offers portfolios of 10 to 12 horses, and each runs for three years. When a horse is sold during that period, it is replaced in the portfolio. The company has the ability to turn over anywhere from 18 to 24 horses in one portfolio. Eventually, replacement is stopped, so at the end of the three years, the plan is for the portfolio to be empty so investors can collect, though Catherine is careful to emphasize that investment carries no guarantee there will be a profit.
The trainer added, however, she believes “something cataclysmic would have to happen to not make a profit with this model.”
Explaining how the company manages risk, Catherine explained, “If something goes wrong with one horse, we can make up the loss by selling other horses. Because we place the horses with professionals in (both) Europe and the U.S., we never have one complete portfolio with one trainer.”
Having the NorCordia horses at several stables is a way to reduce risk in the case of disease, fire or natural disasters, for instance. The horses are mostly dressage specialists, with some show jumpers in the mix.
The first portfolio was started with a capital investment of 500,000 Euros. The second was started with 1 million Euros and had 10 shares at 100,000 Euros each sold to investors by February 2023. Portfolio three was started with 2.5 million Euros.
While Catherine and her partners want to sell horses, of course, there is another priority.
“For me,” she said, “the number one thing is horse welfare. We have to sell horses, but I said to all three of my partners, `We will be a company that gives our horses the best care, the best nutrition, the best management and the best training. We will take every precaution we can that when one of our horses leaves the stable, it’s going to the best partner, and a partner for life.’ That’s why our motto is `Horses for Life.’ ”
While she knows many ethical horse dealers, she’s also known some in the business who weren’t.
“I want to show the world how compassionately you can put horses on the market and send them on to their next partners.”
The idea is to “create training in a horse that makes him valuable to someone.”
The people who buy shares, however, aren’t buying horses for themselves. Instead, they’re involved in an investment that they hope results in a profit at the end of the three-year term. When the first horse in a portfolio is sold, the money goes to pay for expenses and care for the horses. When the second horse is sold, the company invests in another horse.
Catherine Haddad with members of her team Hope Beerling and Bella Nye. (Photo © 2023 by Nancy Jaffer)
Catherine’s longtime friend Hope Greenfield, who was involved with finance before she retired, had to be convinced to invest in the second portfolio.
“I said ‘No, I don’t want to be investing in horses anymore,'” recalled Hope, who has owned eventing and dressage horses over the years. She personally owns four horses, but was wary of getting involved with anything horse-related that wasn’t for her use.
“I know it’s a risk,” she said about the investment, pointing out, “I’m a fixed income type of person.”
But her friend, June Brody, who like Hope had been a New Jersey stable owner, wanted to split the fee for a NorCordia share after talking to her financial advisor. He examined the concept and thought it looked good. Hope was impressed by his assessment.
They finally decided to collaborate on one portfolio share in a venture they’re calling LOL (for Little Old Ladies) Adventure. The pair enjoys watching the portfolio horses compete, though they have no personal or emotional involvement with them.
“It’s fun,” Hope said.
“It’s not like investing in Berkshire Hathaway.”
NorCordia’s profile will be raised at Dressage at Devon which runs Sept. 26-Oct. 1, presented by Kingsview Partners. A highlight of the Pennsylvania show, the Master Class Sept. 28 featuring Danish Olympic star Cathrine Laudrup-Dufour, will be presented by NorCordia. Last year’s class, with U.S. Olympic team silver medalist Sabine Schut-Kery doing the teaching, was very popular with spectators, who filled the stands looking for tips that perhaps could improve their own horses and riding.
by Nancy Jaffer | Jul 20, 2023
A presentation about an expanded showgrounds for Wellington, Fla., got priority from Wellington Lifestyle Partners in its first appearance before the Village Planning. Zoning and Adjustment Board Wednesday night.
Plans for the Wellington North and South development project received a thumbs-down last month from the Village’s Equestrian Preserve Committee. That panel unanimously was against rezoning acreage set aside for equestrian purposes in order to complete a land use designation swap that is necessary for a major expansion of the Wellington International showgrounds.
Here’s a diagram of the property around the showgrounds.
Members of the preserve committee, which is only an advisory group, pointed out that they did not see an application for the expanded showgrounds during their two-day hearing. They emphasized they had no guarantee that WLP would actually sell the land to Wellington International, since the two don’t have a signed contract.
That complaint obviously hit home, because right off the bat, WLP offered the zoning board details about what is planned for the showgrounds, part of the South segment of the proposal.
“This is an opportunity, a moment in time, to create state-of-the-art facilities that will double the size of the showgrounds for all three disciplines — dressage, hunters and jumpers. As we move forward with this project, if we are approved, this will be the first dirt that is moved and this will be the first set of structures that will be built,” promised Doug McMahon, managing director of the developer, the Tavistock Group, co-founder of the Nexus Luxury Collection and the chief executive officer of Wellington Lifestyle Partners.
Rendering of a “wow” concept for the entrance to the expanded Wellington International showgrounds.
Wellington International President Michael Stone said dressage isn’t really viable at the Equestrian Village, where it has been held since 2012. It is separated from the main showgrounds by about a mile. Equipment and catering has to travel that distance, which has made access difficult and raised safety concerns. Those problems would be alleviated if all the disciplines were part of the same contiguous footprint, Stone noted.
The current dressage facility (slated for housing under the Wellington North plan) is “small and needs a lot of investment. We want to create the best possible place for dressage,” said Stone.
He pointed out that Wellington International’s parent company, Global Equestrian Group, has a big business selling dressage horses “and to sell horses, you need a showcase. Moving it over to Wellington International, we’d then have the ability to showcase those horses. It’s all part of a major planning. We’re going to double the size of the showgrounds to 190 acres.”
Stone said expanding the showgrounds is necessary to compete with up-to-date equestrian facilities in Sarasota and Ocala, each of which is approximately three hours from Wellington.
Architectural firm Populous, which is involved with Olympic venues in Paris and Los Angeles, will be designing the new showgrounds. The firm’s Todd Gralla, director of equestrian services, showed designs that promised a “wow moment” upon entering the glittering new facility.
“Interested parties” addressing the committee cited concerns about traffic and losing the equestrian ambience that has made Wellington famous around the world. There is quite a lot of opposition to the Wellington North and South project. A petition against removing Equestrian Preserve land and amending zoning to allow an increase in residential density for high-end houses and condos in the preserve had 5,059 signatures as of July 18.
This is the notice posted in the Village about Wednesday’s hearing.
The zoning board hearing, which lasted nearly four hours and continues Thursday night, will get under way with comments from the public. The final decision on the project will be made by the Village Council, which is scheduled to take it under consideration next month.
Check back at this website after the second hearing to learn how the board voted.
Meanwhile, the Village Council has approved 27 luxury homes on a former golf course inside the sprawling Palm Beach Polo complex. The Farrell Building Co West. Plans for Farrell East have been dropped in the face of protests from the community.
Andrew Carduner, the president of Palm Beach Polo’s homeowners association of 3,000 residents, praised the cooperation of Farrell’s Florida rep, Michael Sanchez, saying he has been responsive to residents’ concerns.
But when Carduner appeared during Wednesday’s Zoning Board meeting on Wellington North and South to comment against those plans on behalf of what he called the “equestrian bedroom of this community,” he cited the complaints heard during the meeting to that point as he stated his opposition to the project.
