AMERICAN HERITAGE HELPS EQUESTRIANS
For the young, competitive equestrian looking to balance a riding career with a solid education, the American Heritage School now offers a program that allows students to pursue their equestrian dreams while preparing for college.

GET GLAM FOR THE HOLIDAYS!
Holidays are all about glam — caviar and champagne, mistletoe and parties. But what exactly should you wear? To seek out the answer, Wellington The Magazine found inspiration in the work of photographer Bill Barbosa and stylist José Rojas for this year’s holiday pictorial.

OPEN YOUR HEART… CONSIDER ADOPTION
On any given day, people visiting Wellington businesses may notice large photographs of children along with information about the Heart Gallery of Palm Beach County — a volunteer-run program using photography to encourage adoption.

CHATTING WITH ‘THE VOICE OF POLO’
Tony Coppola’s business, the Tackeria on South Shore Blvd., has been serving the Wellington equestrian community for over three decades. Riders and horse-lovers all over the world are familiar with Coppola’s dedication to equestrian sports and his commitment to providing the highest-quality tack items, no matter how rare. For these reasons, Coppola is the 11th nominee for Wellington The Magazine’s Entrepreneur of the Year Award.

FROM VENEZUELA TO WELLINGTON
In show jumping, winning takes real teamwork. Outside of the horse and rider in the ring, there’s an army of people who help make victory happen. For G&C Farm, this team viewpoint is what makes success attainable. Based in Wellington, G&C Farm is owned by Gustavo and Carolina Mirabal, who made the move from Venezuela earlier this year. Their string of top grand prix horses is piloted by Venezuelan rider Pablo Barrios.

HORSE SANCTUARY COMING TO WELLINGTON
Horses living in the Wellington area will soon have the chance to receive world-class conditioning and rehabilitative care at the new Sanctuary Equine Sports Conditioning & Performance Center opening this year at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center. The facility will be a sister site to the well-known Sanctuary Equine location in Ocala.

HORSES HELPING CHILDREN IN NEED
When parents choose alcohol or drugs over the responsibility of raising their children, one thing is sure — the children are going to suffer. To help heal damage caused by years of living an uncertain, and often devastating, childhood, a lucky few are recommended as recipients of the Horses Healing Hearts (HHH) program founded by Wellington resident Lizabeth Olszewski.

BEN BOYNTON: DEEP COMMUNITY ROOTS
In tough economic times, money management tops the list of priorities for individuals, families and businesses. A clear-eyed plan is needed to thrive. That’s where Ben Boynton comes in. As owner of the Wellington-based Boynton Financial Group, he has been helping residents of the western communities with their financial planning since 1997. As someone who grew up in Wellington, he has seen firsthand the impact his work has had. For these reasons, Boynton is the 10th nominee for Wellington The Magazine’s Entrepreneur of the Year award.

ELEGANTE POLO FEATURES TOP DESIGNERS
When it comes to polo fashion, the newly opened Elegante Polo store offers the finest items from the best designers. The store carries men’s and women’s clothing and accessories, home furnishings, décor and polo equipment made by some of the most prominent labels in the industry. The unique collection was put together by owner and CEO Robert Kiger.

YOUNG CHAMP BATTLES BACK FROM CANCER
Brian Mahecha was tooling through life like any teenager when, at age 17, a tumor was found in his left shoulder. Devastating as this news was, it was made worse by the fact that Mahecha had spent the previous three years honing his martial arts skills to a championship level. Despite warnings that he might never fight again, Mahecha has battled his way back to glory.