Faces of WEF

The Winter Equestrian Festival is back in action at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center. Once again, riders have come to Wellington from all corners of the globe to compete at the longest and richest horse show series in the world. From the steady beat of hooves to the graceful movement as a rider and horse soar over a jump, the amazing sportsmanship is a sight to behold. As these riders — from world champions to amateurs and juniors — put their abilities to the test, aiming for the blue ribbon, Wellington The Magazine once again presents our annual Faces of WEF section. Over the next few pages, you’ll get a glimpse at just a handful of the incredible riders competing this season, from Olympic-caliber superstars to up-and-coming riders to keep an eye on. Turn the page and enjoy Faces of WEF 2022.

For The Gibbs Family, Life Revolves Around Horses And The Busy Schedule Of Up-And-Coming Riders

By Mike May

For the Gibbs family, show jumping is the focal point of their existence. That’s especially the case for Erin Gibbs and two of her children, daughter Jordan and son Dominic. Erin’s husband, Gordon, and their other son, Patrick, are not as involved in the horse industry, but they remain supportive of the family’s equestrian way of life, which sees them divide their time between Colorado and Wellington.

“We are a horse family. It’s what we breathe, eat, dream, discuss and do every day. Our family is like a three-ring circus, as we are a family with three kids, and three members of our family ride horses. Something is always happening,” Erin said. “Although, when I first was married, my husband rarely had seen a horse in person!”

Gordon has come around to the benefits of the equestrian lifestyle, as has Patrick.

“They are supportive and love the variety of activities that Wellington and South Florida offers outside of horses, such as tennis, golf, great restaurants, professional sports and everything ocean,” Erin said. “Otherwise, they are mountain boys and fond of hiking, skiing, mountain biking and enjoying the Colorado Rockies.”

For Erin and Gordon Gibbs, horses remain a constant in the life of their family and will remain that way for the foreseeable future.

“I’ve raised my children with horses,” Erin said. “We’ve done everything from horses at home to a DIY boarding facility, up to the full board and training experience.”

The family’s equine interest can directly be tied to Erin’s 40-plus years in the presence of horses.

“I am a lifelong equestrian and was born with a love for horses,” she explained. “My childhood was spent riding on a very local level in Colorado, but I took what I learned, and combined it with a love of travel to ride all around the world. I’ve had some great adventures. When I finally settled down, married and started a family, I picked up three-day eventing and competed through the Preliminary level in the Midwest.”

Erin has always had this passion for horses.

“My parents would always say they would not allow me to live in a barn, but really — that’s all I ever wanted,” she said. “My dream was just what my parents didn’t want — to live in my own barn with my family and a lot of animals.”

That dream of owning a barn filled with animals eventually came true.

“We had that for a while at home in Colorado at our ranch,” Erin said. “The house was attached to an indoor arena.”

As her children became immersed in the equestrian world, it gave them a chance to see if they truly liked this unique lifestyle.

“When my kids were ready for real lessons, I wanted them to have a traditional and classical hunter/jumper foundation,” Erin explained. “This is what ultimately shaped our journey and brought us to Wellington.”

The passion for horses and show jumping that the Gibbs family has crafted has put the family in a unique place here, living among the royalty of the horse world.

“To someone who has never ridden a horse, we are experienced,” Erin said. “But to professionals who are teaching, running a top-level barn or competing internationally, we are pretty low-level. I’m a true amateur. My daughter is a competitive junior rider, and my son just turned professional.”

Dominic has been racking up some impressive wins on the circuit, including being awarded the Alfred B. Maclay Trophy as the 2020 National ASPCA Maclay Horsemanship Champion, the most prestigious award for junior riders that has been won previously by equestrians who have gone on to compete at the top levels of the sport. He also took third place last year in the WEF Equitation Championship. He trains at Plain Bay Farm and Beacon Hill Show Stables.

His younger sister Jordan is a rising star in the equitation and jumper rings, forging her own path in her upcoming junior career after taking key victories at the North American Youth Championships last summer in Traverse City, Michigan.

All this makes the equestrian futures for Dominic and Jordan very promising.

“I believe both my daughter and son will someday run a successful equestrian business, but for now, they are in a learning mode, and I enjoy watching them grow,” Erin said.

Meanwhile, the family follows an equestrian-centric lifestyle. On Monday through Friday, Jordan goes to the gym for a workout at 6 a.m. At 8 a.m., she heads to the barn. There’s no jumping on Mondays and Tuesdays, jumping lessons take place on Wednesdays, and Thursdays are dedicated to fine-tuning her performance, since her age group competitions are held Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Jordan does attend school Monday through Thursday. Classes start at 2 p.m.

As for Dominic, who recently graduated high school, he’s a working student. He leaves the house as early as 5:30 a.m. to get to the Plain Bay Farm barn to feed the horses and muck the stalls. He’s also trying to balance riding for his other barn. He also enjoys working out at the gym, and he gets home for dinner around 7 p.m.

A typical weekend competition day can be a long, whirlwind experience.

“The kids leave the house before sunrise to practice in the rings and feel out the mood and energy of their horse. Since horse shows are a ‘hurry-up-and-wait’ setting, they are usually fitting in all the extra work of the day in between competition rounds, like riding other horses, schoolwork and barn chores,” Erin said. “It is not unusual that they will leave before sunrise and get home after dark. As a parent, I show up to watch and cheer — but I don’t get involved in their routines, preparation or coaching. I have a busy job on those days being photographer and videographer. I will usually bring my laptop and find a quiet place in between events to catch up on work.”

Erin and Gordon Gibbs feel they have given Dominic and Jordan the best foundation for a successful career in show jumping.

“As parents, we always saw our roles as opening doors for our children, but they had to have the talent, personal drive, work ethic and will to walk through those doors and make things happen for themselves,” Erin said. “To be successful in horse sports, they needed to have the passion to pull us as parents instead of us pushing them. It appears that Jordan and Dominic both have the equestrian equivalent of the will to win.”

After the show jumping season ends in Wellington, Dominic will head to Europe this summer to compete there for the first time, while Jordan will stay in the U.S. to gain more experience. This fall, Dominic returns home and will attend the University of Miami. There, he will integrate his riding experiences with business studies, working toward a future as a professional rider and competitor.

Eventually, Jordan may very well follow a similar career path. Moving forward, Erin is content with her current role in the equestrian world.

“My personal riding accomplishments are from what seems a lifetime ago — so long that people are sometimes surprised that I ride,” she said. “There just isn’t enough time and money for me to commit to horses in the way I used to because I still work heavily for our family business, in addition to managing the kids and all the logistics it takes to train and compete at the higher levels. At this point, my favorite things are trail rides and travel riding.”

The image of a horse continues to personify the way of life for the Gibbs family, and this hectic lifestyle does not appear to be changing anytime soon.

Southeast Florida Honor Flight’s Buck Off Challenge Returns To Wellington March 18

By Y.A. Teitelbaum

Vietnam War veteran Jim Boldon is grateful for his memorable trip aboard a Southeast Florida Honor Flight in 2019.

The 73-year-old Boldon reminisced how he had not received any thanks after returning home from the war until his Honor Flight, a one-day trip from Palm Beach International Airport to Washington, D.C., to visit the memorials built to honor war veterans’ service and sacrifices.

“It was a brutal war, and not to have any recognition [upon returning home] was not fair,” said Boldon, an U.S. Air Force veteran who has lived in Wellington since 1985. “People weren’t kind to us.”

The reaction was the complete opposite when Boldon and about 80 other veterans returned from their Honor Flight. “Our family was at the airport to welcome us home, people were waving flags and cheering,” Boldon said. “It brings tears to your eyes. After being forgotten for almost 40 years, it was absolutely awesome.”

Southeast Florida Honor Flight is an all-volunteer nonprofit organization that flies World War II, Korean War and Vietnam War veterans four times a year free of charge to the veteran. Each flight costs about $120,000, according to chairman Janet Hoose.

Numerous fundraisers are held throughout the year, highlighted by the popular AmberWay Equine Buck Off Challenge, a family-friendly mechanical bull-riding competition scheduled for Friday, March 18 at 6 p.m. at the Wellington Community Center. The event is co-sponsored by the Village of Wellington.

“The veterans are treated like rock stars on their Honor Flight,” Hoose said. “I’m honored and privileged to help honor these heroes. The Buck Off Challenge is a fun way to raise money to help our veterans.”

The AmberWay Equine Buck Off Challenge is a fundraising event started by Wellington’s Bobbi Rottman of Eques Solutions, which primarily specializes in bringing the equestrian community and businesses together. Rottman and her team started this event almost 10 years ago, and for the last four years, Southeast Florida Honor Flight has been the beneficiary. They spend months going over every detail to make sure the nonprofit receives enormous support from the community and gets the opportunity to educate more people about the organization.

“This is a fun and entertaining event that the entire community can participate in, and it is a great tool to raise awareness for Southeast Florida Honor Flight,” said Rottman, a lifelong equestrian who started Eques Solutions in 2008. “The veterans deserve our support and respect, and I’m happy and proud to be able to offer an event that can impact their organization.”

Four-person teams compete in the AmberWay Equine Buck Off Challenge, where individual rides are scored by a panel of celebrity judges and totaled to determine the winning team. Riders are scored on their ability to stay on the bull while keeping one hand in the air at all times, as well as the style of the ride. Higher scores may be achieved for character, team spirit and costumes. Prizes are awarded to the top three teams. The entry fee is $100 per team.

A limited number of individual VIP reserved seats are available for $75 and includes dinner and a cash bar. General admission/unreserved seating tickets are $15 each.

To register a team or purchase tickets, visit www.honorflightsefl.org/events.

Korean War veteran Stanley Levin distinctly remembers his Honor Flight trip in 2018. “It was one of the most wonderful experiences I’ve ever had,” said the 92-year-old Levin, who served in the infantry with the U.S. Army. “Most of us were in tears. Everywhere we went, we were hugged, bands were playing for us. We were so overcome with the emotion people showed us. It was tremendous.”

Levin, who has lived in Wellington for more than 20 years, also remembers how Honor Flight had family members write letters to the soldiers, which were delivered to them on the plane. And when they returned home to PBIA, they were greeted by thousands of well-wishers.

Vietnam War veteran Frank Malec echoed Levin’s and Boldon’s emotions about the Honor Flight trip, as he vividly remembers being called vile names upon returning home. He appreciated the amount of work done to coordinate the trip that made it a very special occasion.

“With Honor Flight, it helped me heal that hurt,” said the 75-year-old Malec, who has lived in Wellington since 1976. “I was amazed that people took time to come and welcome us home. There were kids with signs. I remember a girl gave me her sign. I almost started crying.”

Malec admitted he didn’t initially want to go before being persuaded by a friend.

“I’m glad I did it, very glad I did it,” said Malec, who served as an infantry squad leader in the U.S. Army.

He had simple advice for his fellow veterans regarding Southeast Florida Honor Flight. “I would say, go. It’s very healing. It’s incredible. It’s very beautiful,” Malec said.

For more information about Southeast Florida Honor Flight, visit www.honorflightsefl.org or www.facebook.com/honorflight or call (855) FLYAVET (855-359-2838).

Next Generation Of The Millar Equestrian Dynasty Now Calls Wellington Home

By Olivia Airhart

To say that the iconic Millar name is well-known throughout the equestrian industry would be an understatement. The dynasty of world-class equestrian talents started with Canadian Olympic athlete Ian Millar and has since been passed down to his children, Jonathon Millar and Amy Millar.

The Canadian-based family of show jumping athletes started from humble beginnings in Perth, Ontario, and their enduring legacy for hard work and grit shines through, especially for the husband-and-wife duo of Jonathon Millar and Kelly Soleau-Millar. As the next generation of Millar athletes, they had similar beginnings to that of their predecessors. With big dreams and a work ethic to match, they’ve started a new branch of the Millar family business with their U.S.-based training and sales program, Millar Brooke South.

Millar Brooke South came to fruition out of Millar and Soleau-Millar’s ambition to elevate their training, competition and business goals. With a selection of top young mounts, an ample show schedule at the country’s best venues and an expanding clientele base, their decision to base out of Wellington during the winter months was an easy one.

“2020 was the first year we decided to base our business in the United States year-round. In the past, we typically moved up to Canada after the Wellington season, but spending the majority of our time in the U.S. for the last two years was very good for us,” Millar said.

This change has worked out very well for them.

“It has created a better sense of stability and community amongst our students while allowing us to travel to the best show circuits,” he said. “Overall, the sales horses have been developing so well, and the competitions have been busy throughout the entire year, which allows us to compete at a high level.”

Soleau-Millar agreed. “Being based year-round in the U.S., balancing between Wellington and Lexington, Kentucky, has solidified our presence in the industry as accessible trainers,” she said. “Wellington has helped pave the way for our brand, and we are looking forward to working with more people in the sales and training market.”

They put a heavy focus on their training program and growing a client roster based on their unique training philosophy — having not one but two internationally experienced professionals providing a two-fold teaching opportunity, allowing their students to learn and develop into more well-rounded athletes.

“Any time you have four eyes, it’s better than two,” Millar explained. “We offer an extra set of eyes to help with training challenges. We work, compete and ride together, and two different opinions are very useful in our program. Usually, there is not only one solution to a problem, and a lot of our training is developed through experience.”

Soleau-Millar echoed her husband’s sentiment, adding, “We may be saying the same thing to a client, but we say it differently, and that may get to the students in a better way because everyone learns differently.”

Having trained together for more than a decade, their differing equestrian backgrounds add to the wealth of knowledge they are able to impart to their students.

“Jonathon was fortunate to see and train at the top end of the sport, and that’s what he grew up around, and I grew up in a non-horse family, came from a local barn and worked my way up to this level,” Soleau-Millar said. “There is something to be said about both of our experiences developing up to this level. We have learned a lot from each other, and we have always believed that it takes hard work and dedication, no matter where you come from, horse family or not, and that alone has paid off for our clients. Our program is approachable to all levels of the sport. Students have the benefit of my experience rising through the levels, and with Jonathon’s background having been trained at the highest levels of the sport, students find our training program equally beneficial and challenging getting direction from both sides.”

Heading into their third year based in their new home of Wellington, the Millars’ aspirations and dreams are becoming more concrete with every win.

“We will continue to expand our reach into all three rings — hunter, equitation and jumper,” Soleau-Millar said. “We are excited to support our clients while still training our CSI5* horses.”

“Last year, we focused on continuing to grow the business and develop the group of horses in our barn, so they continue to move up the levels,” Millar added. “The biggest takeaway from this year was the progress we saw from all of our horses. Isotropic Shadow moved up from 1.15m to successfully competing at the FEI CSI2* level. One of our 7-year-old horses, Cavalier, won the final day of the USHJA Young Jumper Championship 7-Year-Old Final in Traverse City, Michigan. He was also second place overall in the series. In addition to adding another CSI2* mount, Isotropic Cilius R, to our string this year, we will continue to focus on developing the group of horses and clients we have to be the best they can be, all the while adding more talent to our current string of horses.”

The Millars are full steam ahead with their training and sales program and continue to find success on the sport’s largest stage as professional athletes. The duo has big plans for their 2022 season in Wellington, from the International Arena to the hunter ring, they have taken up the torch to continue to dominate the sport and impart their vast base of knowledge on the next generation of riders.

Learn more about the Millar family at www.millarbrookefarm.com.

R.J. Classics Celebrates Its Diverse, Passionate Customers Through Clothing That Encourages Equestrians Of All Ages To Be Themselves

By Cassidy Klein

Founded in 1999 and established in 2000, R.J. Classics has taken the equestrian community by storm with affordable and inventive clothing. The team behind the R.J. Classics name — sisters Michelle Seltzer and Jennifer Eisenberg, along with Russell Smith — have worked tirelessly to build an extensive and thoughtful catalog of equestrian clothing at a variety of price points.

Today, the brand continues to pay tribute to its loyal customers with clothing that aims to inspire the next generation of equestrians to be themselves in and out of the saddle.

The idea of starting up an equestrian clothing brand came to be when Eisenberg began riding horses at the age of eight. Her mother, Roberta Weintraub, would take her shopping at various retailers, only to find a gap in craftsmanship and affordability among equestrian clothing brands, leading her to create R.J. Classics in 1999. With the help of their grandfather, who was successful in the men’s suit business at the time, Weintraub had the tools she needed to create a lasting and impressionable startup company.

“Our family has been in the clothing industry for at least 50 years, starting with my grandfather,” Seltzer explained.

“We had everything we needed to get it off the ground. We had different contacts for fabric, mills, trim and more, so we were really lucky in that way,” Eisenberg added.

Most closely related to men’s suits, R.J. Classics started out creating and designing show coats for both men and women. This flagship product laid the groundwork for what consumers could expect from the brand in quality and price, making the company’s show coats an integral part of the brand’s growth before branching out and creating various types of shirts and breeches.

“Our mother started with a very small line of coats, and I think her continuous ability to deliver a quality product on time, and being a reliable source, really laid the foundation for R.J. Classics’ reputation. It has allowed us to build upon that positive customer experience,” Seltzer said.

Now at the helm of the business, Seltzer and Eisenberg, with the help of Smith, are continuing R.J. Classics’ legacy of paying great attention to detail and producing quality products that set them apart from other riding apparel companies. They continue to foster great relationships through the help of loyal retail partners.

This past December, R.J. Classics launched its Spring 22 line, featuring an expanded girls offering. This comprehensive collection of ladies and girls show and schooling attire features amazing fits, an array of stunning new color options, high-performance fabrics and fun new patterns.

With this new line, the brand launched its “Be You” campaign as a tribute to its loyal customers, who are all unique and diverse in their own way, but share an equal passion for horses. R.J. Classics hopes to inspire the current and next generation of equestrians to be the best version of themselves in the saddle that they can be, with the help of clothing that makes them feel comfortable and confident.

“Confidence is an amazing emotion and sentiment to achieve, for many different reasons, among young riders and just people in general,” Seltzer said. “Having clothing that fits you well will give you that extra confidence to feel good.”

By putting out a line of riding apparel full of bold colors and patterns, R.J. Classics hopes to give equestrians the self-assurance and fearlessness needed to feel their very best, in and out of the saddle. “I hope that our clothing makes riders feel inspired,” Smith said. “To succeed, to take chances and to have fun out there.”

R.J. Classics designs its apparel with the rider in mind to ensure the offerings meet the wants and needs of those who are dedicated to the equestrian lifestyle.

“I want the riders wearing our clothing to feel confident and happy. Not just the young riders, but riders of all ages,” Eisenberg said. “It’s something small, but it all contributes to how you might act that day or how you might ride. It just gives you that extra little boost.”

R.J. Classics’ commitment to its customers has continued to aid in its growth throughout the last 20 years. Its loyalty to those who affectionately wear the clothing, keen eye for quality in each design and attention to detail has given it a reputation for dependable clothing for equestrians around the world. As the “Be You” campaign sets the stage for a new era of equestrians, Seltzer, Eisenberg, Smith and the entire R.J. Classics team look forward to continuing to provide top-of-the-line clothing for every equestrian.

To learn more about R.J. Classics, visit www.rjclassics.com.

A Look Behind The Scenes At One Of Wellington’s Leading Equestrian Operations

By Cassidy Klein

It takes a village to run a successful equestrian business, especially during the flourishing winter season in Wellington. For Kelianda Farm, a love for horses runs in the family. Whether related by blood or brought on the team as an honorary member of the Kelianda family, the hunter-jumper training and sales operation relies on family values and teamwork to navigate the ups and downs of the equestrian industry.

Kelianda Farm prides itself on the family foundation of the high-performance operation. Owned and operated by Linda and Kenny Langmeier, Kelianda Farm is a full-service hunter-jumper show facility offering boarding and training at home and on the road to clientele from all over. The name Kelianda derives from the first two initials of each of Linda’s four siblings in the order they were born. The KE stands for Kevin, LI stands for Linda, AN stands for Ann Marie and DA stands for Danielle.

Head trainer Linda works alongside manager Cyndi Mottolese, as well as her daughter McKayla Langmeier as lead assistant trainer, with additional lead assistant trainer Addyson Cord. This dynamic core group helps keep Kelianda running smoothly during the long show days and busy travel schedule over the course of the year.

“Having a family-owned business is great. Everyone shares the same interest, goals and the same passion for the sport,” Linda said. “The disadvantage is that we can continue disagreements over the dinner table,” she added with a laugh.

For a large portion of the year, Kelianda Farm is based out of East Granby, Connecticut, traveling the nation to compete at some of the top equestrian venues. The Kelianda Farm team travels south to Wellington each winter to take advantage of the numerous opportunities provided to equestrians while showing at the Winter Equestrian Festival.

Linda is an accomplished horsewoman herself who has been riding since she was five years old. As a junior rider, she won the historic ASPCA Maclay National Championship in 1983, and continued on to win multiple top Grand Prix events throughout the country. She has earned numerous championships at competitions such as the Devon Horse Show and Country Fair, Lake Placid Horse Shows, the Vermont Summer Festival, the Pennsylvania National Horse Show, the American Gold Cup, the Washington International Horse Show, the Winter Equestrian Festival and the National Horse Show.

With all the success and achievements throughout her career, Linda has also faced trials and tribulations along the way.

“The biggest obstacle I had to overcome was finding a way to combine my business that I started from scratch in my early 20s with my husband’s business,” Linda said. “I then had to learn how to raise a family while maintaining and expanding our business over the last three decades.”

Passing down the torch, Linda’s daughter McKayla has followed in her mother’s footsteps to garner many achievements at the young age of 21. After graduating high school, McKayla moved to Alabama to continue her education at Auburn University, where she competed on the Auburn equestrian NCEA team from 2018 to 2021. Approaching the end of her junior year, McKayla made the decision to take her riding career to the next level and turn professional.

“Having McKayla join the team as a professional in 2021 makes our program that much more diverse,” Linda said.

McKayla has also built a name for herself in the sport during her time as a junior and now a professional athlete. Some of her top wins include the 2015 ASPCA Maclay National Championship, marking the first time a mother-daughter duo have both held the title. She has also held top titles at events such as HITS Saugerties, Spruce Meadows in Calgary, the Platinum Performance/USEF Show Jumping Talent Search Finals-East, Traverse City Horse Shows and many more.

In addition to running a top-notch training program, Kelianda Farm also owns and operates a successful horse breeding and sales program. Linda started the program with the goal of helping horses reach their full potential. They offer top equitation, hunter and jumper mounts, and Kelianda Farm has found perfect horse-and-rider matches for countless clients, ensuring them a bright future among top competitors.

“When choosing horses, we look for the ones with a big, kind eye and a balanced canter,” Linda explained. “Horses that are versatile and through their expression clearly love to do their job.”

To add to her long list of responsibilities, Linda is also the director of riding and the head trainer to more than 40 girls enrolled in the Ethel Walker School based out of Simsbury, Connecticut. The school is a private, college preparatory, boarding and day school for girls in grades 6 through 12, as well as postgraduate students.

“Ethel Walker was stability for me at a time when my kids were young and I didn’t have to travel as much,” Linda said. “Now that my three children are grown, I enjoy being able to mentor the girls as they journey through their middle and high school years.”

Looking forward to continuing success in and out of the show ring, Kelianda Farm continues to put its best foot forward. The team looks forward to a fruitful year, kicking off the new year with 12 exciting weeks that encompass the beautiful season of the winter circuit at the 2022 Winter Equestrian Festival.

“I’m looking forward to another successful year watching our students achieve their goals. Selfishly as a mom, I’m so excited to watch McKayla grow as a professional in a sport she has been devoted to her entire life,” Linda said.

Follow Kelianda Farm on social media sites at www.facebook.com/keliandafarms and www.instagram.com/keliandafarm.

The Sport Of Polo Runs Deep In Wellington’s Coppola Family

By Y.A. Teitelbaum

Life revolves around the sport polo for Tony Coppola and his son, Matt Coppola.

Tony is widely recognized in polo circles as the “Voice of Polo” and owner of The Tackeria, a full-service equestrian supply store that has been serving Wellington for more than 45 years. His résumé is long and varied, having been a player, a club manager and an umpire before turning full time to the business side.

In addition to his full-time job running a very successful store, Tony is also deeply involved in numerous charitable groups focused around polo. He is in his first term as president of the United States Polo Association, while also serving as president of the Polo Training Foundation. He is a board member of the Museum of Polo and Hall of Fame, and he co-founded the Polo Players Support Group in 2000 with Dave Offen and Tim Gannon, and remains on that board, too.

In 2006, Tony was awarded the Philip Iglehart Award for lifetime contributions to the sport by the U.S. Polo Museum. But it’s his announcing that has given him the highest profile.

Becoming an announcer early on was a conscious choice for Tony, who grew up on Long Island in New York, interested in polo and horses. His father passed away while Tony was serving in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War. Upon returning home, he took over the family’s pool construction business but also resumed an interest in polo throughout the northeast. He sold the family business and started building his polo tack business, in addition to other jobs in the sport.

“I was being paid for being an umpire, but as I started growing my business, I figured being an announcer offended less people than being an umpire,” Tony said, smiling.

And a legend was born.

Almost every Sunday afternoon during winter polo season, the 75-year-old is behind the microphone calling the fast-paced action on the International Polo Club Palm Beach stadium field in Wellington. He has also been the announcer for 42 U.S. Opens, having seen the best of the best on the field for generations.

While his father is behind the mic, being one of the sport’s better players is his son’s goal.

Matt currently carries a 5-goal handicap (10 is the highest) and has had a taste of high-goal polo, the elite tier where many of the best players in the world compete.

He has primarily played high-goal polo at IPC for the last three seasons and previously was a substitute in four games in the 2011 U.S. Open.

“My goal in life, I want to win the U.S. Open,” said the 27-year-old, who came close twice — in 2021 when his team Park Place finished as the runner-up, and in 2019 when his team Las Monjitas was a finalist. “I’m working hard. I have a good staff behind me. It’s a team effort.”

A big part of that team are his parents, who although divorced, remain close. His mother, Jesse, works at The Tackeria, as does Matt, and she is always on the sidelines at his matches. But it was his father who taught him how to swing the mallet and ride.

“He helped me a lot in the beginning of my career to get me mounted with quality horses,” said Matt, who will have 26 horses for the 2022 winter season while playing in the 16-goal league with Tonkawa and the 12-goal tournaments with Meyer Ranch. “Now we buy horses together and have a breeding operation together.”

His mother has also been an integral part of the team. Early on, she used to ride the horses to help get them in game shape, but she has stepped back from that role. She also owns some of the green horses with Tony and Matt.

“We [Matt and I] are both so incredibly competitive,” Jesse said. “I think I always just tell him to play his game. No matter where he is in the world, I send him a text. It’s the same one every time. It’s simply, ‘Play well, be safe, I love you.’”

The Coppolas have a farm in Wellington and recently purchased a place in Aiken, South Carolina, with Matt naming it Sundele, after two of his top horses, Sundance and Adele.

“I’m putting a lot of work and investments into improving my horses,” said Matt, who was born and raised in Wellington. “I’ve really learned how to manage the horses, and I’m investing the right way.”

Tony said the best advice he gave to Matt was simple.

“The first is to keep yourself well-mounted. Second, establish good relationships with sponsors and other players,” Tony recalled. “He has gotten a reputation for being well-mounted, and he is becoming a good horseman and rider.”

Matt is also constantly thinking about his long-term future in the sport.

“Everybody wants to be 10 goals,” he said. “I’m working to be 8 goals and known for good horses. I want to be successful, to be known as a top American player. I’m putting in a lot of work and investments into improving my horses.”

Matt almost chose a different path, because there was a time when he didn’t want anything to do with the sport.

“I enjoyed it, and then I had a little bit of a fall when I was 10 or 11, and I quit for three years,” remembered Matt, who took up baseball and tennis instead. “I was deathly afraid of horses. I was playing bike polo one day and [legendary Hall of Famer] Memo [Gracida] was watching, and he told me I have to start riding again.”

So Gracida had Matt come to his farm, where he put the then teenager on a horse, but not just any horse.

“The horse was an unbroken horse, and he put me on with no saddle, no nothing, and it threw me three or four times in a little corral, and ever since then, I was never scared again,” Matt said. “I overcame the fear and started playing again.”

He has been recognized off the field and is sponsored by Ona gloves and is a global brand ambassador for U.S. Polo Assn., the official apparel brand for the United States Polo Association. He is also a graduating member of Team USPA, a program developed and managed by the national organization to improve young American polo players.

Seven-goaler Jeff Hall, one the few current elite U.S. players, believes Coppola can continue his rise up the ranks. “He is a talented player who just needs more time in the high-goal,” Hall said.

Whether it’s on the polo field or in the announcer’s booth, it’s home to Tony and Matt Coppola.

Honoring The Best In The Sport Of Kings Museum Of Polo And Hall Of Fame Announces 2022 Inductees To Be Honored On Feb. 18

The 2022 inductees for the Polo Hall of Fame, Iglehart Award and Horses to Remember were recently announced by the Museum of Polo. The 33rd year of inductions will honor Tommy Biddle Jr. and the late Cornelius Vanderbilt Whitney with election to receive Hall of Fame honors. The Iglehart Award inductees for outstanding lifetime contributions to the sport are Danny Scheraga and the late Dr. Horace Laffaye. Horses to Remember honorees are Charles Smith’s great mare Cynthia Lola, and Jacobs, a notable pony of yesteryear.

The induction ceremony is scheduled to take place on Friday, Feb. 18, if conditions at that time allow for gatherings, and will honor not only the 2022 inductees, but also the 2021 honorees. The inductees selected for 2021 — Julio Arellano and John F. “Jack” Ivory for the Hall of Fame; Dr. Paul Wollenman and Bert B. Beveridge for the Iglehart Award; and horses Little Mary and Silverada — were initially recognized through the press, video segments and various types of social media.

Inductees are nominated by the public and selected annually by a committee of knowledgeable individuals from across the sport of polo, who voted to select this year’s winners from a group of worthy candidates.

Tommy Biddle — Born into a polo family, Biddle grew up in Aiken, S.C. At the age of 12, he played his first polo game and became a professional player at 18. At 6-foot-3, with the build of an imposing football player, his presence on the polo field looms large, literally and figuratively. Once called the “quickest big man” to ever play the sport, Biddle is a rare player who has been able to achieve almost equal greatness in both outdoor and arena polo. He became the fourth player in arena history to achieve a 10-goal handicap, while also reaching and maintaining an 8-goal outdoor rating. His list of accolades reflects the best of outdoor and the arena, both in the U.S. and internationally, and includes the 2002 U.S. Open, four Monty Waterbury Cups, four Townsend Cups and a U.S. Open arena championship. Adding to his accomplishments, Biddle has become a highly rated and well-respected umpire.

Cornelius Vanderbilt “Sonny” Whitney (1899-1992) — Whitney left a lasting mark not only in polo, but in most areas of life. Although thoroughly immersed in a business career and philanthropic ventures, he rose to a 6-goal handicap during his playing career that started around 1917 and lasted until the 1940s, a time that spanned the “golden era” of polo. Whitney was a formidable factor in all the major tournaments of those eras, winning the U.S. Open three times and the Monty Waterbury Cup once. Whitney carried on the polo legacy of his father, Hall of Famer Harry Payne Whitney. Even with his playing days at an end, Whitney was well-known for raising outstanding racehorses, having 15 horses compete in the Kentucky Derby. The C.V. Whitney Cup was established in his name in 1979, originally played as the handicap side of the U.S. Open Championship and is still played today as part of the USPA’s Gauntlet of Polo series in Wellington.

Danny Scheraga — A guiding figure for the youth of polo, Scheraga is recognized for having spent a good part of his career nurturing polo players and dedicated to improving the quality of the sport. Scheraga began playing at Cornell and went on to be named head coach there in 1975. He established important programs for intercollegiate women, getting them to the finals nine years in a row and winning championships three times. He then went to work for the USPA, focused on instructing clinics. Scheraga spent the next 30 years with the Polo Training Foundation, serving 25 years as its first executive director. He gave birth to a number of ideas that went into developing programs and improving polo infrastructure by creating clinics, running a polo center at Brushy Creek and pushing for more opportunities for intercollegiate players.

Dr. Horace Albert Laffaye (1935-2021) — Laffaye left an impact on the sport of polo that is hard to match. He grew up in Argentina, playing polo there for a number of years before stopping to become a surgeon. He became prominent and respected in this field, saving many lives with his surgical skills. A reawakening to the world of polo led Laffaye to pick up the mallet once again and play for another two decades at clubs throughout the northeast. When his playing days ended, he took his knowledge and passion for the sport and focused it on the avenue that made him such an important part of the sport as its most eminent polo historian. Dedicated and concise, he painstakingly researched, wrote and published what are generally considered to be the most important treatises on polo. In all, he authored and edited nine books and innumerable articles in both Spanish and English. Laffaye contributed his knowledge and talent to serve on the board of directors and nominating committee for the Museum of Polo.

Cynthia Lola — Foaled in 1960 in Missouri, the dark bay, Thoroughbred mare was sold to Cecil Smith five years later. Both Cecil and his son Charles Smith knew she was destined for an outstanding future. She hit her stride when Charles took the reins, playing with distinction in all the major American tournaments ranging from the 1968 Silver Cup to the 1975 U.S. Open, the year in which she earned the Best Playing Pony of the Silver Cup. Over the course of eight years of outstanding performance, she continued to rack up several more Best Playing Pony awards. “I put Lola in polo, and not everyone could play her. But Charles was a goal better on that mare than any other he ever had,” Cecil said. Cynthia Lola would end her legendary career in 1978.

Jacobs — Bred in Texas, Jacobs’ career spanned 10 years playing in all the top tournaments of his era, including the famed international matches of 1913 and 1914. A venerable pony who broke polo tradition in its time, Jacobs is one of the first bigger ponies that defined the approaching modern era of polo. Breaking the archaic height rule of 14 hands, 2 inches, Jacobs was a bay gelding who, standing at the unheard-of height of 15 hands, 3 inches, was big, yet incredibly speedy and powerful. Bringing fame and notoriety to the Texas cowpony, Jacobs was raised by J.C. Jacobs of San Antonio before being sold to Whitney, who made a habit of loaning his finest ponies to his friend Dev Milburn to play. It was noted that Milburn’s best runs were on this mount. Along with a few other top horses, Jacobs was gifted to Milburn as a wedding present in 1913, a fitting gesture to honor the extraordinary relationship of a man and horse.