Faces of WEF – Martin Fuchs

Swiss Olympian Martin Fuchs, 28, is one of the top show jumpers in the world today. As of the latest update, he is ranked second on the FEI Longines rankings. He comes from a family of equestrians and began riding as a young child. Fuchs’ first major victory was team gold at the inaugural Youth Olympic Games in 2010, and he went on to make his senior Olympic debut in 2016 in Rio with his gray gelding Clooney 51. Fuchs won individual silver at the FEI World Equestrian Games 2018 in Tryon, helping his Swiss team to fourth place and earning a team quota place at the upcoming Olympics in Tokyo. He had a stellar 2019, finishing as runner-up at the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup Final in Gothenburg and taking the top spot at the Longines FEI Jumping European Championships in Rotterdam aboard Clooney 51. He is a regular on the WEF circuit, winning the $137,000 Equinimity WEF Challenge Cup CSI5* last year aboard Stalando 2.

Faces of WEF – McLain Ward

Whether it’s Wellington, the Olympics or the World Equestrian Games, show jumper McLain Ward is well-prepared for the challenge. Ward started riding after being encouraged to take up the sport by his parents, who were professionals in the industry. In 1990, at age 14, he became the youngest rider to win the USEF’s Show Jumping Derby. At the 2004 Olympics, Ward won the gold medal as part of the U.S. team — a feat he accomplished again in 2008. He was back at the Olympics in 2016 as part of the silver-winning U.S. team. In 2017, Ward won the Longines FEI World Cup Championship aboard his 2016 Olympic mount HH Azur. That was also the year he was ranked #1 in the Longines FEI world rankings for the first time. In 2018, Ward and his mount Clinta were instrumental in the U.S. winning the team gold medal at the World Equestrian Games in Tryon. A talented rider, Ward is a dominant force to watch when he’s back in action at WEF.

Faces of WEF – Raleigh Hiler 

Raleigh Hiler, a talented young rider out of Massachusetts who competes in the hunter, equitation and jumper rings, took up riding when she was eight years old after starting with lessons at a local farm. In many respects, she’s just like other young riders, but she’s also deaf. Hiler was born hearing, but after a bout with meningitis as a baby, she became deaf. With her cochlear implants in, she has 75 percent of her hearing in one ear, but little in the other. Intensive speech therapy and additional support throughout school has allowed Hiler to lead a fairly normal life — and pursue her love of riding at horse shows around the nation. Hiler capped 2020 by being named Show Jumping Hall of Fame Rider of the Month for October, earning the award by riding Cassina 64 to victory in the 2020 Show Jumping Hall of Fame Year-End Championship held at the National Horse Show in Lexington, Kentucky.

Faces of WEF – Tanner Korotkin

Tanner Korotkin grew up in Wellington, the son of well-known trainers Alan and Kirsty Korotkin of Castlewood Farm. While his parents introduced him to horses as a child, he did not express an interest in equestrian sports until he was 11 years old. Despite the late start, he caught up quickly and is now making a name for himself in show jumping. Korotkin earned the prestigious Junior Jumper Championship at the 2019 Devon Horse Show and concluded his junior career with ribbons at the Platinum Performance/USEF Show Jumping Talent Search Finals-East, the Lindsay Maxwell Charitable Fund WIHS Equitation Final and the ASPCA Maclay National Championship. In 2019, he won the Potcreek Meadow Farm Junior Sportsmanship Trophy at the Winter Equestrian Festival. He spent last summer working under Irish show jumper Shane Sweetnam at Sweet Oak Farm and has returned to Wellington with an eye on a successful 2021 season.

Faces of WEF – Victoria Colvin

Victoria Colvin has been an accomplished equestrian since she began showing ponies. She first made an impression at USEF Pony Finals, winning numerous championships, and continued her success with a record-breaking five Best Child Rider titles at the Devon Horse Show. Colvin dominated the equitation ring during her junior years, claiming titles in the 2012 and 2014 annual George Morris Excellence in Equitation Championships, the 2014 ASPCA Maclay Finals and more. In the hunter ring, she has six times won the $100,000 WCHR Peter Wetherill Palm Beach Hunter Spectacular. Colvin is a consistent sight at WEF, earning the WEF Overall Hunter Rider circuit championship in 2018 and 2019. In the show jumping sphere, Colvin made her debut appearance in the Grand Prix ring at the age of 13 and has racked up a long list of victories. In 2020, Colvin was named the National Show Hunter Hall of Fame Rider of the Year.

NEW YEAR NEW GOALS Make One Of Them To Become The Best Version Of You

For Wellington residents, the task of finding a fitness, exercise and wellness outlet has never been more convenient. Among the many wonderful outlets are Orangetheory Fitness Wellington and Revive Wellington, both located in the Whole Foods shopping center off State Road 7. The coaches at Orangetheory will help you get fit and healthy, while the staff at Revive will help you improve your health and wellness while upgrading your energy level.

The atmosphere and experience at Orangetheory Fitness is truly unlike any other fitness venue around.

“I think we have figured out what it takes to be successful in fitness,” Managing Partner Manny Ceara said. “We focus on endurance, strength and power with a heartrate-based training workout which lasts 60 minutes.”

According to Ceara, the Orangetheory Fitness business model provides members with a boutique fitness experience that makes members feel as if they are getting the attention of a personal fitness trainer in a group fitness class. “Every class is a 60-minute experience,” said Ceara, whose Wellington location celebrated its seventh anniversary in January.

During each class, participants engage in activities that enhance their fitness, cardio and strength-building.

While the studio at Orangetheory is equipped with many of the finest fitness machines and accessories, what makes the Orangetheory experience so special is its high-energy atmosphere. The place truly comes alive when the music and the orange lights are turned on at the beginning of every session.

Every fitness hour is led by one of the coaches — head coach Shelby Bomford or one of her four assistant coaches. Each of them offers enthusiastic, professional guidance and personal direction, complete with an actual demonstration of any given workout routine for that day’s fitness experience. If you are not ready to start exercising upon arrival, the coaches will deliver a dose of verbal caffeine to get you going. “We provide technology-driven workouts,” Bomford said. “We focus on improving your endurance, strength and power.”

At Orangetheory, the coaches know what they are doing, and they are watching your every move. “We are constantly scanning the room, always making sure everybody is staying safe,” Bomford said.

All participants must wear a heartrate monitor, which allows certain health statistics to be tracked, such as calories burned, average heartbeat rate per minute and the percentage of your maximum heartrate.

By the way, those statistics are visible on the overhead monitors. If you are slacking, everybody knows it.

Throughout the sessions at Orangetheory Fitness, you are motivated by the slogans on the wall, such as “Be the Best Version of You,” “Good Things Come to Those Who Sweat,” “Work Hard and Be Proud,” and “Don’t Just Wish for It, Work for It.” At Orangetheory, you are inspired to perspire. Every day is game day at Orangetheory, which is open seven days a week. And when the fitness experience includes motivation from coaches like Bomford and her assistants, you will get fit and feel like a champion.

Hygiene is another key part of the Orangetheory experience. Each participant is given wipes to clean their station immediately after they finish. And most fitness sessions involve a treadmill, rowing machine and an exercise area near the hand weights. That’s three wipe downs in an hour.

“We were emphasizing cleanliness before COVID-19 hit,” Bomford noted.

What’s unique about the Orangetheory experience is that the workout changes every day. You never repeat the same 60-minute session.

“The coaches keep it fun,” member Larissa Malter said. “It’s a great workout. The fitness sessions deliver results.”

“I love it here,” added Stacy Dymkowski, a member since the location opened seven years ago. “It’s the best workout.”

As for the significance of the color orange, you’ll find out when you get there.

“The goal is to get to orange,” Bomford hinted.

And with those high-energy Orangetheory Fitness coaches, you will.

At Revive Wellington, located just a few steps away from Orangetheory, the goal is to get you feeling your best and living your best life. Revive opened last fall.

“Why settle for feeling good when you can feel better,” said Melissa Skarzynski, co-owner of Revive Wellington with her husband Michal. “As our brochure states, your path to wellness starts here. We really help people optimize their health.”

A former instructor at Orangetheory, she understands the symbiotic relationship between Orangetheory Fitness and Revive Wellington.

The selection of services at Revive is an a la carte menu of health and wellness options, which includes hormone optimization, booster shots, cryotherapy, micro needling, ozone therapy, float therapy, facials and IV therapy, of which there are 10 signature IV cocktails with goals such as brain power and weight loss.

At Revive, everything starts with an examination of your bloodwork, which is more comprehensive than what is done by your doctor at your annual physical.

“Our medical professionals on staff look at 65 aspects of your blood,” Michal Skarzynski explained.

Once your blood is examined by the medical team, Revive will be able to recommend what services you will need to improve your health and overall quality of life.

“After you try any of our services, you will experience the difference in your health,” Melissa Skarzynski said.

The clientele at Revive ranges from teenagers to seniors and includes professional athletes, cancer patients and people with auto-immune disease. Many of Wellington’s equestrian riders are also clients at Revive.

The saying “try it, you’ll like it” may be the best way to describe the value of Revive’s services.

The cryotherapy gives you an immediate energy boost. The float therapy reduces your stress and anxiety levels while also giving you a great night’s sleep. The ozone therapy improves your blood circulation and combats inflammation. The hormone replacement therapy restores normal hormone function. If you want a true wellness escape, take advantage of the IV Wellness Lounge and its reclining chairs, where you can infuse your body with any of the 10 signature IV cocktails.

“You can always feel better,” Melissa Skarzynski said.

After sampling one of Revive’s services, you will likely feel better, more energetic and revived.

“Two days a week, I visit Revive for a vitamin C IV and ozone therapy,” client Cindy Marlow said. “I feel pampered and well looked after. I always feel better afterward.”

If you are unable to visit Revive’s storefront location, the staff can travel to your location. “We also offer at-home concierge services,” Michal Skarzynski said. “If necessary, we will come to you.”

Revive Wellington is fully committed to getting you feeling your best and living your best life.

So, when you select the path to follow for fitness, exercise and wellness, Orangetheory Fitness and Revive Wellington are great partners to pick as you pursue a physically active lifestyle that will generate positive, long-lasting benefits — just for the health of it.

Learn more about Orangetheory Fitness at www.orangetheory.com or call (561) 296-0485. For more information about Revive Wellington, visit www.wellingtonrevive.com or call (561) 360-3520.

 

Over The Top Stables Is Creating The Next Generation Of Jumping Stars

When Alexa Schwitzer first sat on a pony when she was one year old, she could not be pulled out of the saddle without a fight. Today, at just 21 years old, she is the co-founder of the internationally recognized Over the Top Stables LLC and is an avid amateur competitor at some of the nation’s leading equestrian events. This rising talent has found her stride as not only an up-and-coming rider, but also a budding businesswoman in Wellington, the horse capital of the world.

Schwitzer got her start competing in the junior hunter and equitation divisions, racking up a long list of accomplishments at some of the most prestigious venues on the east coast. It was not until she competed at the Winter Equestrian Festival for the first time in 2015 that she decided she wanted to dedicate herself to the sport.

“I came down to Wellington for one weekend during my sophomore year of high school, then my junior year I was allowed to come down on weekends,” Schwitzer recalled. “For my senior year, I begged my parents to let me spend the winter in Wellington. My mom and I ended up moving here for the season, and that was my first time competing during the entire WEF circuit. After putting in the hard work and the time, my dad realized that I wanted to do this seriously, and I fell in love with riding even more after that.”

With one foot firmly planted in the center of the horse world, a career in the industry inevitably loomed. In 2016, during her sophomore year of high school, Schwitzer and her father, William Schwitzer, officially co-founded Over the Top Stables to expand their already impressive string of horses and support Alexa’s growing love for the sport.

Choosing to dive head-first into the industry was a no brainer for the Long Island native, who found her home away from home in sunny South Florida.

“Wellington feels like home,” Alexa said. “Everything is right here when it comes to our horses and competing. I can wake up, and I’m at the show. It’s so easy, and I never feel rushed. I think that is the best thing about being here — you can really take your time, and it shows in the ring that you are working hard.”

Though the Schwitzer family does not have a show jumping background, William was raised by two Holocaust survivors surrounded by animals of all kinds on his family’s 700-acre kosher cattle farm in Connecticut. Sparking his love of all animals, William and his brother competed in team penning growing up. Now a lawyer and CEO of his own firm, William never lost that first love and has since passed it down to his daughter. Residing at the heart of the business, he unknowingly helped the brand develop its namesake.

“Everyone always says that my dad goes above and beyond with everything he does,” Alexa said. “At some point in the process of coming up with a name for the LLC, I told him, ‘You are so over the top!’ It was honestly so fitting, and out of all the options we tried, that one just stuck.”

Now recognized as a top producer of some of the sport’s most elite horses, Over the Top Stables has flourished in the bustling Wellington atmosphere with the help of Daniel and Mark Bluman of Bluman Equestrian. The Blumans have helped bolster the farm’s training and sales program since its inception, and they are helping to develop not only the next generation of top show mounts, but also train and support Alexa’s promising show jumping career. Alexa has grown to be a seasoned competitor under their keen tutelage.

“I can’t really put into words what working with Mark and Daniel Bluman has meant for me,” she said. “I didn’t think I would be able to jump the classes I have been jumping recently, and they have done so much for my mental game, as well as my riding.”

With Daniel, Mark and Alexa in the irons, Over the Top Stables has rocketed to the top of nearly every major class within the past five years. Contending leading mounts like Cartouche, Vicomte De La Cour, Noortje VD Windheuvel and Daniel’s prospective Olympic mount Ladriano Z, Over the Top Stables has found a recipe for success. From watching her youngest mounts learn the ropes of the show ring, to witnessing Daniel’s win in the 2018 $324,000 Fidelity Investments Grand Prix CSI5* at WEF aboard Ladriano Z, Alexa sees every moment as a teaching moment.

“Watching Daniel and Ladriano Z win that Grand Prix together was really special,” she said. “It’s probably the most rewarding to be able to watch Mark and Daniel in the ring. I watch them every day at the barn, and they put so much work into the horses. It’s really incredible to see and to be able to learn from them.”

As the co-founder of a top sport horse sales business at just 21 years old, Alexa has proven herself to be an up-and-coming force in the industry. The eager pupil, though at the helm of a budding business, thrives on being able to learn how to run and grow her operations as successfully as the Blumans have. She has big goals, not only for the 2021 winter season at WEF, but also for her string of talented mounts.

“We are having such great success with all of our Grand Prix horses, young horses, sales horses and even the horses in my personal string,” she said. “For myself, I just want to keep being consistent and growing, eventually jumping bigger classes. We are looking forward to continuing to grow Over the Top Stables, and I can’t wait to see what the future holds.”

Visit www.overthetopstables.com to learn more.

Equestrian Public Relations Agency Jump Media Takes Clients To New Heights

Some would say it was fate. Others might say it was simply a coincidence. Whichever way you look at it, the coming together of two Jennifers to form leading equestrian public relations agency Jump Media has been an overwhelming success.

Jennifer Ward and Jennifer Wood were both enjoying successful careers running their own public relations companies prior to joining forces.

Ward had a full roster of clients including Canadian Olympic show jumping champion Eric Lamaze, while Wood’s client list included Wellington’s own Winter Equestrian Festival.

The pair, who had known each other for a decade, were friends as well as colleagues when Ward called one day with an idea. With increasing interest in public relations services and not enough manpower to handle the demand on her own, she proposed that they join forces and create an agency that they could grow together.

Given that they had partnered together on several work projects in the past, including promotion of an equestrian facility and breeding operation in Costa Rica, starting a new company together was not a far-fetched concept. With a little convincing, Wood got on board with the idea and Jump Media, headquartered in Wellington, officially launched in 2015.

“There weren’t a lot of surprises when we started working together,” recalled Ward, a native Canadian who has been spending winters in Wellington since 2000. “We already knew each other well and were familiar with each other’s strengths and talents. I think it’s easier to form a partnership when you already respect the other person’s experience and their quality of work.”

They both shared a similar commitment to doing the best possible job for their clients.

“Like any good relationship, it’s actually quite easy to work together because we’re on the same page when it comes to running our business and insisting on a drama-free work environment for our team. We pride ourselves on our professionalism,” Ward said.

With their door officially open for business, Palm Beach Equine Clinic became Jump Media’s first client. The Wellington-based veterinary clinic has a large team of practitioners, the majority with unique specialties in horse sport medicine, that has benefited from Jump Media’s promotion.

“From my perspective, having a public relations agency like Jump Media working to promote our brand and our vets has increased our profile among the Wellington equestrian community and beyond,” said Dr. Scott Swerdlin, president of Palm Beach Equine Clinic. “From handling our ad design and weekly newsletter to overseeing our annual sponsorships at the Winter Equestrian Festival and the Adequan Global Dressage Festival, the team at Jump Media has been great to work with over the years. Not only are they good at what they do, they go above and beyond to seek out promotional opportunities for our clinic and our veterinarians. It’s that level of service and feeling like they are personally invested in our success that keeps me renewing the contract year after year.”

According to Wood, the concept of team spirit is woven in the fabric of Jump Media’s culture.

“We wouldn’t expect anyone on our team to do anything that we wouldn’t do ourselves,” said Wood of a staff that currently includes a managing director, three full-time account managers, and various contract workers that handle everything from photography and graphic design to website creation and hosting services. “When we’re on-site handling media relations at a horse show, for example, Jennifer and I are there putting in the same long hours as the rest of the staff. I think that demonstrates that we’re all on the same team, and how much we care about the quality of the work we are doing.”

If two Jennifers are better than one, it’s even better still to have the entire Jump Media team involved in crafting opportunities for clients. While every client has an assigned account manager for day-to-day dealings, Ward and Wood lead a weekly meeting where they talk through each account and brainstorm ideas as a group.

Jump Media serves a wide variety of clients ranging from insurance brokers and attorneys to a European horse sport auction and the United States Equestrian Team Foundation. It also handles press relations at several prestigious international equestrian competitions, such as the Washington (D.C.) International Horse Show and the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair in Toronto, Canada. Wellington-based clients include top Florida real estate broker Martha W. Jolicoeur, supplement company Equine Elixirs and the BarnManager app, in addition to several athletes, including Georgina Bloomberg and Sloane Coles, who call Wellington their winter home.

Having a vast network of contacts is also one of the advantages that Ward and Wood bring to the table.

“One of the tangible benefits that clients get from working with us is access to our connections,” said Wood, who is also the founder of Equestrian Businesswomen, a network of professional women working in the equine industry. “We are able to make introductions to other industry professionals that can lead to interesting opportunities and collaborations for our clients.”

With hard work, and a great team with two industry professionals at the helm, Jump Media is raising the bar in equestrian PR.

“We’ve structured our company so that we don’t have all of our eggs in one basket by only offering a certain type of service or only appealing to a specific type of clientele,” Ward said. “We are diversified and have a wide range of clients for whom we perform marketing and public relations services. We also gain inspiration from our clients, as they have each worked hard to build their own successful businesses.”

Learn more about Jump Media at www.jumpmediallc.com.

 

After More Than 20 Years Competing In Wellington, Jeff Hall Remains  At The Top Of His Game

Polo has always been a family affair, and that’s clearly in evidence for Jeff Hall, one of the top American players whose talent has been on display in Wellington for more than two decades.

Hall’s father, John, a well-regarded polo patron of the Old Pueblo team, introduced his second-oldest son to riding before he was in kindergarten. He played his first professional game when he was 12 and has been doing it at a high level ever since.

“Honestly, I owe my success to my dad. He started me, but I played because I loved it,” said Hall, who turned 41 last September.

Family also plays a significant role in some of Jeff’s most cherished memories of his exceptional career. He has won most of the major high-goal tournaments in the United States.

Among his favorite memories are winning the Silver Cup with his father and brother J.W. in 1999, and again with his father in 2000, and once with his stepmother, Leigh-Anne, in 2004, all in Santa Barbara.

Hall also included winning his record ninth Silver Cup this summer and the 2003 U.S. Open, the most prestigious tournament in North America.

It was with Tommy Boyle’s C Spear that Hall reached the pinnacle of U.S. polo in 2003, and his mount, Harrah, won the coveted Best Playing Pony award. He also reached the 2002 and 2006 finals, both with Orchard Hill.

Hall’s wish list includes another U.S. Open title, especially since it has been so long in between trips to the last Sunday of that tournament. “It’s insanely hard to win,” said Hall, who grew up in Santa Barbara and Houston.

But perhaps his biggest goal is to win the USPA Gold Cup, the second most important tournament in the United States, and the one major championship that Hall has never won.

He will be among the favorites to reach the podium this season at the International Polo Club Palm Beach in Wellington.

Hall anchors a strong La Indiana foursome, led by 10-goaler Polito Pieres, 4-goaler Nico Escobar and patron Michael Bickford in the upcoming 2021 Gauntlet of Polo series.

Last season, La Indiana reached the C.V. Whitney Cup final and the semifinals of the USPA Gold Cup, which was postponed to February because of the pandemic.

“It’s a really good team,” said Hall, an under-rated 6-goaler whose handicap will be raised to 7 goals in June. “I expect to be winning some tournaments.”

Hall said each player will have at least 15 horses for the grueling three-month season. To prepare for a game, Hall believes in putting in the work beforehand and not relying on superstitions.

“Over the years, I’ve learned that if I do everything in preparation, I am happy with the results,” said Hall, who usually does a light workout the day before a match. “You just have to do your part and be super focused. Of course, I ride and stick-and-ball, but I think I’m in better shape now than I was in my 20s.”

In his 20s, Hall was living the good life. In 2005, he made People magazine’s “50 Hottest Bachelors” list and was driving a turbo Porsche.

Now, he has been married 13 years to wife Michelle, a Realtor with Equestrian Sotheby’s International in Wellington, and they have two sons, Luke, who turns 10 this month, and Eli, who turns seven in May.

“They can both ride. I’m not training or pushing them to be polo players,” Hall said. “I give them an opportunity, and I want them to learn how to play.”

Instead, look out for the Hall boys to excel on the golf course.

Relaxing on off days includes spending time with his kids or golfing. Hall is a member at the Banyan Golf Club.

He got his pilot’s license on fixed-wing planes but doesn’t fly anymore. He even started learning to fly a helicopter and had six hours soloing but gave it up as he realized it was something that needed his undivided attention. “I love to fly,” Hall said. “Maybe it’s something I’ll pick up later.”

He has always enjoyed the speed, whether it’s aboard his ponies or cars. Hall has a 2016 Shelby GT 350 with 1,000 horsepower that is at Estancia Pueblo Viejo, his 330-acre ranch on the Brazos River in Sealy, Texas.

In Wellington, he drives a truck. “It’s practical, and I can stay out of trouble. I had all my fun when I was young and dumb,” he said, laughing.

Former 9-goaler Julio Arellano has known Hall for some 20 years, having been both an opponent and a teammate.

“Jeff has always been extremely competitive and very well mounted,” said Arellano, who was a teammate with Hall on the Orchard Hill team that reached the 2002 U.S. Open final. “He is tough physically on the field and a great teammate. He is a good dad and friend.”

Hall, who has represented the U.S. in numerous international matches, including the prestigious Westchester Cup in 2018, noted that he is 100 percent competitive in everything.

“I have no idea [where it came from]. I have always been this way,” he said.

The importance of family was clear when Hall and his father played in the 100th U.S. Open at IPC in 2004, the only time they did so. It was the elder Hall’s first appearance after a 17-year hiatus and fourth overall. They also played and won the 100th Silver Cup in 2000.

Hall said he has learned a lot from his father.

“Treat everyone with respect until they show you that they don’t deserve it, and treat everyone the same, whether it’s the team sponsor or the groom,” Hall said. “The old school ways.”

It’s also the Hall family way.

Learn more about polo player Jeff Hall at www.jeffhallpolo.com.