Peter Brant And Melissa Ganzi Highlight The 2026 Polo Hall Of Fame Ceremony

By Y.A. Teitelbaum

The polo world celebrated its legends, highlighted by Peter M. Brant and Melissa Ganzi, at the record-setting, sold-out 37th annual Polo Hall of Fame Induction and Awards Dinner on Friday, Feb. 13 at the Museum of Polo. More than 500 guests attended the ceremony.

Brant developed the powerhouse White Birch team and organization, which dominated high-goal polo in the United States for about 25 years beginning in 1979, winning 31 tournaments at the 26-goal level or higher. This spurred other teams to build and maintain a professional organization.

Brant thanked his family, his mentors, his players and staff during his illustrious 50-year polo career.

Despite his many victories, Brant explained how he thinks more about the horses in his career, “Not just mine, but my teammates and my opponents.”

He closed his remarks with, “I love this game.”

Melissa Ganzi, philanthropist, entrepreneur, club owner and high-goal patron, received the Iglehart Award for exceptional lifetime contributions to the sport.

Ganzi’s moving, prerecorded acceptance speech was the emotional highlight of the night.

“Giving back to polo is important to me,” Ganzi said. “It has been a privilege to be a part of the sport’s past, present and future.”

She accepted the award along with her husband Marc, and their children, Grant and Riley.

Billy Stevens, a terrific player in both the arena and on the grass, was also inducted into the Hall of Fame. Stevens, who turns 99 years old in two months, accepted his award with a video, as his wife, Ruth, and their sons, Charlie and Jimmy, attended the event.

Elisabeth “Pansy” Ireland Poe, a trailblazing pioneer who unofficially became the first woman player to obtain a handicap rating with the USPA in 1925, was inducted into the Polo Hall of Fame posthumously. Her great-niece, Nancy Ireland Stahl, accepted the award.

Equine advocate Clint Nangle was honored as the posthumous Iglehart Award recipient, and he was remembered as a caring, kind, dignified champion of the sport. Clint, a natural-born lefty who started in polo at Myopia in 1962, was always positive and passionate about doing what was good for the betterment of polo. His daughter, Dana Nangle Scott, and grandson, Sam Scott, accepted the award.

Well-respected Joe Casey Sr., the 2025 Iglehart Award recipient, attended the ceremony after missing last year’s event due to illness. Mike Carney accepted the award for Casey Sr.

The Horses to Remember honoree of the early pre-Hartman era was Citroen, the award-winning Argentine-bred chestnut gelding purchased by Robert Lehman. His son, Robin, and granddaughter, Morgan, accepted the award.

Longpocket, Billy Mulcahy’s raw-boned and wiry Australian Thoroughbred, was recognized as Horses to Remember, post-Hartman Award era. Numerous high-goalers, including Memo Gracida, Esteban Panelo, Piki Alberdi, Juni Crotto and Mike Azzaro, played Longpocket.

Wendy Hollander, Longpocket’s early groom and Mulcahey’s former wife, accepted the award.

The Polo Training Foundation (PTF) Player of the Year awards in the annual scholastic and collegiate awards were included for the first time.

The honorees were Zak Coleman of Texas A&M (Intercollegiate Stephen A. Orthwein Male Player of the Year), Alana Benz of UVA (Intercollegiate Daniel J. Wallace Jr. Female Player of the Year), Joe Bob Lequerica of Houston (Interscholastic Russell A. Sheldon Male Player of the Year) and Kylie Beard of Maryland (Interscholastic Lynn Thompson Female Player of the Year).

The event’s success was due to generous dinner sponsors Grand Champions Polo Club and Aspen Valley Polo Club, as well as major sponsors Olexa Celine, the Robert I. Goldman Foundation and U.S. Polo Assn.

Also supporting the event were Tito’s Handmade Vodka, and spirits from longtime sponsors Robert S. Lipman and Margaret Lipman Orthwein. Premium wine and champagne were supported by new sponsor Shelby Meisler and Inlet Harbour Liquors. Special thanks to Alex Pacheco Photography, Krystal Zaskey Photography and Chukker TV for their contributions.

The black-tie Hall of Fame Awards Dinner is the most important annual fundraising event for the museum, an independently run, not-for-profit organization.

Learn more about the museum at www.polomuseum.org.

 

Our Community Cares Continues To Expand Services Supporting Local Seniors

By Patrick Sherry

Helping senior citizens age in place and providing meaningful companionship is the foundation of the mission of Our Community Cares. Through its volunteers, this local nonprofit is working to maintain the independence of local seniors, so they can continue to live in their chosen community.

Our Community Cares is one of just a handful of South Florida organizations that offer free non-medical support services to seniors. Its goal is to keep seniors connected through providing basic assistance to improve their quality of life. Throughout Wellington and Royal Palm Beach, volunteers from Our Community Cares are helping support the growing senior populations in both villages.

Kathy Foster, the first mayor of Wellington, founded the organization in 2010. She explained how she began learning that seniors around the country did not want to give up living in their homes, even though they could no longer get around easily. She spent months researching how many seniors were “aging in place,” then started building the organization with a group of friends and supporters to help them.

“They spend a lifetime working, contributing to a community, taking care of their families,” Foster said. “In their later years, they want to enjoy the fruits of their labor, in their home, with the community that they have enjoyed and been part of.”

For more than a decade, the organization was known as Wellington Cares. Originally, volunteers primarily assisted seniors in Wellington, but those at the organization quickly recognized a need for such services in other nearby communities.

In 2020, the nonprofit’s board looked into expanding its assistance programs to the Village of Royal Palm Beach. Four years later, they rebranded the organization to Our Community Cares to better represent its ambition to support more seniors across Palm Beach County.

“We needed to make sure that we could handle another whole community of seniors who needed assistance,” Foster said. “After careful research and outreach into the Royal Palm Beach community, looking for donors who might assist us in the additional costs, we stepped up to the plate about a year and a half ago and have been very successful.”

Dozens of volunteers help over a hundred senior participants 65 and older with basic living tasks through free transportation, minor home repairs, respite championship and social connections through regular interaction. Many of the participants involved in the program have lost the ability to do many of these activities themselves, but the organization enables them to remain independent and healthy while creating social connections.

Director of Operations Diane Gutman started as a volunteer for the organization and said working with seniors helped her family have a deeper connection to the community.

“I am very proud that this organization started out helping a handful of people in the Wellington community, and now we are helping so many throughout Wellington and Royal Palm Beach,” Gutman said.

Those interested in volunteering go through a vetting and training process where they get to select their preferences for what type of help they would like to provide. Many of them are younger seniors or retirees looking to give back to the community. The organization emphasizes that volunteer schedules are flexible, so people can contribute as much as they are able to.

Importantly, seniors can develop relationships and create friendships that overall improve their quality of life.

“Kindness is the foundation of a happy life,” Foster said. “All these people step forward to help strangers, and as a result, have built friendships and a stronger community for all of us to benefit from.”

Volunteers like Shannon Berthiaume, who is a program manager and provides services to participants in both Wellington and Royal Palm Beach, said that these small acts of kindness mean a lot to seniors in the programs.

“For me, it’s just a way to give back,” Berthiaume explained. “I feel accomplished… I do it because it’s good.”

Since its creation, Our Community Cares has provided over a million dollars in free support.

With the senior population growing, the organization is always looking for volunteers to give help to participants in need.

“We grow right alongside our communities,” Foster said. “The more people who’ve come to move into the area, the more need there is for our services, and the more volunteers that are needed.”

Royal Palm Beach, in particular, needs more volunteers. With most current volunteers providing services in Wellington, Royal Palm Beach can always use more people to meet the growing need.

Gutman reiterated that the organization appreciates any help it can get, even if it is small. Any assistance people can give to seniors goes a long way to improving their lives.

“Age does not discriminate,” Gutman said. “We’re all going to grow older, and we’re all going to need help at one time or another.”

For more information about Our Community Cares services, volunteering or becoming a participant, call (561) 568-8818 or visit www.ourcommunitycaresfl.org.

Wellington Today:  The State Of Our Village Is Strong

Spring has fully arrived in Wellington. While we don’t have the seasonal weather extremes our friends in more northern states do, daylight savings time is here, the days are a little longer, the weather is just about perfect and our community calendar begins to fill with the kinds of events that remind us why so many people are proud to call Wellington home.

As the season shifts and our community moves from the energy of winter into the steady pace of spring, it also provides a natural moment to reflect on where we are as a village, and where we are headed. It’s a time when families return to neighborhood parks, students approach the end of the school year and our community once again settles into the rhythms that make Wellington feel like home.

It’s also a natural time to talk about the state of our village. A wellness check if you will, to see how we’re doing and how the last year has been. Each year, local governments release an Annual Comprehensive Financial Report that looks back at the previous fiscal year. For Wellington, that report covers the fiscal year ending Sept. 30, 2025. While financial reports are often filled with charts, tables and accounting language, at their core they tell a simple story: how well a community is managing the resources entrusted to it.

The good news is that Wellington continues to demonstrate strong financial stewardship. Our annual audit once again resulted in the highest opinion an independent auditor can issue: an unmodified or “clean” opinion. Even more importantly, the audit included no findings, no material weaknesses and no significant deficiencies in internal controls. In practical terms, that means Wellington’s financial statements accurately represent the village’s finances and meet the highest standards of governmental accounting. It’s something residents might understandably take for granted, but it reflects the careful work of many people across the organization who take seriously the responsibility of managing public resources.

This strong financial foundation allows Wellington to continue investing in the things that matter most to residents. The village’s Fiscal Year 2026 budget maintains a stable municipal property tax rate while continuing to fund high-quality services and long-term capital investments. Maintaining stability while planning for the future has long been part of our approach to responsible local government.

One of the most important areas of investment is infrastructure, the systems that keep a community functioning every day, often without most of us noticing.

For example, we continue to move forward on a multi-year program to upgrade and modernize stormwater pump stations throughout the community. South Florida communities know that managing water is part of daily life, and these improvements help ensure that our drainage systems remain reliable, resilient and prepared for the future.

At the same time, the village continues to invest in the amenities that contribute to Wellington’s unique character. Residents and visitors alike continue to enjoy the natural beauty of the Wellington Environmental Preserve, a remarkable community asset that provides walking and cycling trails, wildlife viewing areas and a peaceful place to experience South Florida’s natural environment. It’s a reminder that thoughtful planning can preserve green space while supporting a growing and vibrant community.

You’ll also see continued momentum around improvements in the Town Center area. Town Center has long been envisioned as a place where residents can gather for events, dining, recreation and civic life. Investments in this area are helping create the type of community space where neighbors meet, families attend events and Wellington’s sense of community continues to grow.

Of course, any conversation about Wellington would be incomplete without recognizing the global equestrian community that has become such an important part of our identity. Each winter season brings athletes, visitors and spectators from around the world, reinforcing Wellington’s reputation as one of the premier equestrian destinations anywhere. While that international spotlight shines brightest during the winter months, the infrastructure and planning that support it are year-round efforts that benefit the entire community.

What makes all of this possible is not just sound budgeting, it’s a community that stays engaged and involved. Local government works best when residents participate: attending meetings, volunteering, sharing ideas or simply staying informed about what’s happening in their hometown. Wellington has long benefited from residents who care deeply about their community, and that civic spirit continues to shape the village’s future.

When people ask about the “state of the village,” the answer isn’t found only in financial reports or capital projects. Those are important indicators of progress, but they are only part of the story. The real strength of Wellington comes from its people — neighbors who support one another, families who invest in the community, volunteers who step forward and residents who care about the future of the place they call home.

As we move further into spring, it’s worth taking a moment to appreciate the strong foundation that Wellington continues to build upon. Because when a community manages its resources wisely, invests in its future and stays connected to its shared values, the state of the village is strong. And in Wellington, that story continues to be written every day.

Experience Irish Culture & Heritage At Inaugural Wellington Irish Festival

The inaugural Village of Wellington Irish Festival will be held Saturday, March 7 at the Wellington Amphitheater (12100 W. Forest Hill Blvd.) from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., presented by Brian Marketing Group. The public is invited to celebrate Irish culture with authentic food, entertainment and a fun day for the entire family.

The event will include a day of Irish entertainment. On the Slane Castle Stage will be the Black Thorne Pipe Band, Rogue Theory, the Tir Na Greine Irish Dancers, Clar Killoran, Bangers & Mash Celtic Irish rock and more. Franny from mornings on 98.7 FM the Gator and Real Radio will host a “Split the G” challenge with attendees and Guinness. The public is invited to sign up for the Irish Dance competition with more details to be announced on Facebook.

An Irish festival isn’t complete without Irish food favorites, such as corned beef sandwiches, fish & chips, shepherd’s pie and more. There will be a Guinness Beer Garden and a full-service bar serving mixed drinks, wine, a Phoenix Park Whiskey tasting, Baileys and Irish coffee. Additional family fun will include facepainting, activities for kids and games.

The best way to enjoy a VIP cultural experience at the festival is to reserve an Irish Cottage, which includes seating and a table for eight, a 10-foot-by-10-foot tent and general admission, or VIP stage pods, which include four seats and a table close to the stage. Both offer cocktail service for the day. These special seating areas can be reserved through Eventbrite.com.

Ireland U.S. Experience will be raffling off a trip for two to Ireland. Proceeds will benefit Southeast Florida Honor Flight, an organization that flies local World War II, Korean War and Vietnam War veterans to Washington, D.C., to visit the memorials honoring their service and sacrifices. Proceeds from a 50/50 cash raffle will benefit the Wounded Veterans Relief Fund, which provides emergency financial support to qualified disabled veterans living in Florida.

Sponsors include Brian Marketing Group, the Village of Wellington, Guinness, Cairlinn Bay, Kettle One, Captain Morgan, Johnny Walker, Baileys, Smirnoff, Lake Preserve Management, Guarantee Garage Doors and Repair, the Town-Crier newspaper and Wellington The Magazine.

Ireland U.S. Experience is a family-owned and operated travel business providing customizable trips to Ireland. With more than 20 years in the travel industry, it aims to ensure that customers have the vacation of a lifetime. They are currently offering a 10-day trip July 17-26, 2026, and a seven-day golfing tour Sept 14-20, 2027. Learn more at www.irelandusexperience.com.

General admission is free to the Village of Wellington Irish Festival. For VIP seating options, search for “Wellington Irish Festival” at www.eventbrite.com. Learn more by finding the event on Facebook.

Dressage Olympian Laura Graves Building Her Next Chapter At Home In Wellington

By Mike May

Veteran dressage rider Laura Graves, who has been traveling here for competition since 2009, recently decided to make Wellington her full-time home.

“Wellington is unlike any other place,” said Graves, who is busy this season training up her newest dressage mounts.

Highlighted by medal-winning performances at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio and the 2018 World Equestrian Games in Tryon, Graves continues to compete as a top-level dressage rider traveling the world circuit.

While today, Wellington is her home base, for Graves, it all started in her native New England.

“I grew up near Waitsfield, Vermont, with two sisters,” said Graves, now 38. “My family had friends who owned horses. While in elementary school, my dad, who was in the hardware business, was able to swap a used washer and dryer for two ponies. One was an Appaloosa, and the other one was a Welsh Cob pony. We also had access to a free barn, which my father carefully dismantled piece by piece. He labeled each piece, and then rebuilt the barn on our property. That’s where the two ponies lived. That barn remains standing to this day.”

Taking care of those two ponies was a hobby for Graves and her two sisters. As a result of getting them, the three girls had to pitch in to take care of them.

“We fed them, mucked the stalls, groomed them and provided water for them to drink,” Graves recalled.

It didn’t take long for her interest in riding horses to become “a serious hobby.” Graves’ passion for taking care of and riding horses ended up being more serious than it was for her sisters.

The next equestrian purchase by Graves’ parents was a horse that she rode and looked after for many years.

“We bought a four-year-old Quarter Horse from Canada. His name was Sunny,” Graves explained. “I first rode Sunny while competing in eventing, and later in dressage.”

Graves soon decided that she preferred competing in dressage, and Sonny was her first dressage partner. The first big dressage event that the pair won took place when Graves was in middle school.

“I had a high finish in the New England Junior Young Rider Dressage Championship, when it was held in Connecticut,” she said.

Graves was recognized by the judges for her high level of horsemanship. For her impressive performance, she received a number of prizes, one of which was a new saddle. She was thrilled to do so well and enjoyed the benefits of her high finish. It was the beginning of a very promising career in dressage. And, looking back, Graves gives much of the credit to Sunny, who lived until his mid-20s and died in 2021.

When Graves was in high school, a new, young horse entered her life. It was a foal from The Netherlands who was born in the fall of 2002. The horse was a Dutch Warmblood, and his name was Verdades.

“We had a small, limited budget to buy a horse. Verdades was what we were able to afford,” Graves said. “We bought this fancy horse, and I was ready to live the dream.”

While Verdades was a major upgrade from Sunny, he provided Graves with many restless days and nights, and a few nightmares along the way.

“Verdades was a talented, but a very difficult horse. But I believed in him and all his electric energy,” Graves said. “Riding him was the easy part. It was like wearing a glove. It was unfairly easy.”

But that was the case only for Graves. She quickly realized that she was really the only person that Verdades would respond to on a daily basis. Outside the training and competitive arenas, Verdades was non-compliant with other people, and only Graves could connect with him.

Graves’ frustration with Verdades was so high that she twice sent him to a horse trainer. In both instances, she received phone calls where she was told to come pick up Verdades because he was so uncooperative and impossible to work with for the trainers.

“He forced patience on you. He was a very sensitive creature,” Graves said. “Everything was difficult with Verdades, whether it was grooming him, clipping him, washing him and getting him inside the horse trailer. I eventually broke him by trail riding him.”

While competing, Verdades and Graves formed a formidable partnership.

“I was the only one who could ride him,” Graves said. “In the end, he picked me.”

Even though Verdades had a unique spirit, Graves understood, tolerated, respected and loved Verdades. And the two were very successful inside the dressage arena.

“That horse took me all over the world,” Graves recalled. “I have traveled many miles in a horse van. Over the years, I have competed at many places in the U.S., and all over Europe. I have also been invited to compete in Dubai and Australia.”

The list of global dressage events that Graves and Verdades competed in is impressive. This dynamic duo had a dominant stretch from 2014 to 2019. During those six years, Graves was the best rider on the U.S. dressage team, and at one point was the world’s top-ranked dressage rider.

At the World Equestrian Games in 2014, held in Normandy, France, Graves took fifth in the freestyle. That same year, she was an American reserve Grand Prix champion. In 2015, Graves and Verdades were fourth at the World Cup Finals. Also, in 2015, Graves competed in the Pan American Games for the United States, where she won a team gold medal and an individual silver medal.

In 2016, Graves and Verdades traveled to Brazil to represent Team USA in the Rio Olympics, where they won a team bronze medal. The highlights of 2017 for Graves and Verdades were their second-place finish at the World Cup and winning the Grand Prix Special at the COD in Aachen, Germany.

At the World Equestrian Games in 2018 in Tryon, North Carolina, Graves and Verdades were part of the U.S. dressage team and took home two silver medals.

Finally, in 2019, Graves and Verdades recorded a second-place finish in the World Cup Finals.

At the end of 2019, Graves and Verdades concluded their competitive partnership. He lived out the rest of his life in Wellington and died just recently, in December 2025.

For Graves, she remains committed to returning to the spotlight as a world-class dressage rider, but it will be with a new horse. Two of her new horses are Sole Mio, a Rhinelander stallion, and Java Dulce, a Dutch Warmblood. She is focused on earning a spot on the U.S. squad that will compete in the World Equestrian Games this summer in Germany. She also has her eye on earning another competitive trip to the Olympic Games, specifically Los Angeles in 2028.

Right now, in addition to enjoying all that Wellington has to offer, she has never been as busy as she is now. Her days are filled with training, competing and teaching dressage, exercising her six horses, and overseeing an online dressage educational platform — called Performance Riders — via Zoom.

“I am busy seven days a week,” Graves said.

To keep up with dressage star Laura Graves, you can follow her on Instagram @lauragravesdressage.

World-Class Dressage Competition On Display At AGDF

By Fiona Slusarev

The 2026 Adequan Global Dressage Festival hosts seven weeks of CDI competition and weekly national shows over three months, finishing March 29, at Wellington International’s Equestrian Village. The 2026 AGDF season has seen exciting improvements and updates across the facilities and class offerings. Wellington The Magazine recently had the opportunity to speak with AGDF Director of Sport Thomas Baur to discuss all things dressage and this season’s highlights.

Baur has been the director of sport at AGDF since 2014. He started out working for a sports event management company in Europe before becoming a sports director for a variety of athletic world championships. Baur entered the equestrian world when he took on the role of running a horse show in Europe. Over the years, he has done numerous European horse shows, shows across the United States, and notably the World Cup Final in Fort Worth, Texas, this year. For Baur, his fascination with horses keeps him in the equestrian sphere. “This huge animal — that people can ride — still touches me,” he said.

How is Global a unique show experience for dressage competitors?

Global is the only real series of shows. There are many other international dressage events all over the world, but not seven international shows in three months in one place. It’s also very unique because most of the riders have their farms around here. Usually in Europe, you drive a couple of hours to go to a show, but here it’s done in 10 to 15 minutes. It’s less travel and more comfortable for the horses. We also offer everything from World Cup qualifiers to qualifiers for this year’s World Championships in Aachen, Germany. AGDF is really special and not something you can find anywhere else in the world.

Why might someone outside the horse world want to come to Friday Night Stars?

I would say because of the great atmosphere here at the International Stadium at the Adequan Global Dressage Festival. You can see the top riders dancing with their horses. It’s always fun and something for the whole family.

What is new at Global this year, for the facility and for the experience?

For the first time, we have covered bleachers, so spectators can comfortably enjoy dressage in the shade. We have set up a new FEI lounge for the riders, next to the FEI barn. Grooms, trainers and riders can quickly get something to eat and drink on the way in and out. There is more to come in the future when we move to the new south venue across the street. It will be more than dressage there — it’s the new covered arena, the grass field, the extra rings and the FEI barns.

Global recently presented a well-attended masterclass event. What did this year’s masterclass offer?

We have done several masterclasses over the last seven years; one with Carl Hester, one with Isabell Werth and one with Jessica von Bredow-Werndl. This year’s masterclass was presented by Three Graces Dressage with Olympians Kyra Kyrklund, Cathrine Laudrup Dufour and Jan Brink. We try to offer something educational every year.

What qualifying classes are offered this year at Global?

Once you move to the international level, you have a chance to qualify for the international dressage competitions for the World Championships in Aachen, Germany. The United States itself has different qualification criteria because they can only send four riders. Individuals from other countries may be able to directly qualify here, if you fulfill the minimum requirements of the FEI. However, if you are on a team, then the team qualification criteria applies. We also have individual qualifications for the World Cup Final in Fort Worth, Texas, in April. Getting to the finals is done with a point system through the World Cup qualifiers. There are a total of three World Cup qualifying classes, one in Week 1, one in Week 7 and one in Week 10. This will determine which three riders from the North American League, consisting of the United States, Canada and Mexico, go to the World Cup final.

What names should dressage fans keep an eye out for this season?

We have seen in Week 1 already, the U.S. shooting star, Christian Simonson, with Indian Rock. In Week 7, we have Isabell Werth from Germany. Werth is the most decorated equestrian athlete across all disciplines, including the Olympic Games, world championships and European championships. This is the first time she will compete in the International Ring at Global.

Dressage can sometimes be overshadowed by show jumping. What makes dressage not only beautiful but also exciting?

For me, the most beautiful part is always when you see a ride that is harmonious. The horse and rider are in sync, and everything looks light and easy. It’s really a kind of dance. This is something you don’t see every day, even though everyone who is involved in dressage would like to see it all the time. You’re working with a living, breathing animal — that’s the hard part. In jumping, you want the horse to jump clear, but in dressage, we focus on achieving harmony.

Do you have a personal highlight for this season?

My personal highlight is definitely having Isabell Werth compete with us. We’ve waited 16 years, since she competed over at WEF, for her to compete at Global.

What do you see as the most important aspects of dressage as a sport?

I think we have a great responsibility to make sure that the welfare of the horse is paramount in every single situation. For most riders, the well-being of their horse is the first priority. Horses cannot tell us what they feel or how they feel. We have to be the guardians of the horse. That means if a rider doesn’t think their horse is feeling well one day, then they do not compete them the next day. It’s a hard decision because competitors might need points to go to a championship or to win a series, but they need to be able to make the decision to not compete and to protect the horse. As a rider, you work with your horse every single day and know your horse inside-out. Equestrians can tell when something is wrong or if their horse needs to be checked.
What do you want people to know about this season at Global?

I really encourage everyone to come out and see what we are doing. It’s open; you can watch the riders in the warm-up and watch the riders in the test. You can see how competitors work with their horses and that horses are athletes. Come out and see for yourself how we treat our animals, who are really our partners. In society today, people are moving away from animals more and more because we don’t need them for transport or for farm work; now horses have become athletes. It does not matter the discipline, we need to preserve horses.

The Adequan Global Dressage Festival showgrounds is located at Equestrian Village at 13500 South Shore Blvd. in Wellington. For more information, visit www.wellingtoninternational.com.

 

Master Saddler Kate Ballard Helps Riders Get The Perfect Fit

By Fiona Slusarev

For equestrians, no other piece of tack is quite as important as their saddle. It is vital that it fits both rider and horse to prevent injury and allow everyone to perform at their best. However, getting a correctly fitted saddle is a perennial issue for riders across all equestrian disciplines.

Kate Ballard of WestHill & Son Saddlery is one of only two master saddlers registered with Britain’s Society of Master Saddlers working in the United States, and she is the only woman in the country with traditional British qualifications to design and craft bespoke saddles by hand. Starting her training at age 15, she now makes custom tack at her Loxahatchee workshop.

“I’ve wanted to make saddles since I was 11 years old,” Ballard recalled. “I remember writing my French essays at school — they were all about saddle making.”

Ballard apprenticed with a master saddler in Suffolk, England, before training at Cordwainers Technical College in London for three more years. She not only studied saddle making but also learned the biomechanics of horse and rider, the muscular system and skeletal frame of the horse, bridle making, harness making and lorinery. Lorinery is considered a heritage craft in the United Kingdom and consists of making all the metal components used on the horse, including bits, buckles and stirrups.

Her studies at Cordwainers were followed by a four-year apprenticeship with master saddler and harness maker Geoff Dean, for a total of nine years of education. She was requested to create ceremonial saddlery for the King’s Troops, to be presented at the Royal Tournament, Earls Court, London by Princess Anne. Ballard was also chosen for the Prince of Wales Award for Rural Craft and invited to St. James’s Palace to receive the honor from then Prince Charles, now King Charles III.

Ballard came to the United States in 2002 after her highly successful career in England, into a void of professional saddlers. “America is starved for saddlers and saddle fitters. There isn’t anywhere in the United States where you can get the education that I was lucky enough to have,” Ballard said.

That education is what separates her from saddle fitter representatives from the big tack brands, who often only have a few weeks of training.

This is what keeps Ballard fitting three to six horses per day. With her experience in leather crafts, combined with her knowledge of horse and rider physiology, she is able to make truly custom tack to fit niche needs. She even dabbles outside the equestrian sphere with other leather items.

“I’ve done incredibly specific saddles for para-riders, each saddle completely unique to that horse and rider,” she said. “I’ve covered driving shafts in patent leather, made bonnet straps for old classic cars, gun holsters, leather boxes, all sorts of leather goods, and made-to-measure bridles.”

From consulting for the para-dressage Olympic team, to making completely bespoke bridles, Ballard is well versed. She also provides some clarity on the perpetual wool versus foam panel debate. Ballard is unquestioningly in favor of wool, which allows her to easily make adjustments as needed. It is not a question of if the horse changes, she said, it is a question of when the horse changes.

“The only reason foam panels exist is because, when saddles were produced years and years ago for the American market, there weren’t saddlers here to make frequent adjustments. That’s different now,” Ballard explained.

Foam panels mean that the customer has to ship the saddle back to the manufacturer and lose it for weeks at a time while it is completely redone to correct the fit. Ballard, however, can adjust wool flocking in an hour at the stables. Which is important, since saddle fit must be checked “twice a year minimum,” Ballard stressed. “It doesn’t matter if the horse is 3 or 33.”

Corrective padding can be another point of stress for the rider. If the saddle itself isn’t a perfect fit, how can it be corrected? With so many options — half-pads, riser pads, shims, new gel-pads and more — it’s hard to know what is actually going to help the horse. For Ballard, corrective pads are not a final answer:

“There is a time and place for pads; most are absolutely useless. If it’s needed, it’s not a long-term solution,” she said.

When investing in a saddle, riders might be tempted to put their fit above that of their horses. Perhaps a saddle is a perfect fit for you and within budget, but isn’t a complete match for your horse. However, Ballard said, the horse should come first. “The saddle has to fit the horse for maximum performance,” she explained.

While Ballard holds the horse’s fit paramount, she acknowledged that if the saddle is not fit to the rider, some issues, like imbalance, can transfer back to the horse. “The saddle is designed to put you in a certain place, and it can create chaos if it’s incorrect,” she said.

All equestrians know a horse that is “hard to fit.” Perhaps a little too high in the withers, wide at the shoulders or long in the back. Whatever the reason, Ballard hears this complaint all the time. She credits this issue, not to the confirmation of the individual horse, but to industry standards that haven’t kept up with changing sporthorse measurements.

“Over the last 7, 10 even 15 years, breeding has changed horses significantly, affecting back shape, so saddle design needs to evolve alongside those changes,” Ballard explained.

Ballard is also educating professionals in other equestrian fields on the very basics of saddlery. For experts in various horse care careers, such as veterinarians, chiropractors and bodyworkers, understanding and recognizing an incorrectly fit saddle can be a pivotal part in treating an issue.

“We all play a part in these horses’ lives, and if I can help other professionals, it’s ultimately better for the horse,” said Ballard, who offers a one-day class for these professionals, as well as a two-day class for aspiring saddlers. She is not teaching how to fit a saddle in a day, but rather providing insight into understanding the complete picture of the horse.

Even though Ballard has worked fitting saddles for more than 35 years, it seems the job hasn’t gotten old yet. Starting out as a child in pony club, then fox hunting, eventing and show jumping, and now a retiree from riding, she still holds a great deal of admiration for horses and riders.

“I love what I do. I’m addicted to it. I am so lucky to have had the education I had,” Ballard said. “One of the best feelings is seeing the horse and rider connect in harmony because the horse can move uninhibited and the rider can stay in balance.”

For more information about Kate Ballard and WestHill & Son Saddlery, visit www.westhillandson.com.

USET Foundation’s Aachen Benefit Gala Raises $1.2 Million

Story by Jennifer Ward/Jump Media  |  Photos by Luxeciné

The United States Equestrian Team (USET) Foundation’s “Aachen” benefit gala raised nearly $1.2 million in support of U.S. equestrian sport ahead of the 2026 World Championships in Aachen, Germany.

Held on Friday, Jan. 16, at ROasis Riding Oasis in Wellington, the event brought together members of the equestrian and philanthropic communities for an evening dedicated to advancing and honoring U.S. excellence on horse sport’s greatest international stages.

Hosted by USET Foundation Trustee Rowan O’Riley, guests enjoyed a night of celebration that included an authentic German-themed cocktail hour, dinner, dancing and a highly anticipated live auction, with proceeds directly benefiting the USET Foundation’s mission to provide critical resources for US Equestrian’s High Performance Programs and U.S. equestrian athletes and horses.

The benefit’s live auction featured an exclusive lineup of sought-after experiences and one-of-a-kind items that garnered enthusiastic bids in support of U.S. equestrian teams. A standout moment was the bidding for a stay at the luxury Mexican retreat Casa de Casas, donated by the Casas family, which was sold twice, generating significant excitement among the attendees. A signed Fender guitar donated by Bruce Springsteen and Patti Scialfa also drew spirited bidding and added to the night’s celebratory momentum.

“Sustaining competitive excellence at the highest levels of equestrian sport requires hard work, unwavering commitment and meaningful resources,” USET Foundation Chairman, President & CEO Kristi Mitchem said. “Unlike many other countries, the United States does not receive government funding for equestrian sport. Our teams rely largely on support from the USET Foundation and our dedicated donors. We are tremendously grateful for the generosity shown at this year’s benefit, which raised nearly $1.2 million for the 2026 FEI World Championships in Aachen and U.S. equestrian programs.”

The USET Foundation’s prestigious annual awards were also presented during the gala. Akiko Yamazaki, a committed champion of the USET Foundation for almost two decades, was presented with the R. Bruce Duchossois Distinguished Trustee Award. She has served as a USET Foundation trustee since 2010 and was elected an officer of the board in 2019. She is also co-chair of the USET Foundation’s “Pathway to the Podium” campaign, helping to lead the foundation as the United States prepares to host the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Show jumping athlete and Wellington resident Lillie Keenan was awarded the Whitney Stone Cup. Presented annually, the Whitney Stone Cup acknowledges an active competitor whose consistent excellence in international competition and sportsmanlike conduct exemplify the USET Foundation’s highest ideals and traditions.

Eventing athlete Cassie Sanger received the Lionel Guerrand-Hermès Trophy, awarded annually to a junior or young rider in an Olympic discipline who exemplifies the U.S. Equestrian Team’s ideals of sportsmanship and horsemanship. Sanger, 21, had an impressive 2025 season, stepping up to the five-star level, where she enjoyed strong performances riding Redfield Fyre.

In addition to supporting the 2026 FEI World Championships in Aachen, funds also support the USEF High Performance Programs and elite athletes and horses, including developing athletes through USEF High Performance Pathway initiatives and international programs that help identify, develop and prepare future team talent.

The USET Foundation is a nonprofit organization that supports the competition, training, coaching, travel and educational needs of the U.S.’s elite and developing international equestrian athletes and horses in partnership with the USEF.

For more information, or to support the USET Foundation and U.S. equestrian athletes and horses, visit www.uset.org/donate.

Palm Beach Dramaworks Announces Exciting 2026-27 Season

By Sheryl Flatow

World premieres. Co-productions. A luminous, thought-provoking musical. An absurdist classic. A contemporary play that should be more widely known. These are the colors of Palm Beach Dramaworks’ exciting 2026-27 season, which features five disparate plays that together provide a microcosm of the company’s mission: a commitment to producing classic, contemporary and world premiere plays that entertain, enlighten, stimulate discussion and illuminate our shared humanity.

It is a mission guided by the spirit of the original regional theater movement, which was created as an alternative to the artistic restraints and commercial necessities of Broadway; by the desire to bring quality professional theater to communities throughout the country, nurture local talent, cultivate new audiences and become integral to the cultural fabric; by the opportunity to explore and experiment and develop new, thought-provoking and unconventional work, while also showcasing some of the great plays of the past.

Palm Beach Dramaworks’ 2026-27 season opens on Oct. 9 with the world premiere of Alejandro Rodriguez’s Alba, which is inspired by Federico García Lorca’s La Casa de Bernarda Alba and was part of the 2025 Perlberg Festival of New Plays. Alba is followed, on Dec. 9, with the second world premiere of the season, Jennifer Maisel’s Provenance (rights pending), which will be a co-production with the Asolo Repertory Theatre in Sarasota. This unique play, about the life of a painting, was initially seen by PBD audiences during the 2026 Perlberg Festival of New Plays. Next up, opening Feb. 12, is the romantic and deeply moving The Light in the Piazza, written by Craig Lucas (book) and Adam Guettel (music and lyrics). Winner of numerous Tony Awards, the musical will be a co-production with the Riverside Theatre in Vero Beach. Moving from the sublime to the absurd, Harold Pinter’s The Birthday Party, a classic comedy of menace, opens April 2. Closing out the season will be Richard Strand’s Ben Butler, which opens on May 21. This very funny comedy is inspired by an event in the life of a historical figure who will likely be unfamiliar to most audiences on the way in, but unforgettable on the way out.

“The 2026-27 season really does epitomize who we are, and is also an indicator of our continuing evolution,” Producing Artistic Director William Hayes said. “For some time now, we’ve been exploring the possibility of doing co-productions with other theater companies. We’ve done a few in the recent past, but we’ve come to believe that collaboration is the wave of the future — and not simply for the financial advantages. They will be the exception, not the rule, but when you work with other respected institutions, you learn from each other, discover new ideas and develop more resources. You make new connections, open new doors, build name recognition and expand your audience. We’re excited by the possibilities.”

Also featured is a special, limited-engagement event.

“Bringing in major talent to share their special gifts is another way of expanding our vision,” Hayes said, “which is one of the reasons we’re so delighted to be presenting internationally renowned artist Hershey Felder for a limited engagement.”

Felder, who has been called “a world-class singular artist” by American Theatre magazine, brings his newest and most personal show, The Piano & Me, to PBD on Oct. 30.

Seasonal subscriptions are on sale now. Although The Piano & Me will be performed shortly after the closing of Alba, it is not part of PBD’s subscription season. However, subscribers have the opportunity to add the show at an exclusive rate.

Palm Beach Dramaworks is a professional, nonprofit theater company founded in 2000 and located in the heart of downtown West Palm Beach. Each season, the award-winning company produces five shows and offers a wide variety of programs for students at the theater and in schools. Committed to fostering the future of theater, PBD has become a hub for playwrights in Florida and around the country to nurture their work through the Perlberg Festival of New Plays. PBD is a member of the Theatre Communications Group, the Florida Professional Theatre Association and the Cultural Council of Palm Beach County.

Evening performances are Wednesday through Saturday at 7:30 p.m. Matinee performances are Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday at 2 p.m. Post-performance discussions follow Wednesday and Thursday matinees. There are a few differences in the schedule for Provenance due to the Christmas holiday. Check www.palmbeachdramaworks.org for dates.

Subscription packages are available for four or five plays. Most single tickets go on sale in July; tickets for The Light in the Piazza and Hershey Felder will go on sale separately. Individual tickets for all performances are $97, except for opening night of each production ($117) and previews ($77). Student tickets are available for $15 with a valid K-12 or university/college ID, and anyone under 40 pays $40 (no additional fees) with a photo ID. Tickets for educators and active military are half price with proper ID (other restrictions apply). Group rates are also available. All titles are subject to change.

Palm Beach Dramaworks is located at the Don & Ann Brown Theatre at 201 Clematis Street in the heart of downtown West Palm Beach. Tickets can be purchased through the box office, in person or by phone at (561) 514-4042, ext. 2, and online 24 hours a day at www.palmbeachdramaworks.org.