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.