After A ‘Dream Season’ In 2019, Dutta Corp Polo Has Big Plans For 2020 Dutta Family

The Dutta family is synonymous with horses. Tim Dutta Sr. started playing polo in New Delhi, India as a young boy and has loved the sport ever since. His wife, Susie, is a highly acclaimed international dressage competitor who often competes in Wellington. And their son, Timmy, is an up-and-coming polo prodigy. Their affinity for horses extends to business as the Dutta Corporation is a well-respected international air transport company.

The Dutta Corp team had a remarkable 2019 polo season. With Timmy playing the No. 1 position, Dutta Corp won all three 20-goal tournaments at the International Polo Club Palm Beach. Father and son also won an 8-goal tournament at the Grand Champions Polo Club in Wellington. Timmy Dutta also played for the U.S. on the Junior Westchester Cup at IPC in late April, as well as subbing in other high-goal tournaments.

“We were the only team that beat Pilot last season,” Tim Dutta Sr. said. “A dream season.”

This season, Dutta Corp is stepping up to play in the Gauntlet of Polo, a series of three 22-goal tournaments at IPC. Timmy Dutta, whose handicap was raised to 3 goals, will be joined on the team by Lucas Diaz Alberdi, Nino Obregon and Facundo Obregon. Timmy Dutta expects to have about 17 horses for the 22-goal season, including his most recognizable one, Mr. Musty, a Palomino.

“My expectations are high, as we have a great team,” said Timmy Dutta, who spent more than a month at La Canada Polo Club in Argentina with his father and teammates preparing for the upcoming season in Wellington. “I’m looking to win the Gauntlet.”

Timmy Dutta believes it is very important to go to Argentina if you want to grow as a player. He has been traveling to the mecca of polo in South America for the last six years.

“The polo there helps me become better for the Florida season and improves me as a player,” said Timmy Dutta, who turns 19 on Sept. 20. “I believe my strengths are for sure as an attacker scoring goals and putting pressure on the other team. I believe I’m a great teammate and bring a positive energy toward a team, which I feel is very important. I believe my weaknesses are that I’m still young and I make mistakes. I need to be more consistent on my plays and try to learn every day. All in all, I’m learning something new every day.”

Veteran 6-goaler Kris Kampsen, who is based in Wellington, played on Dutta Corp in 2019 and has known the Dutta family for more than a decade.

“Timmy is an animal on the field,” Kampsen said. “He’s a hell of a teammate and awesome to play with. Off the field, he’s a great guy, a lot of fun but super serious, too. I loved watching him grow up. It’s great to see someone have his passion and dedication for polo.”

While the Dutta family’s foray into polo began in India, it wasn’t until 2013 that it grabbed a serious grip in the U.S., thanks to Tim Dutta Sr.’s friendship with the late Carlos Gracida, one of the sport’s all-time legends.

While Tim Dutta Sr. was working with Gracida, his son would often accompany him to the field.

“One afternoon, I decided to try stick-and-balling for the first time because my jumper was lame,” Timmy Dutta said. “And I never looked back.”

While most of his time is spent working with the horses, Timmy Dutta makes time for his schoolwork as a senior at #1 Education Place in Wellington. In his limited spare time, he’s usually fishing or at the beach.

“Polo has really bonded us. We ride every day together in the afternoon,” Tim Dutta Sr. said. “We enjoy the family together and the best is to play with Timmy and enjoy what the sport is all about. We have love and respect for the horses, and we spend lots of time together collaborating, learning and sharing. We also travel the world, as well spend time in business together. I am a very lucky guy to have a son like Timmy.”

The son’s love for his parents and the horses are easily reciprocated.

“Horses in general is all we know as a family,” said Timmy Dutta, whose mentors include his father, Piki Diaz Alberdi and Memo Gracida. “Especially for me, it’s what I love to do. Polo has brought me and my dad closer and has really made a relationship between us. My mom and I have a great relationship revolving around horses and outside of the barn as well.”

He is also proud of his mother’s accomplishments in the sport of dressage.

“My mom still competes, and she’s very competitive — it runs in the blood. I watch her compete when I can. I come to visit her in the summers in Europe to watch her show. My father is normally at the tent, and my mother is either in the middle of the field or in the box when we play Field 1 [at IPC].”

Timmy Dutta is excited about the future for both the team and himself.

“I have a personal goal and that is to become the best player I can be,” he said. “If that’s 10 goals, it’s 10 goals, but I want to be the best I can be.”

With the help and support of his parents, his path is clear.

Temple Beth Torah Will Honor Inaugural Gala Service Award Winners Jan. 18

Temple Beth Torah, in recognition of the remarkable contributions of members Roger and Stephanie Grave de Peralta, will be celebrating them both with its inaugural Temple Beth Torah Gala Service Award. Additionally, three students from the temple will be announced as recipients of the Student Service Award and recognized monetarily. These awards honor members of the Temple Beth Torah community who have dedicated their time and efforts to its growth and prosperity and who inspire the involvement of others.

The gala will be held at the Wellington National Golf Club on Saturday, Jan. 18 at 7 p.m. More information can be found at www.templebethtorah.net/gala2020. Tickets can be purchased online or by contacting the temple directly at (561) 793-2700. A gift gathering event was held on Dec. 19 for the purpose of collecting silent auction items.

The theme of Temple Beth Torah’s gala this year is “masquerade” and guests will enjoy festive entertainment, a variety of wines and specialty cocktails, and delicious and diverse cuisine. Guests can bring their own masks or purchase one crafted by religious school students. Pairing the food and wine with great music, casino games and a silent auction will ensure a lively, celebratory evening.

This is a unique opportunity for temple members, preschool parents and friends from the local community to come together for a night of fun and fundraising. 

Roger and Stephanie Grave de Peralta joined Temple Beth Torah in 2009, sending all three children through its preschool, two to the bema as bar and bat mitzvahs, and one currently in religious school. In addition to her role on the board of trustees since 2016, Stephanie has served as chair of the religious school committee, of which she has been a member since 2009. Her tenure has overseen the success of both religious and preschool events and fundraisers, and she prides herself on the active volunteerism she promotes.

Roger, meanwhile, has actively grown the temple’s brotherhood and also served as vice president of the organization in 2016 and 2017. His contributions include assisting with the annual golf tournament, the temple directory and the gala ad book. He has been involved with the nominating committee for temple board members, as well as his repeated commitment to high holiday responsibilities.

The event will be made possible by the generosity of Presenting Sponsor Pike and Lustig LLP; Diamond Sponsors Hightower, Stratton, Novigrod, Kantor Scott & Marcia Weber and the Barron Group at UBS Financial; Pearl Sponsor Herman Law; Topaz Sponsor Diagnostic Centers of America; Gift Bag and Silent Auction Sponsor Provident Jewelry; Vodka Sponsor Tito’s Vodka; Craft Beer Sponsor Lagunitas Brewing Company; Beer Sponsor Heineken Company; and Fresh Juice Sponsor Kennesaw Fruit & Juice.

Serving on this year’s gala committee are Ron and Liz Herman, Lee and Robin Kantor, Todd and Debra Barron as co-chairs, Michael and Pamela Pike and Daniel and Dara Lustig as honorary chairs, and committee members Jill Cohen, Samantha Fishman, Roger Grave de Peralta, Sharon Lowenstein, Marcy Samuels, Kevin and Jen Shapiro, Tyler Shernoff, Alan and Sarah Shullman, Pam Tahan, Marcia Weber, Adam and Megan Wellikoff, and Janna Zaidspiner.

Temple Beth Torah is a vibrant, Reform Jewish congregation that has served the western communities of Palm Beach County for more than three decades. It is the spiritual and social home for more than 300 Wellington households. An additional 100 families benefit from the strong educational foundation of its NAEYC-accredited preschool. Learn more at www.templebethtorah.net.

Lego Love

While many younger sisters might not want to follow in their brother’s footsteps, Wellington High School junior Sarah Clein relishes the job of taking over the responsibility of the local nonprofit Bricks Busting Boredom founded by her sibling Daniel Clein.

To date, the nonprofit has redistributed more than 2,500 pounds of Lego bricks and given away hundreds of new sets to seriously ill children.

Sarah, not yet driving, nonetheless manages to provide public relations for the project and goes with her mother, Deborah Clein, all over the county collecting Legos and then delivering them to children in hospitals and shelters.

Since 2017, when Daniel headed off to college, she has organized Lego parties, where younger brother Jonathan Clein, 13 and heir to the organization, helps out and is known to dress as a Lego man to distribute the famous toys to children.

“My mother and I work together to do public relations and all the footwork to pick up Legos,” Sarah said. “We try and get the word out so that people who have Legos know to bring them to the many different drop-off locations we have set up around the county.”

Even people who have not had children are likely familiar with the world-famous Lego brand of little plastic bricks that can be connected to assemble objects such as buildings, vehicles, even working robots, then disassembled and the pieces used to make something else.

They are immensely popular with children worldwide and are so ubiquitous that marketing experts have named them Brand Finance’s “World’s Most Powerful Brand.” Lego bricks are durable, don’t wear out easily with repeated coupling and disassembly, and can be sanitized for new users.

Patented in 1958, the modern Lego brick design has roots in the woodworking facility of a Danish carpenter. Invented in the workshop of Oleg Kirk Christiansen, Legos evolved in the 1930s and 1940s from wooden toys, becoming what we would recognize as modern Legos in 1949. The toys earned their name based upon the first two letters of the words leg godt, which means “play well” in Danish.

During the ensuing decades, many have noticed how involved children and adults can become building with the tiny bricks. Sarah noted that working with them has a therapeutic effect.

“It allows kids to really let their imaginations run wild,” she explained. “I see kids sit down, and they have a bunch of Legos, they’re playing with them and they already have a plan in their heads. They make cars and buildings. They make things I never would have thought of. The kids will sit there for hours; you see them, their mind is working, their eyes light up. It distracts them from everything else that is going on in their lives. It’s adorable.”

Bricks Busting Boredom has grown rapidly since Daniel started it in 2015 after visiting his cousin in the hospital and learning of how useful Lego bricks and Lego sets can be for young patients. “We have fundraisers and accept donations to buy new Lego sets,” Deborah said. “Some hospitals will only let us donate new, unopened toys in the box.”

A safety precaution, perhaps, but Legos can be thoroughly cleaned and passed down. They are virtually indestructible, as any parent knows who has ever stepped on an errant brick. How indestructible? The company reports it would take 950 pounds of force to crush a single brick. That equates to being at the bottom of a tower 375,000 bricks high.

With approximately 180 bricks to the pound, a recent trip this summer to New York delivered 400 pounds to severely ill children at Camp Simcha.

“We heard about a camp for sick kids that had a Lego room,” Sarah said. “It was all decorated for playing with Legos with nicely painted walls and a good floor surface. It just needed Legos, so a volunteer drove our donation of 400 pounds of Legos up in a truck and delivered them to the camp.”

Begun as a project by Daniel, Sarah took over two years later and Jonathan is set to take over when she graduates. The consistent factor through the various siblings’ tenure has been Deborah, who provides tireless support to her children.

“We provide sets to children’s hospitals like Palm Beach, Palms West and Joe DiMaggio, as well as Quantum House,” she said. “Everyone we interact with gets a set of Legos that they can take home with them.”

Once focused on Palm Beach County, the nonprofit is growing.

“We are currently working with Kindness Matters 365,” Sarah said. “We’re picking up at different schools around Florida, and we have plans to continue to grow outside of Florida.”

In the future, they may even have support from the company itself.

“Recently, we found out that the Lego company has started a Lego Replay program, collecting used Legos, cleaning them and sending them to different organizations,” Sarah said. “We asked to be part of the program, and they said right now they’re just getting on their feet with it, but they will consider us in the future. We would love to work with the Lego company.”

In other future plans, she also wants to donate to more hospitals in and around Florida, along with women’s shelters and homeless shelters. “Anywhere we see a need for Legos, we want those people to be able to have the opportunity to use the Legos,” Sarah said.

Of course, the entire program runs on donations.

“I just want to let people know if they have Legos, please donate them, and we will put them in the hands of kids who can really use them,” Sarah said.

For information about Bricks Busting Boredom, including how to donate, call (954) 682-3816 or visit www.bricksbustingboredom.org. To see the group in action, visit www.facebook.com/BricksBustingBoredom.

Binks Forest Elementary School Promotes Kindness By Installing A Buddy Bench
Buddy Ambassadors

After nearly a half-century in law enforcement, Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office Chief Deputy Michael Gauger has seen more bullies than he cares to remember.

“I know bullies,” Gauger told students at Wellington’s Binks Forest Elementary School in October. “I see people who bully [in the jail]. If you start bullying, and you are very young, and you don’t change your ways, it gets worse.”

Longtime residents of Wellington, Gauger and his wife Phyllis came to Binks Forest to present the school with a Buddy Bench they donated. It’s the 16th bench to be placed at a Palm Beach County school as part of the Buddy Ambassadors program, a joint initiative of Mental Health America of Palm Beach County and local author Loverly Sheridan, who wrote the book Be a Buddy, Not a Bully.

The Buddy Ambassadors program was designed around Sheridan’s book, which tells the story of bullies on a school bus on the first day of school.

“Buddy Ambassadors lead by example,” Sheridan told the children during an assembly to dedicate the bench and recognize two students in each grade who had shown acts of kindness or compassion to their peers.

A Buddy Bench provides a safe spot for a child who is feeling sad, lonely or afraid to ask for a friend without having to necessarily say anything.

“The buddy program is teaching children how to be a buddy instead of a bully,” Gauger explained. “If somebody is being bullied, you come to their aid and help that child and let them know they’re important, you’re a friend and they’re not alone.”

It is all part of establishing a culture of kindness at the school, Principal Michella Levy said.

“Our goal at Binks Forest Elementary is not only to spread kindness but to inspire our students to be leaders and stand up against bullying,” Levy explained. “Every week, we recognize students from all grade levels caught being a student leader against bullying. Our school behavioral health counselor, Mrs. Hope Jackson, is even starting a student leadership program after school to teach students how to problem solve and help others with bullying situations.”

Tackling the bullying epidemic, and the fallout that often results, is something that Gauger feels passionate about. He works closely with Mental Health America and the National Alliance on Mental Illness and sits on several boards of nonprofit organizations focusing on mental illness and drug or alcohol addictions.

“I have a master’s degree in social work, and I feel very strongly about the bullying program,” he said. “Bullying has resulted in some of the active shooter situations we’ve seen.”

The Gaugers have called Wellington home for three decades. Their children, now 27 and 34, are the product of Wellington schools. They paid $1,500 for the bench, which is inscribed with Gauger’s name, to say thank you.

“The Wellington community has been very good to me,” he said. “We decided to donate the bench because this is so important. These benches may deter future situations in schools by promoting kindness and giving students the chance to be there for one of their peers. While we may not be able to eliminate all bullying, we know these benches will reduce the instances and can foster new friendships that may not have happened otherwise.”

For more information on donating a Buddy Bench to local schools, contact Mental Health America of Palm Beach County at (561) 832-3755 or e-mail lsheridan@mentalhealthpbc.org. Learn more about the program at www.mentalhealthpbc.org.

Olympic Dressage Hopeful Supports Local Boys & Girls Club Youth
Powerful Message

Dressage phenom Juan Matute Guimón has witnessed many changes over the past year, as he lives with one foot firmly planted in Wellington and the other in Madrid, Spain.

Matute Guimón, 21, was born in Spain but moved to Wellington’s equestrian community when he was 10 years old. Last year, he became a U.S. citizen, but he also decided to move back to Spain to earn a university degree. Despite this life-changing decision, Matute Guimón is determined to stay rooted locally by continuing to help the Neil S. Hirsch Family Boys & Girls Club of Wellington.

“I’m still closely connected to the Wellington community even though I am living in Spain,” Matute Guimón said. “It’s like my home even though I moved away. I hold onto my Wellington family while I have my Spanish roots.”

He’s excited to return to South Florida this winter. In February, Matute Guimón will be one of nine star players competing in the World Championship Equestrian Triathlon, which benefits the local Boys & Girls Club.

Matute Guimón said that the event is special for him because he is able to have fun with some of the world’s most renowned equestrians while impacting the lives of more than 1,200 children who are members of the club.

“It’s one of the highlights of the season for all of us,” he said. “We meet many families whose children enjoy a safe place to go after school. It’s a great feeling that as we are competing, we are also helping the future progress and connecting new individuals.”

The third annual World Championship Equestrian Triathlon will be held Monday, Feb. 10, 2020 at Deeridge Farms in Wellington. It features elite dressage, show jumping and polo athletes from around the world. The twist is that the athletes do not compete in their sport of expertise, which makes the event even more exciting for the competitors and the spectators.

Matute Guimón and his team will be defending their championship title next year. Earlier this year, they were crowned victorious over equestrian celebrities such as Nacho Figueras, Andy Kocher and Lerin Zubiaurre. Always the gentleman, Matute Guimón plays coy when asked if he wants to hold onto his title for a second year. “We all have a competitive edge about us, but it’s most important that we raise money for the organization,” he said. “If we win, it’s even better!”

Matute Guimón is used to winning. Throughout his dressage career, he has achieved significant accomplishments at a young age both in the U.S. and Spain. He started competing in Wellington in the national ring in 2010 and the international ring two years later. In 2015, he won the FEI gold medal at the Young Rider European Championships. He continues to earn spots on medal podiums at some of the most prestigious competitions.

Currently, he’s working to represent Spain at the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo. The added stress and necessary practice makes for a hectic schedule, but Matute Guimón is passionate about making it to the Olympics. Representing Spain during the games would be a dream come true. “It has been my goal since I was a little boy, and now I’m ready to make it happen,” he said.

Off the field, Matute Guimón is focused on a second career that builds off his international dressage experience. “I’m studying international relations at Francisco de Vitoria University in Madrid,” he explained.

The academics are a different type of challenge, but it is one that he’s facing with the same kind of determination that he exerts while on horseback. “It can be difficult at times with the competition, travel and training for the different shows. I take it step-by-step and focus on my goals,” Matute Guimón said.

His experience of having a dual career in the dressage world and the academic world has changed his perspective and even the advice that he gives to younger fans. He’s aware that his age allows him to have a more significant influence on children. This is one reason he looks forward to competing in the World Championship Equestrian Triathlon. “With me being so young, I hope that I can inspire others to participate or even volunteer at the Boys & Girls Club,” Matute Guimón said.

The Neil S. Hirsch Family Boys & Girls Club has more than 1,200 members with 300 kids served daily. It features a learning center with a computer lab, certified teachers as tutors, college and career readiness programs, STEM programs with robotics, as well as art courses, health and wellness education, dance classes, voice lessons, a gardening program, athletics and much more.

“Always have a clear idea of your dreams and don’t be afraid to pursue them,” Matute Guimón says when advising young club members.

He knows that many of the club children face challenges every day and that their personal attitudes can help them reach their goals in the future, no matter their situation in the present. His recent commitment to juggling schoolwork and qualifying for the 2020 Olympics has underscored his strong belief in the importance of dedication and determination.

Both characteristics were taught to Matute Guimón by his father, also a well-known dressage rider. He’s quick to note that his main role model in life has always been his father. In fact, they continue to have a close relationship even as the young champion moves into adulthood.

Matute Guimón understands that not every situation allows a child to have their father as their role model, and that’s another reason why he supports the local Boys & Girls Club, which provides children positive role models and mentors. “I think it’s extremely important for the kids to always have a person that they can look up to,” he said. “It has made a big difference in my life, and I want all kids to have the same experience to push themselves to be better.”

Despite his very rigorous university coursework, Matute Guimón is not easing up on travel, competing and charity work. He looks forward to 2020 being his most exciting and possibly rewarding year yet. With the Olympics at the end of July, his schedule will likely ramp up and make his goal of attaining his degree a little more challenging to achieve. But Matute Guimón is sure to follow the advice that he gives to the Boys & Girls Club children: “If you work hard and stay focused, anything is possible!”