Special Delivery: Brook Ledge Horse Transportation’s Commitment to Conservation

Special Delivery: Brook Ledge Horse Transportation’s Commitment to Conservation

by | Oct 28, 2022 | Events, News

Horse Farms Forever is honored to have Brook Ledge Horse Transportation as our Title Sponsor of our Conservation Summit for the third year in a row. This year’s topic – Traffic and Transportation – is especially important for their business.

An HFF member since 2018, Brook Ledge is a family business that cares about Marion County’s horses and horse farms.

In 1955, Bill and Bob Gotwals started in the trucking business with one truck. Since that time, the family owned and operated business has grown to include Brook Ledge Inc. and XpressWay. Brook Ledge Inc. is now one of the largest Horse Transportation companies in North America. In addition to operating out of its home office in Oley, PA, Brook Ledge Inc. maintains terminals on small farms in Lexington, KY and here in Ocala. There are three generations of Gotwals currently working at Brook Ledge.

Brook Ledge and the people behind the name are committed to providing the most outstanding service possible in horse transportation. They ship famous show and racehorses to pasture companions and faithful steeds. They understand that whether your horse is a companion or a champion they are all equally important and this is why they treat each horse with the highest care and attention.

Brook Ledge’s fleet is operated by expert drivers and video monitoring of the horses while in transport, and frequent communication during the route provides peace of mind for horse owners.

Brook Ledge is incredibly proud to present their customers with lifelong horsemen and women to ship and care for their horses. Their professional drivers come from a wide range of equine backgrounds consisting of trainers, farriers, professional competitive riders, grooms, horse farm managers, who all have extensive horse experience. Most of the drivers are current or past horse owners and many are second and third generation horse people—the horse is in their blood.

One of the many ways that Brook Ledge gives back to the equine community is through their Brook Ledge Road Scholar award. Through this program, they gift round-trip travel to one full-time student who wants to take their horse to college but doesn’t have the means to get them there. This opportunity is open to any incoming or current undergraduate student under the age of 24. Interested students apply at https://www.brookledge.com/roadscholar  and the winning applicant is most heavily weighted on need and the quality of their applicant essay.

As a business, we think about how we can give back to this place and the horse farms and families that we’ve been able to serve.

We’re truly blessed to have what we have – these horse farms and that rich belt of land that grows good horses. If you’re not nurturing the whole system – land, business and the equine industry, there won’t be anything left for our kids to be a part of.

It’s so easy to think in the ‘now,’ but the ‘now is tomorrow and the next day. We want to encourage growth in Marion County but there is still plenty of land where that can strategically happen so that everyone can flourish in such a wonderful place that is Marion County.

Brian Roberts

Manager, Ocala Depot, Brook Ledge Horse Transportation
Summit Info

Watch the Brook Ledge Feature Video:

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Questions About Transportation and Traffic in Marion County? Let’s Hear Them…

Questions About Transportation and Traffic in Marion County? Let’s Hear Them…

by | Oct 28, 2022 | Events, News, Roadway Threats

What Concerns Drive You?

Please use the comments section at the bottom of this blog to ask your question.

When we surveyed the audience after the 2021 Conservation Summit about future topics for Conversations About Conservation, several of you said this:

“Transportation and how it relates to conservation. Proposed new Marion County Roads. 75 Interchange North of 27.”

And that makes sense, because in last year’s Quality of Life Survey, you rated Transportation and Traffic second only to Preservation of Natural Resources as a topic of concern.

At last year’s Conversations About Conservation Summit at Ocala Breeder’s Sales, we brought you the two people most qualified to address that very topic. Keynote Speaker, Secretary Jared Perdue of the Florida Department of Transportation has the big picture of Florida’s transportation needs and challenges in hand. He was appointed by Governor DeSantis in April to lead the Department. Perdue has served at FDOT for 18 years, most recently as District Five Secretary where he was responsible for leading and developing a workforce of nearly 600 employees and managing an annual budget of nearly $1 billion. As District Five Secretary, Perdue led the completion of the I-4 Ultimate Project, FDOT’s largest project to date. He also oversaw the Wekiva Parkway project, a model transportation project for environmental conservation.

Secretary Perdue lending a hand with the aftermath of Hurricane Ian. Source: FDOT.

And there is nobody more qualified to speak about the granular details of Marion County’s 42 ongoing road projects than our Guest Speaker, Marion County’s own Tracy Straub, Assistant Administrator of Public Works and Growth Services. Straub oversees the Office of the County Engineer, which consists of the Road Maintenance, Stormwater, Transportation Design, and Traffic Management sections. She is also responsible for the Growth Services department and its sections; Planning and Zoning and Code Enforcement. Straub’s duties also include the departments of Building Safety, Community Services, MSTU/Assessment, and Tourist Development. As an Ocala native and fifth-generation Marion County Floridian, Straub takes great pride in her community and helping to shape its public infrastructure while preserving the beauty and environment of her home.

Secretary Jared Perdue (in helicopter) and District Secretary John Tyler from the Florida Department of Transportation (second from right) took flight with Marion County Adminstrator Mounir Bouyounes and Assistant County Administrator Tracy Straub to get a better perspective of traffic in Marion County. Special thanks to pilots Master Sergeant Darren Bruner and Corporal Joe Jenkins from Marion County Sheriff’s Office Air 1 for the birds-eye view of Marion County. Source: Marion County.
 
 
 

 

The Marion County Quality of Life Survey

While Horse Farms Forever was the catalyst for the Survey, we were honored to collaborate with five sponsors who represent the business and non-profit community in Marion County: Ocala Metro Chamber and Economic Partnership, College of Central Florida, Ocala Horse Properties, Florida Thoroughbred Breeders’ and Owners’ Association and Hotel Development and Management Group.

The Matrix Group, an independent insights and consulting firm based in Lexington, Kentucky, administered, processed and tabulated responses. Working closely with our partners, we sought to ask the questions that are on the minds of Marion County’s residents.

Read more survey results.

Summit 2022

Let’s Talk Transportation

Monday, November 14
11am to 1:30pm

at Ocala Breeder’s Sales

 

Learn More About The 2023 Summit

Brought To You By:

Gold Sponsors

Diamondback Hospitality Group

William Kearns

Leonard & Lois Green Charitable Foundation

Live Oak Stud Ocala Marion County Florida
Live Oak Stud Ocala Marion County Florida
Misty Lane Cattle Co.
Misty Lane Cattle Co.

Cathy D. Perry Estate

Stonehall Farm

Saint Bernard Foundation

Tri-Eagle Sales Logo

Silver Sponsors

Bronze Sponsors

Florida Horse Park Logo

Marketing Partners

DarkHorse joins Horse Farms Forever® as a Founder Member

DarkHorse joins Horse Farms Forever® as a Founder Member

by | Sep 21, 2022 | News

Laura competes Idara at the Grand Prix level. She is a 9 year-old mare formerly competed by Martin Fuchs. Here she is competing at the World Equestrian Center. 

Laura Connolly recently bought a new farm in Ocala and moved her private show jumping barn from Wellington to Ocala for the winter season. In the summer, she trains and competes out of one of the most beautiful barns in the Northeast, her DarkHorse Farm in Ridgefield, Connecticut. She joined Horse Farms Forever® (HFF) as a Founder Member as suggested by Matt Varney, a Realtor with Ocala Horse Properties.

 

Grand Prix Show Jumper

Connolly is a successful Grand Prix show jumper and has competed for many years in Europe and in the United States at top venues located up and down the east coast and throughout the Midwest, including Wellington, WEC, HITS, Old Salem Farm, Tryon, KY Horse Park, Traverse City, and many more. She currently owns 10 horses, including the talented gelding Rahmannshof Upgrade, who is competed by European Champion and FEI world #1, Martin Fuchs of Switzerland.

“When I think of Ocala, I think of horse country. Horse Farms Forever’s mission to preserve that character speaks straight to my heart and passion. I couldn’t be prouder to support this incredible organization and their purpose,” said Connolly to HFF.

Pony Paradise

In addition to her show jumping career, she is an attorney, as well as a business owner. Connolly’s love of horses, and the process of designing and building her dream barn in Connecticut, led her to develop Stables-4-Sport, a partnership with Alan Megerdichian of Sequoia Contracting Company, the builder of her farm. Together, they create very unique and special homes for horses.

Connolly’s gorgeous all-white New England style horse barn is one of Sequoia’s top featured building projects. The farm is nestled in the idyllic Connecticut countryside and the barn looks and feels more like a bright and airy New England cottage than a barn for horses. Stables-4-Sport, the partnership between DarkHorse and Sequoia Contracting, is focused on building and renovating horse farms tailored to modern day sport horse operations. Megerdichian brings over 30 years of building and designing to the table and Connolly’s knowledge as an equestrian and show jumper in both the United Stated and in Europe, as well as her deep understanding of the industry, offers valuable insight.

“We are focusing on renovating and building farms with all of the modern-day amenities the sport horse industry is begging for,” stated Connolly in a Stable Style article. “The sport horse industry has changed so dramatically over the years, and we are focused on creating leading edge equine facilities that keep up with the ever-expanding demands and desires of both the horses and the humans active in the sport.”

The Stable Style article showcases some of the unique features such as individual lights in each stall, which is convenient for evening checks on one horse, without disturbing the rest of the horses in the barn.

The unique features in her horse barn are just one way Connolly strives to make her horses more comfortable. She is always looking for new ways to improve the sport horse industry, which has recently led her to founding SportHorse Tech, a new endeavor focused on developing leading edge high-tech equestrian equipment.

 

At Home in the Barn

Connolly’s new businesses are helping her to fulfill her dream as a young girl to spend all day in the barn, as she spent countless hours in the barn. First at the next-door neighbor’s horse farm, and then at the barn that her parents built at their farm in Michigan so that she would spend more time at home – well, at least she was at home in the barn!

“My mom or dad would have to come and drag me out of there every evening kicking and screaming. I think my parents quickly realized they wouldn’t see very much of me unless they moved the horses to our property! So, when I was about eight years old, they built a small six stall barn and a ring on our farm, which is where I grew up riding,” stated Connolly in an article on Fei.org.

Connolly is excited about the possibilities in Ocala with the opening of the new World Equestrian Center and to work with horse farm owners to help make their vision and dream for their horse barn come true.

Horse Farms Forever welcomes DarkHorse and Laura Connolly to their winter home – in the barn!

DarkHorse recently moved its winter quarters from Wellington to Ocala.

Laura Connolly with two of her Grand Prix horses. (L to R) Sil and VDL Nuit de Pomme (aka Buddy). 

DarkHorse in Ridgefield, CT – the farm that inspired Connolly’s new businesses, Stables4Sport and SportHorse Tech.
Learn More

Contact the County about the EAR:

For any additional questions regarding the EAR process, please email Planning@MarionFL.org with your subject line including 'EAR' or call us at 352-438-2675 & ask for a planner.

https://www.marionfl.org/agencies-departments/departments-facilities-offices/growth-services/planning-zoning/ear

The workshops will be livestreamed. Check the County’s agenda webpage for the link: https://marionfl.legistar.com/Calendar.aspx

Join or Donate Now
Horse Farms Forever Welcomes Long Creek Farms as a New Founder

Horse Farms Forever Welcomes Long Creek Farms as a New Founder

by | Sep 9, 2022 | News

The Mitchells skiing in Aspen. Kent has gone for the last 60 years!

Long Creek Farms Owners Kent and Rona Mitchell have a long family history of supporting land conservation, and by joining Horse Farms Forever® (HFF) as Founding Members, they are continuing this tradition. As Founding Members, they are also Gold Sponsors of the 2022 Conservation Summit.

“Joining Horse Farms Forever is one way for Kent and I to continue the traditions of conservation set forth by my parents in southeastern PA where they have always supported various land conservancies, as well as Kent’s father who was a large proponent of sustainable development in Texas,” stated Rona in an email to HFF.

Ocala and California

Long Creek Farms recently moved their show horses and equestrian operation in Florida from Wellington to Ocala. They made the move in 2021 to be closer to the World Equestrian Center (WEC) during the winter season. The farm is just 15 minutes from WEC on 70 acres of rolling hills in the Farmland Preservation Area.

In the summer, their farm in California’s Santa Ynez Valley provides relief for the horses from the hot, humid Florida summer. This region is known for its warm, dry summers, and world-class wineries.

The California farm was originally purchased for the show horses, but Kent was inspired by spending time in wine country, so in 2018, the Mitchell’s founded Long Creek Wines with the help of renowned winemaker Steve Clifton. All the grapes are locally harvested in the Santa Ynez Valley and produced with winemaker, Steve Clifton, in his Santa Ynez winery. 

With the addition of the wine company, Long Creek Farms has expanded their agricultural business, but remain dedicated to supporting the equestrian community through land preservation, facility improvement, and casual accessible schooling opportunities.

Conservation Commitment

“We believe that the Ocala area of Marion County is ripe for both residential and commercial overdevelopment, and once the farmland is lost, it is forever gone for future generations. The goals of HFF provide a balanced mix of protection and limited development, encouraging all landowners to secure the original “feel” of Ocala while allowing growth that promotes continued stewardship of the land,” stated Rona in an email to HFF.

Let’s raise a glass to welcome Long Creek Farms as Founding Members of Horse Farms Forever. Cheers!

 

 

Long Creek Wines was founded in 2018.

Although not a rider himself, Kent is very supportive of “the herd”.  Pictured here with Conquest

Spending New Year’s Eve in California with local riders. Left to right: Michelle Emmermann, Kira Plymire, Rona, Caitlin Davison.

When not on the farm, Kent and Rona enjoy sailing; they keep small racing boats in CA and FL and a 60’ cruising sailboat in Fiji  cool  
Learn More

Contact the County about the EAR:

For any additional questions regarding the EAR process, please email Planning@MarionFL.org with your subject line including 'EAR' or call us at 352-438-2675 & ask for a planner.

https://www.marionfl.org/agencies-departments/departments-facilities-offices/growth-services/planning-zoning/ear

The workshops will be livestreamed. Check the County’s agenda webpage for the link: https://marionfl.legistar.com/Calendar.aspx

Join or Donate Now
HFF Welcomes Kimberly Van Kampen As A New Founding Member

HFF Welcomes Kimberly Van Kampen As A New Founding Member

by | Aug 25, 2022 | News

Kimberly Van Kampen  Photo source

Marion County is growing by leaps and bounds, but with the opening of the World Equestrian Center (WEC), the horse sport industry is also growing. Most notably, the discipline of dressage has grown with the arrival of several top-level dressage riders and farms.

 

From Wellington to Ocala

In 2019, Kimberly Van Kampen moved her Hampton Green Farms from Wellington to Ocala. The move to Marion County was inspired by the opening of WEC; so much so, that in 2021 Hampton Green Farms and Discover Dressage became Founding Partners of WEC.

Her generous support of dressage will help grow the sport in Marion County, and it will also help protect horse farms. In 2019, Van Kampen joined Horse Farms Forever® as a Charter Member. This year, she became a Founder Member of HFF and we appreciate her continued support!

Van Kampen’s move to Marion County is big news for the dressage world, as she is one of the founders of the Global Dressage Festival in Wellington and a member of Wellington Equestrian Partners. But after 20 years, she decided to move her investments to Ocala because of WEC.

“The new World Equestrian Center has to be seen to be believed,” said Van Kampen in a Euro Dressage article. “There is no other equestrian show facility like it, in both philosophy and facilities. Both Hampton Green Farms and Discover Dressage, in their own rights, focus their efforts on young horses and youth riders in order to create a solid foundation for future success. We are honored to partner with World Equestrian Center to see dressage grow in this amazing place!”

Dressage For Kids

Van Kampen is one of the most respected breeders of P.R.E. (Spanish) horses in the world and is the past president of the US P.R.E. Association. She is also one of the largest supporters of youth dressage, supporting Lendon Gray’s Dressage4Kids program and the Emerging Dressage Athlete Program through the United States Equestrian Federation (USEF). Van Kampen’s sponsored rider Sophia Schults, had two big wins at the 2022 FEI North American Youth Championships (NAYC). Schults and Conocido HGF, owned by Hampton Green Farms, won an Individual Bronze Medal (Freestyle) and were also part of the NAYC Team Gold Medal.

Van Kampen reflected on her move to Ocala on her Hampton Green Farms website:

“But now, my life is Ocala. Ocala—it even sounds like the beautiful place it is. Rolling pastures and grand oak trees that used to be the playground of the Seminole, and which are now home to thousands of acres of young Thoroughbreds. A genteel Southern aesthetic prevails here: rural and old vs. urban and new (per much of coastal Florida); here more native, more authentic, more raw, definitely outside the bubble. County after county of horse and cattle farms, historic cracker architecture and land grant neighborhoods. The stunning new World Equestrian Center and the ambitious generosity of its owners don’t change the landscape, only accentuate it.”

Horse Farms Forever® welcomes Van Kampen and her medal winning team to Ocala!

Kimberly Van Kampen, a daughter of the late American financier Robert Van Kampen, at the covered arena her family’s foundation funded at the Global Dressage Festival. With her is Thomas Baur, sports director for dressage at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center. © 2014 Ken Braddick/dressage-news.com

Kimberly Van Kampen is a well-known name within the dressage community. As the owner of Olympic stallion Grandioso, as well as Hampton Green Farm, Van Kampen is a top supporter of the Adequan® Global Dressage Festival.

Van Kampen (far right), and the young dressage students she supports: Sarah Roda, Sophia Shults and Kerrigan Gulch, with Vaquero HGF. Photo – Dressage Today.

Contact the County about the EAR:

For any additional questions regarding the EAR process, please email Planning@MarionFL.org with your subject line including 'EAR' or call us at 352-438-2675 & ask for a planner.

https://www.marionfl.org/agencies-departments/departments-facilities-offices/growth-services/planning-zoning/ear

The workshops will be livestreamed. Check the County’s agenda webpage for the link: https://marionfl.legistar.com/Calendar.aspx

Join or Donate Now
HFF Welcomes Valerie Dailey, Owner of Showcase Properties, as a New Founding Member

HFF Welcomes Valerie Dailey, Owner of Showcase Properties, as a New Founding Member

by | Aug 19, 2022 | News

Dailey is also the President of the Board of the Florida Thoroughbred Breeders’ and Owners’ Association (FTBOA.) and the first woman to hold the post of FTBOA Board President since the organization was established in 1945.

Dailey is a Community Standout

Valerie Dailey, Owner and Broker of Showcase Properties was one of HFF’s first Charter Members and has renewed every year since 2018. This year, the agency renewed and increased their support to the Founder Level! We are grateful for their continued support to help protect Marion County’s horse farms!

Showcase Properties is one of Marion County’s top 5 brokerages in total volume for 2021 with a combined total of over $200M in sales volume. Dailey, a Florida-licensed REALTOR® and owner of Showcase since 2013, specializes in the listing and selling of equine properties, as well as residential, commercial, and agricultural properties.

In 2018, Dailey was recognized as Realtor of the Year by the Ocala/Marion County Association of Realtors®. And in 2019, she was awarded Entrepreneur of the Year by the Ocala Women’s Council.

The real estate agency has grown substantially under her leadership. When she joined the agency in 2005, there were only 5 agents; now there are over 40 agents. In 2021, their team helped to close over 440 different transactions both on and off the market and were ranked #1 in farm sales by total transactions.

“To say that 2021 was a fantastic year doesn’t do justice to the hard work and dedication that our team put in, but it was, in fact, a fantastic year!” stated Dailey on the Showcase Properties website.

Her expertise in real estate sales includes being part of the sales of the three highest selling properties in Marion County. One of these properties was Bridlewood Farm as Showcase Properties represented the seller of the farm to John and Leslie Malone in 2013 for $14 million; making it one of the highest-selling farms in Marion County.

“The local horse industry breathed a sigh of relief to hear that not only would the operation remain a Thoroughbred farm, but that the Malones would continue to operate it under the Bridlewood name,” states the Showcase Properties website.

FTBOA President and Thoroughbred Breeder

Dailey is also the President of the Board of the Florida Thoroughbred Breeders’ and Owners’ Association (FTBOA.) She is also the first woman to hold the post of FTBOA Board President since the organization was established in 1945. Valerie and her husband Hugh, along with their daughter Samantha, operate a successful Thoroughbred breeding farm called 3D Farm (for the three Daileys.) They have had multiple stakes winners, including a Breeder’s Cup qualifier. She has been a member of FTBOA for over 25 years.

Showcase Properties supported over 30 different charities, organizations, and events in 2021 to help enrich the lives of fellow Floridians. Horse Farms Forever® is grateful to be included as one of their selected organizations. Thank you!

Equestrian culture is so deeply woven into the collective DNA of the area. It’s a collegial, collaborative and inclusive community that is very invested in efficient land use and sustainability. Marion County is known for being a place of incredible natural beauty, with plenty of parks and recreational areas to hike and ride and explore. It’s a wonderful place to live and work.

Valerie Dailey

Owner and Broker, Showcase Properties of Central Florida

Corporate Membership

Looking for a way to promote your business throughout the equine community? Becoming a Horse Farms Forever Corporate Member gives you access to our members in Ocala/Marion County and beyond.  Donating to Horse Farms Forever, a registered 501(c)3 with the IRS, reaches our members, friends, and subscribers though our newsletters, social media, advertising, and events.  To learn more or to join please contact our Executive Director,
Emily Holmes

Join Now

Contact the County about the EAR:

For any additional questions regarding the EAR process, please email Planning@MarionFL.org with your subject line including 'EAR' or call us at 352-438-2675 & ask for a planner.

https://www.marionfl.org/agencies-departments/departments-facilities-offices/growth-services/planning-zoning/ear

The workshops will be livestreamed. Check the County’s agenda webpage for the link: https://marionfl.legistar.com/Calendar.aspx

Join or Donate Now