World Equestrian Center – Ocala offers a rare combination of class and capacity. The largest equestrian complex in the United States is a world-class, multi-indoor and outdoor arena facility offering state-of-the-art amenities to accommodate numerous disciplines within the equine industry and more!
We are honored to have UF Health as a Founding Member of Horse Farms Forever.
University of Florida Health is a medical network associated with the University of Florida. It includes two academic hospitals – UF Health Shands Hospital in Gainesville and UF Health Jacksonville – and several other hospitals and facilities in North Florida. It used to be known as Shands Healthcare and UFShands.
UF Health encompasses the colleges of Dentistry, Medicine, Nursing, Pharmacy, Public Health and Health Professions and Veterinary Medicine; the UF Health Shands family of hospitals; hospitals in Leesburg and The Villages®; UF Health Jacksonville medical center; UF Health North; and an academic campus in Jacksonville that is home to the UF College of Medicine – Jacksonville and includes degree programs offered by the colleges of Nursing and Pharmacy. It also includes primary care and specialty practices throughout Central, North Central and Northeast Florida, as well as Southeast Georgia.
Our mission is to promote health through outstanding and high-quality patient care; innovative and rigorous education in the health professions and biomedical sciences; and high-impact research across the spectrum of basic, translational and clinical investigation.
“No doubt, the world would be a lesser universe without the horse. The joy, the sorrow, the beauty, the wildness, the service they render to mankind. We are lucky to be able to share in their story.” Jacqueline Mars
Jacqueline Mars is the owner and operator of Stonehall Farm, The Plains, Virginia, a working farm that specializes in organic farming, horse training and horse breeding. She retired from a long and distinguished career at Mars Inc., begun by her grandfather as a candy manufacturer and where she was president of the Food Product Group and served on the board. Today, she is a passionate promoter of the arts, conservation, and women’s education. She serves on a variety of boards including the Smithsonian Institution and is president of the Mars Family Foundation.
Horses are deeply rooted in Mars history dating back to the 1930s. Frank C. and Ethel V. Mars’ Milky Way Farm in Tennessee was well known for producing Thoroughbred racing champions, including the 1940 Kentucky Derby Winner, Gallahadion. The SNICKERS® Bar was named after one of their beloved horses. Spanning across generations, the Mars family continues to be involved in a variety of equestrian disciplines and interests including breeding and competing top-class international level eventing horses, Quarter Horses, and Arabians, and caring for retired service horses. Giving back through Equestrian partnerships illustrates the Mars commitment for a better world.
A landowner in Marion County, Ms. Mars has protected over 400 acres of land through donations of conservation easements in the Virginia countryside. Her passion for land conservation is a great example for Marion County landowners.
“Mrs. Mars has been a long time supporter of land conservation in Virginia and her donation of a conservation easement on this property is an example of her conservation leadership,” remarked Land Trust of Virginia’s Chairman, Chris Dematatis. “We are proud that she chose the Land Trust of Virginia to hold her conservation easement and to accept the long term stewardship responsibility for her property.”
Janet, Autumn, and Kurt
Kurt has a M.S. in Chemical Engineering and a B.S. in Early Childhood Education from the University of Virginia along with an Executive MBA from Wharton Business School. He has worked extensively in the corporate sector with an emphasis on operations and business development, including serving as Director of Business Development for both Honeywell International and Siemens, Energy and Environmental Solutions, as well as Vice President for consulting and client services for Constellation Energy. He has extensive nonprofit experience including serving on the development committee of the Indianapolis Zoo and the Facilities Committee for the Indianapolis Museum of Art. Kurt is a full-time resident of Crested Butte, CO, and is active with a number of local organizations, including serving as President of the Gunnison-Crested Butte Tourism Association board. He is the immediate past Chair of the RMBL board, the Mt. Crested Butte Water and Sanitation District board and several other public and private organizations in the Gunnison Valley.
Naked Horse Farm is located in the heart of Ocala, FL, horse country and is managed by their daughter, Connor Giesselman. The Giesselmans have supported Horse Farms Forever from the beginning and recently increased their support level to Founder. We are grateful to have them on board!
Prior to opening her own facility Connor became a rider at Boyd Martin’s farm in Cochranville, PA. The large facility at Naked Horse Farm provides ample space to train both dressage and event horses from beginner to the upper levels throughout the year. With a string of top quality horses in both dressage and eventing, Connor hopes to return to the USDF regionals/finals at the Intermediare level and complete a CCI****. Learn more about Connor at https://www.cgdressageandeventing.com/