Cloverly Farm
Vivian Day & John Stroh
Owned and operated by the Stroh family, Cloverly Farm is a state-of-the-art hunter jumper show stable located in the heart of the Farmland Preservation Area.
Brook Ledge Horse Transportation
Brook Ledge and the people behind the name are committed to providing the most outstanding service possible in horse transportation. We ship famous show and racehorses to pasture companions and faithful steeds. We understand that whether your horse is a companion or a champion they are all equally important and this is why we treat each horse with the highest care and attention. Our family has been committed to building a tried and trusted brand whose first-class reputation among horsemen is unparalleled.
Matt Varney
Matt Varney is an accomplished real estate professional who started his career in residential site construction and estimating before working for a privately held Florida-based real estate developer; where at just 26, he quickly became the leading salesman in the company. In 2010 (along with Chris & Rob Desino), Matt started Ocala Horse Properties’ sister company, Wellington Equestrian Realty. Even though Wellington is widely known as one of the most competitive places in the country to sell horse farms, Matt excelled quickly selling more farms than any other realtor in Palm Beach County.
In Ocala, Matt’s extensive transactional experience has helped further solidify Ocala Horse Properties’ position as the most successful horse farm brokerage the last decade (and counting). In 2020 and 2021, Matt was Marion County’s leading realtor.
Matt’s involvement with Horse Farms Forever started at the ground floor. After hearing about possible FDOT routes that would destroy the NW Horse Farms, Ocala Horse Properties quickly jumped into action rallying the community and communicating with Tallahassee.
Weeks later and in front of a packed house at the County Commission Chambers, Matt delivered a powerful speech that laid out the frustrations of the community, the fault of the FDOT study and challenged the county commission to act immediately and decisively. The result of that meeting was unanimous, the commissioners were on board and had listened to OHP and the community and they began drafting a resolution against the Coastal Connector. Knowing the resolution was only the start (OHP knew it was ultimately a state issue, not a county one), Ocala Horse Properties quickly came together with Bernie Little (president of HFF) along with many other farm owners to create Horse Farms Forever.
Matt was also a recent recipient of the Carry Back Award. The Carry Back Award is given out by the Florida Thoroughbred managers to someone that has done something exemplary in their community.
“Matt was driving force and impetus in having everyone at the commissioner’s meeting. His presentation and speech was a real service for the equine community. It was such an important event and he helped mobilize the public so the County Connector road project received attention and got taken out of consideration.” – George Issacs, Bridlewood General Manager and current Horse Farms Forever board member.
“Horse Farms Forever would not have been able to make such an impact so quickly without the expertise, leadership, and tireless efforts of Matt Varney and Ocala Horse Properties. Through his knowledge of real estate and passion for the preserving the Horse Farms, Matt has been able to work with multiple entities creating solutions to protect farmland and maintain proper developmental growth.” – Bernie Little, President of Horse Farms Forever
Matt lives his equestrian competitiveness vicariously through his wife, Dr. Courtney Varney, DVM. Matt enjoys accompanying Courtney, an accomplished FEI Dressage rider, USDF gold medalist, and equine veterinarian, to as many competitions as his schedule will allow. Matt and Dr. Varney remain active in helping preserve Marion County’s horse farms with Horse Farms Forever.
Martha Steward and Charlie Butler
Charlie and I arrived in Ocala in 2017. We brought our horses and llama with us, including the house and barns pets. We could not pass up the beauty of Marion County. We thought that North Central Florida was the prettiest part of the state and thought it would be a great place to settle. After being here for three years, we established our roots and in doing so discovered the community spirit and love for preserving Marion country’s horse community. Ocala is our home.
Mandy Pope
Whisper Hill Farm
For over 30 years, Mandy Pope has given the term “girl power” a whole new meaning in the Thoroughbred racing industry as she continuously makes the headlines. From an early age, it was apparent that Mandy would pursue a lifelong love of horses. She bought her first horse, Blue Whisper, as a high-school student at St. Mary’s School in Raleigh. In 1980, her ambition of breeding, selling, training, and racehorses led her to Ocala where she now owns and operates the world-renowned Whisper Hill Farm.
Throughout her 30+ year career in the Thoroughbred industry, Mandy has bred many fan favorites, such as Grade 1 winner and millionaire, Tizway. Pope co-owns a family-grown business with her brother, Art: North Carolina-based Variety Wholesalers, which operates discount retailers in the south. Today, Pope owns more than 100 horses varying from youngsters, broodmares, and racing stock as well as a group of retirees.
Pope, who credits herself as being highly competitive, continues to shatter sale venue records, purchasing some of the most superbly bred horses in the world. In 2012, she made history when she bought 2011 Horse of the Year Havre De Grace at the Fasig Tipton November Sale for a record $10 million, the next day purchasing Kentucky Oaks winner Plum Pretty for $4.2 million.
Whisper Hill teamed up with Goldmark Farm, LLC. to campaign winner Mylute, who was third in the Preakness Stakes and runner up in the 2013 Louisiana Derby. Whisper Hill also purchased champion female sprinter Groupie Doll for a cool $3.1 million in late 2013 and campaigned for her last start to close out her remarkable racing career before sending her to the breeding shed. In 2019 Pope’s Whisper Hill purchased an American Pharoah filly for $8.2 million at the Keenland September yearling sale who is the half-sister to champion racemare Beholder.
When asked “What is your favorite thing about the Thoroughbred Sport?”
Pope replies “The greatest thrill and the reason for all of this is to actually put your hands on the horse, to be in the presence of the horse. It’s the horse. That’s what it’s about. The parties are great and fun, but just the excitement of being a part of such a wonderful creature.”
Pope is also well known for her chartable and philanthropic efforts with a passion for giving back to those on the backstretch and farmworkers. She is a founding Board Member, Secretary, and Treasurer of the John William Pope Foundation. The John William Pope Foundation is a grantmaker based in Raleigh, North Carolina, which has awarded large amounts to Thoroughbred related nonprofits. The John William Pope Foundation supports nonprofit public policy research, education, human services, and the arts with the goal of improving the wellbeing of North Carolinians. Since 1986, the foundation has given more than $170 million to these causes.
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