Tri Eagle Sales Sponsors Conservation Summit

Tri Eagle Sales Sponsors Conservation Summit

by | Sep 30, 2020 | Events, News

Anheuser-Busch Distributor Has Long Been a Community Partner

Another Founding Corporate Member has extended support at the Gold level for our upcoming Conservation Summit. We welcome Tri-Eagle Sales as a sponsor.

Tri-Eagle’s corporate mission is “making friends is our business,” and they demonstrate this by sponsoring hundreds of events, donating to causes and serving on boards around Ocala. As a Founder and Gold Sponsor, they are voicing strong support for open spaces and beautiful places.

Tri-Eagle Sales has been the leading beverage wholesaler in the North and North Central Florida area for a quarter of a century. They proudly market, sell, and distribute Anheuser-Busch InBev brands such as Budweiser, Bud Light, Michelob Ultra, Goose Island, and Stella Artois. Their portfolio of world-class craft and import brands is led by local Tallahassee brewer Proof Brewing Co., and includes well-known brands such as Cigar City, Oskar Blues, Founders, SweetWater, and Duvel Moortgat. In addition to beer they sell and market a diverse line of ciders, wine, and spirits and offer a specialty beverage portfolio that includes gluten-free beers as well as non-alcohol products.

The sponsorship of Tri-Eagle, along with Brook Ledge Horse Transportation, Ocala Horse Properties, Showcase Properties, Cone Distributing, Bridlewood Farm and Newport Hay enables us to bring you top-notch speakers on the subject of farmland conservation for the November 19 event at a world class facility – Golden Ocala. Be sure to register for the Summit! You can attend online or in person.

Tri Eagle Sales is proud to sponsor this summit to continue the great work of Horse Farms Forever supporting the preservation of our horse farms and the associated equestrian life that makes Ocala so unique and special.

Susie Busch-Transou

Tri-Eagle Sales
Summit Info

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Horse Farms Forever Is Honored with the Robert N. Clay Award

Horse Farms Forever Is Honored with the Robert N. Clay Award

by | Sep 27, 2020 | Events, News

We Thank TOBA and ELCR for Recognizing Our Conservation Efforts With This Honor

Last night, at the 35th Annual Virtual Awards of the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association (TOBA), Horse Farms Forever received the 2020 Robert N. Clay Conservation Award. Established in 2014 as a partnership between TOBA and the Equine Land Conservation Resource (ELCR), the purpose of this award is to increase awareness of the importance of land conservation to the Thoroughbred industry and serve as an inspiration to others within the industry. It was named in recognition of Robert N. Clay’s equine land conservation leadership in the Thoroughbred industry.

“We are pleased to work with and support the efforts of Horse Farms Forever and others to protect Marion County’s unique equine heritage and industry,” said ELCR President, Ken Haddad. “Local advocacy groups, like Horse Farms Forever, are not only key to protecting local horse lands but they can also serve as successful models for other communities working to protect equine access to land.  We applaud the commitment of Horse Farms Forever to help preserve the unique character and culture of the Horse Capital of the World® for the benefit of this and future generations.”

As we at Horse Farms Forever strive to engage and inspire the community to preserve its open spaces and beautiful places, we look forward to our Conservation Summit with guest speakers Adam Putnam from Ducks Unlimited and Billy Van Pelt from the American Farmland Trust. Please consider joining us for the Summit, either in person at Golden Ocala on November 19, or virtually by live stream.

About the Equine Land Conservation Resource (ELCR): ELCR builds awareness of the loss of lands available for horse-related activities and facilitates the protection and preservation of those lands. We work to ensure America’s equine heritage lives on and the emotional, physical and economic benefits of the horse-human relationship remains accessible. ELCR serves as an information resource and clearinghouse on conserving horse properties, land use planning, land stewardship/best management practices, trails, liability and equine economic development. For more information about the ELCR visit www.elcr.org or call (859) 455-8383

About the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association (TOBA): TOBA, based in Lexington, Ky., was formed in 1961 and is a national trade organization of leading Thoroughbred breeders and owners. TOBA’s mission is to improve the economics, integrity and pleasure of the sport on behalf of Thoroughbred owners and breeders. Projects managed by TOBA include the American Graded Stakes Committee, Claiming Crown, Ownership Seminars, Ownerview.com and the Sales Integrity Program. TOBA provides international representation for U.S. owners and breeders on the International Grading and Race Planning Advisory Committee, International Cataloguing Standards Committee and International Breeders Federation. Thoroughbred Charities of America (TCA) is the charitable arm of TOBA. TOBA is the owner of The Blood-Horse Inc., and is represented as a founding member on the board of directors of the National Thoroughbred Racing Association and the Racing Medication and Testing Consortium.

It is a true honor to accept the Robert N. Clay award on behalf of Horse Farms Forever tonight in recognition for our efforts to protect and preserve the very thing that makes Ocala so unique and special – our horses and horse farms. Thank you to all of our supporters.

Sara Fennessy

Director of Community Affairs, Horse Farms Forever
Summit Info

See All The Awards!

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We work hard to keep you informed, and to represent our members’ interests in preserving our horse farms, farmland and the unique character and culture of Marion County.

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Ocala Horse Properties is Conservation Summit Gold Sponsor

Ocala Horse Properties is Conservation Summit Gold Sponsor

by | Sep 23, 2020 | Events, News

Equestrian Real Estate Firm is Sold on Farmland Preservation

You’ve seen their handsome faces on billboards everywhere: brothers Rob and Chris Desino and Matt Varney – partners in Ocala Horse Properties. Since the founding of HFF in 2018, they have gone to lengths to show their passion for our mission of preserving the character and culture that horses and horse farms bring to Ocala/Marion County.

Now, they have stepped up to the plate as Gold Sponsors of our first Conservation Summit. The support of Ocala Horse Properties and the rest of our sponsors ensures that the Summit, to take place on November 19 at Golden Ocala, will be a first-class event.

Although it is easy to see why a firm specializing in equestrian real estate would want to see horse farms and farmland continue to thrive in Marion County, the partners are connected to Horse Farms Forever and our mission in much deeper ways. Rob is an HFF Founder, Chris and Matt are Charter Members, and both Rob and Matt are Directors.

“Horse Farms Forever is instrumental in monitoring and advocating for the protection of horse farms and the Farmland Preservation Area in Ocala. Turning the Farmland Preservation Area into another mass of concrete strip plazas is not necessary and certainly not desirable.” Rob Desino

The partners are all horsemen, farm owners and active members of our local equestrian community. Chris and Rob are owners of Deniro Z, a standout 5 Star event horse, expertly campaigned by Liz Halliday-Sharp, also an HFF member. Liz and Deniro Z recently won the 4 Star at Plantation Field International Horse Trials. Matt enjoys riding recreationally, but he 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, on as many competitions as his busy schedule will allow.

Ocala Horse Properties has been the top Ocala farm realtor for more than a decade, representing the largest portfolio of Ocala Farms available. Their success is built on a love for people and the community. They are big supporters of equestrian events both here in Ocala and in Wellington, where they operate a sister company, Wellington Equestrian Realty.

Once again, thank you, Ocala Horse Properties, for demonstrating your commitment to the open spaces and beautiful places of Marion County.

Be sure to register for the Summit! You can attend online or in person.

I was motivated to join to protect an area that I find to be one of the most irreplaceable destinations in the entire country; an area where horse pasture is uniquely more valuable per acre as farmland than if a developer was able to purchase it. Coming from a family of developers I know how incredibly rare that is.

Matt Varney

Ocala Horse Properties
Summit Info

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We work hard to keep you informed, and to represent our members' interests in preserving our horse farms, farmland and the unique character and culture of Marion County's 193,000 acre Farmland Preservation Area.

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Live Oak Stud Honored in TOBA National Awards

Live Oak Stud Honored in TOBA National Awards

by | Sep 18, 2020 | News

TOBA PRESS RELEASE

The Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association (TOBA) announced Wednesday that they will honor breeders selected from 22 states and Canada during the TOBA National Awards on Sat., Sept. 26.

The National Breeder of the Year and National Small Breeder of the Year will be selected from the state breeders listed below and announced during the awards.

“The 23 breeders from the U.S. and Canada enjoyed a tremendous year in 2019 from their homebred runners and we are honored to recognize their outstanding achievements and contributions to our sport at the TOBA National Awards,” said Dan Metzger, president of TOBA.

Also honored during the TOBA
National Awards program will be the
National Owner of the Year, National Broodmare of the Year, Cot Campbell Racing Partnership of the Year, Industry Service Award, Claiming Crown Horse of the Year and the Sport Horse of the Year.

TOBA’s National Awards will be presented virtually from Hill ‘n’ Dale at Xalapa on TOBA’s Facebook page and at TOBA.org/2020Awards.

TOBA National Awards sponsors include Hill ‘n’ Dale at Xalapa, LuminUltra, Limestone Bank, Stonestreet Farms, John Deere and NTRA, Big Ass Fans, National HBPA, 1/ST, The Jockey Club Information Systems and Stoll Keenon Ogden.

Live Oak Stud’s Charlotte Weber
a Horse Farms Forever Founder

Live Oak Stud Ocala Marion County Florida

State Breeders of the Year:
Arkansas: Bill McDowell
California: Reddam Racing LLC
Canadian: Ivan Dalos

Florida: Charlotte Weber/ Live Oak Stud 

Indiana: Michael E. and Penny S. Lauer
Iowa: Allen Poindexter
Kansas: Jerry Johnson
Kentucky: W.S. Farish
Louisiana: Evelyn Benoit
Maryland: Sagamore Farm
Massachusetts: Joseph DiRico
Minnesota: Robert Lothenbach
New Jersey: John Bowers Jr.
New Mexico: J. Kirk and Judy Robison
New York: Chester and Mary Broman
North Carolina: Dr. E. Clinton Lowry and Carol Lowry Ohio: Dr. George Sikora DVM
Oregon: Dr. and Mrs. Jack B. Root Jr.
Pennsylvania: Larry Karp/Barlar LLC
South Carolina: Franklin Smith Sr.
Texas: Roy W. Cobb
Virginia: Ann Mudge Backer
Washington: Jody Peet

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We work hard to keep you informed, and to represent our members' interests in preserving our horse farms, farmland and the unique character and culture of Marion County's 193,000 acre Farmland Preservation Area.

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Horse Farms Forever Welcomes the Quail Roost Foundation as Supporters

Horse Farms Forever Welcomes the Quail Roost Foundation as Supporters

by | Sep 3, 2020 | News, Uncategorized

Horse Farms Forever is pleased to announce the generous contribution of the Quail Roost Foundation to support the conservation of Marion County’s horse farms and the Farmland Preservation Area. The Foundation was founded to honor the memory of Harriet and Elmer Heubeck, Jr.

The Heubecks are considered true pioneers in the Florida Thoroughbred horse industry and were partners in marriage and business for more than 63 years. They passed away less than two months apart in 2003, but their legacy lives on with the Quail Roost Foundation. In the ‘40s, the Heubecks managed Rosemere Farm, the first Thoroughbred horse farm in Marion County. In the early ‘60s, they built and managed Hobeau Farm, as well as their own farm, Quail Roost, where they raised Thoroughbreds, cattle, and exotic game. Quail Roost Farm was so unique as it brought together one of Florida’s best-known Thoroughbred breeding and training venues, a large purebred and commercial beef operation, and one of the finest private exotic game preserves in the nation.

Elmer is most well-known for building and managing Hobeau farm, owned by Jack Dreyfus. Elmer also broke and trained the young horses at the farm, then they were sent to the track with trainer Allen Jerkens. Kerry recalls that his dad was a well-respected trainer. One trainer mentioned that when they received horses from Elmer, they were ready to go to the track in two days.

Hobeau’s legacy is embedded in a little known horse named Onion that was owned and bred by Dreyfus and trained at the track by Jerkens. Onion is one of only two horses that beat Secretariat in a race after he won the Triple Crown (1). The second horse to beat Secretariat, Prove Out, was also trained by Jerkens. King Ranch bred Prove Out, but Hobeau Farm owned him (2). 

Kerry, Elmer’s son, grew up on Rosemere, which was owned by Carl Rose, and managed by Elmer until early 1961. It was a thousand acres, and when you drive on Highway 200, passing the intersection with Shady Lane, you are traveling the northernmost border of the original property.

Kerry remembers his idyllic life of roaming rolling pasturelands, riding horses and playing around a magical spring and sinkhole. He hunted for arrowheads after rainstorms, and wandered through the oak forests every day. Kerry fondly remembers Rosemere as “a beautiful place. There was no way it couldn’t stay that way forever.” He thought that the land’s beauty would be all the protection it would ever need.

However, Rosemere was sold and all but 26 acres of the 1,000-acre farm is covered in concrete and commercial buildings. The magical spring and the cave still exist, although it is now known as Scott Springs Park and owned by Marion County. The park is bordered by a Wal-Mart parking lot.

The Heubeck family held a deep love for the land upon which they lived and worked. Witnessing the loss of the beloved Rosemere Farm, Kerry was inspired to protect Quail Roost, his family’s farm, with a conservation easement.

The past is truly meeting the future here at Horse Farms Forever. We thank the Quail Roost Foundation for partnering with us in preserving Marion County’s farmland.

Sources:

  1. https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2015/aug/01/forgotten-story-onion-secretariat-triple-crown
  2. https://www.nytimes.com/1973/09/30/archives/161-prove-out-wins-secretariat-is-2d-secretariat-beaten-by-a-161.html

Harriet & Elmer Heubeck, Jr.

“Some sixty years ago, my parents brought me to an exquisite land, where I had the luxury of growing up surrounded by densely green Florida hammocks, crystal-clear springs, and an abundance of wildlife unimaginable today.

That particular landscape is now mostly buried beneath concrete and asphalt.

Before they died, each of my parents spoke of protecting the land. I’ve also come to believe that each of us must assume that responsibility of preserving the wildness that remains — so that our children, and theirs, may come to know such beauty; and, quite possibly, for the very survival of us all.”

Kerry Heubeck

Photos by Kerry Heubeck

Busy Shires

What About Zoning?

The Zoning regulations are found in the Land Development Code, which is a separate document with specific guidelines to implement the Goals, Objectives, and Policies of the Comprehensive Plan.

Zoning regulates development through land use classifications and specifies the areas in which residential, industrial, recreational or commercial activities may take place. The Land Development Code was adopted through a series of ordinances by the County Commission, which means that the regulations cannot be changed or waived, except by a further vote of the County Commission.

Always Watching

We work hard to keep you informed, and to represent our members' interests in preserving our horse farms, farmland and the unique character and culture of Marion County's 193,000 acre Farmland Preservation Area.

Join the herd. Every voice matters.

Join Today!
Join or Donate Now