Valiente – a unique equestrian property and a Wellington masterpiece
This spring saw the end of an era as the last international show jumping class took place on the Derby Field at Equestrian Village in Wellington. Earmarked for development, the expanse of grass that has been a backdrop for the Winter Equestrian Festival in recent years, was once the number one field of Palm Beach Polo and Country Club. The change of use reflects the growth of Wellington from the 70s until now as the once small village centered around a large polo facility evolved into an equestrian epicenter for Show Jumping, Hunter showing and Dressage. Valiente Farm is also an iconic equestrian venue in Wellington and is now on the market with varied possibilities as to what its future holds.
Palm Beach Polo and Country Club’s founding by William ‘Bill’ T Ylvisaker in 1979 was the catalyst for Wellington’s growth to its current accepted status as the ‘Winter Equestrian Capital of the World’. But the burgeoning popularity of Wellington International – home to the Winter Equestrian Festival – and the Global Dressage Festival means Wellington is no longer dominated by polo fields. Instead it is largely populated by equestrian facilities catering to Hunter/Jumper and dressage. Polo clubs have also fallen victim to development – Gulfstream polo club, formerly on Lake Worth Road is a case in point. The polo fields are long gone and replaced by residential development.
Real estate markets fluctuate and Wellington is no exception but the overall trend, while neither bear nor bullish, is historically on an overall upward trajectory. Valiente Farm, created as a home for high goal polo teams, is one of the last bastions of equestrian real estate in Wellington – unique in size, location and design. “Valiente Farm is hallowed ground, and no matter its future owner or its future use, it will always be hallowed ground in the world of Polo,” said Icon Global’s Founder, Bernard Uechtritz, who is undertaking to sell this exceptional property and says that the sale could be imminent. “At this time we are in active negotiations,” he said.
Valiente was the vision of polo patron Robert ‘Bob’ Jornayvaz. He brought in the best architects, planners, designers to match his intention to create an environment that worked beautifully for horses. It was also designed to be aesthetically exceptional in its layout and ambience – from the Banyan trees in the courtyard of the barn, to the elegantly understated stadium that sits between the two main polo fields and looks out over the peaceful grounds with the paddocks, water elements, exercise track, vast tracts of lawn and the barn itself.
The tide has turned in Wellington from polo to dressage and Hunter/Jumper dominance. Equestrian properties that compare to Valiente are rare, even unattainable. Similar in size to Valiente Farm is the National Polo Center – bought by the United States Polo Association to secure a Wellington venue for polo in perpetuity – and the Isla Caroll polo estate. Both fetched in the region of $150 million when sold in the past few years. Pony Express, a polo facility in the heart of Wellington first established in the 1990s by Bob Daniels, very recently sold for $23 million, the seller Marc Ganzi, was represented by Matt Johnson of Qasanova Luxury real estate company. A comparatively modest 46.7 acres compared to Valiente’s expanse of 150 plus acres, the property was reportedly bought by high goal patron Ben Soleimani, and as such looks set to stay within the polo community.
Valiente has been home to one of the most successful high goal operations in modern polo history. But now it is set on course for a new chapter, whether for polo or another equestrian discipline. The backdrop of Valiente Farm cannot be easily recreated today. Show jumping saw a swing in popularity for sand arenas – with turf replaced by artificial surfaces, the thought process based on footing that is simpler to maintain and control. But grass arenas are making a comeback. The show will go on for Derby field FEI competitions on the new purpose-built grass field at Wellington International showgrounds.
Daniel Bluman had the honor of closing out the era of the Derby field at Equestrian Village, with its past history of high goal polo and Grand Prix show jumping. “It’s a great feeling to finish the Florida season like this,” Daniel said by winning the $120,000 CSI3* Grand Prix in the ESP Spring Series with S&L Hello Sunshine. “Everybody loves this place, so to be the last [FEI] winner on this field, it feels great.”
The new owners of Valiente Farm meanwhile will be preserving one of Wellington’s most iconic horse properties. It will always have the association with the Valiente high goal polo team but should the polo fields be repurposed with show jumps and show jumpers, Wellington history will be repeated.
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