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The YARD Sport Horse Center Opens

Photo Credit: Bob Carey

February 22, 2013 – Wellington, FL – The YARD Sport Horse Center is open for boarding and training in the Little Ranches equestrian development within Wellington, FL.  Formerly Golden Sun Farm, owned by dressage trainers John Zopatti and Bent Jensen, The YARD is bustling with activity.  Already home to fourteen sport horses, a Norwegian Fjord driving pony, and two beloved retirees, The YARD is ready to serve you and your horse.

Owner Ann Clements (formerly of Alpharetta, GA) has huge plans for The YARD. “We are creating a world-class sport horse center,” Clements stated. “The YARD is in the midst of a three-phase development plan designed to turn the property into a full-service facility.” Phase One is nearing completion, and work begins shortly on Phase Two. Her plan calls for a covered arena, driving track and derby field, and Clements intends for The YARD to offer clinics, symposiums and schooling shows as well as equestrian charity events.

The 29-stall CBS/stucco main barn has been renovated with a complete paint job, upgraded chromed hardware, automatic waterers in the roomy stalls, the addition of large iron chandeliers, 60” industrial ceiling fans, overhead wash stall hoses, an industrial washer & dryer, custom-made stall window bars, and Chippendale railings around the open-air wash and grooming stalls.

The oversized, sprinklered and mirrored arena has been re-graded and a large steel viewing pagoda is being built for riders and spectators to observe the training activity.  A steel round pen has been added next to the lunging ring.  Clements intends to bring down and install her six-horse European walker from the Ocala area and has also installed an imported digital weigh-bridge that weighs horses up to 3,200 lbs. with a 1% degree of accuracy.

The YARD’s ten acre property includes a five acre grass jumping and hacking field.  There is also newly installed irrigation and automatic waterers in the six paddocks close to the main barn which are scheduled for the addition of late spring sod.  The four bedroom house on the property has been fully renovated and is home to several staff members as well as the farm’s satellite office.

The Yard’s head trainer is Darren Chiacchia, 2004 Olympic eventing bronze medalist, 2003 Pan American Games individual gold medal victor, and a winner of the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event. Darren’s assistant trainer of four years is Alayna Pastuck who piloted Clements’ 6-year old Oldenburg gelding, Quasar, to the 2012 Young Event Horse of The Year at Morven Park.  2012-2013 show season guest rider is Irishman Fred Scala, an up and coming international eventing competitor.

Chiacchia is continuing his steady recovery from the near-fatal fungal meningitis he contracted last October and is training a solid group of both young and advanced eventing horses.  He also has the ride on Clements’ Grand Prix Oldenburg dressage gelding Freddie Mercury.

Additionally, The YARD employs a barn manager, head groom and two facility-maintenance men in addition to other barn workers.  The YARD Sport Horse Center is rounded out with equine veterinarians Dr. Brendan Furlong (one of the foremost experts on high performance horses in the world as well as team veterinarian for the U.S. Equestrian Team’s Eventing Squad) and Dr. Shana Chase (a Federation Equestre Internationale – FEI – Veterinarian and member of the Veterinary Commission for the Winter Equestrian Festival – WEF), equine dentist Geoff Tucker, and master farrier Dave Dawson of Ottawa, Canada.

For more information, please call Ann Clements at (917) 806-5434.

Media Contact: Hallie McEvoy, (802) 233-2415

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