Carol Cohen Appointed to Wellington's Equestrian Preserve Committee

Dressage

American Dressage News

Wellington equestrian and community advocate Carol Cohen was recently appointed to Wellington, Florida’s Equestrian Preserve Committee by village councilman Michael Drahos. Cohen, who is a longtime Wellington resident and farm owner, will join several other new members recently appointed to the seven-seat committee.

“As a full-time resident of Wellington, I am naturally excited and honored to be appointed to the Equestrian Preserve Council,” said Cohen. “I am deeply committed to the growth and preservation of this unique equestrian mecca that I love so much. I take my role as a member of the equestrian community very seriously, but I am even more passionate about my role as a member of Wellington’s community.”

In 2003, the Equestrian Preserve Committee was created by Wellington’s Town Council to help regulate development within a designated 9,000-acre Equestrian Zone. Wellington, Florida is famous for hosting world-class equestrian events, and draws millions of riders and their horses from around the world to compete in the Winter Equestrian Festival, the Adequan Global Dressage Festival, and at the International Polo Club. The main mission of the seven-member Equestrian Preserve Committee is to identify and encourage the types of land uses that are supportive of the equestrian and rural character of Wellington.

Cohen, a former hunter rider turned FEI dressage competitor, who is now a Keller Williams real estate advisor, says, “I have been in the Wellington’s equestrian community for 17 years. I have had the unique opportunity to witness the evolution of Wellington. I have always been an advocate for our equestrian community and look forward to working with the Council to preserve the lifestyle that is so important to all of us."

Cohen and her late husband, Alan Cohen, were the owners of two distinctive equestrian properties in Wellington. Two Swans Farm, as both properties were known, were havens for equestrian professionals who came to Wellington to train and compete. Cohen was also co-owner of one the world’s top dressage stallions, the late Comeback II. Cohen currently owns nine horses, including the promising young Comeback II offspring, Captain My Captain.

Cohen, also a founding member of the Adequan Global Dressage Festival, is the sponsor and inspiration behind the Global Dressage Visionary Award that recognizes top equestrian professionals and influencers who, like herself, are dedicated to the sport and the preservation of Wellington’s equestrian heritage.

Because of her longstanding community involvement, Cohen was also asked by United States Equestrian Team Dressage Chef d’Equip, Robert Dover, to co-sponsor the 2016 inaugural Global Dressage Festival leadline division. The leadline classes, held on Friday nights before the wildly popular Grand Prix Freestyle exhibition, were so successful that there are ongoing plans to expand that program in 2017 and beyond. “Our youngest riders and horse lovers will be tomorrow’s owners and the future guardians of our equestrian community. Nurturing their love of horses now will help ensure the longevity of our community,” Cohen explains.

To learn more about Carol Cohen and her appointment to the Equestrian Preserve Committee, please contact Carol Cohen at 561-756-4844 or cfcohen55@gmail.com. For more information about the Equestrian Preserve Committee, visit http://wellingtonalliance.org/the-wellington-equestrian-preserve/.