Charles Tota, owner of the Dressage Connection, teamed up with Barbara Biernat of the California-based Horse & Rider Equestrian Boutique to host a shopping party for the Wellington equestrian community on Thursday, Feb. 9.
The party included a fun open house and sidewalk shopping that featured not only the Dressage Connection’s impressive line of equipment but also an opportunity for customers of the Horse & Rider Boutique to pre-shop from among the fall fashion lines from Equiline and Pikeur.
Extra cheer was brought to the event by Treleaven Winery of New York, which supplied a selection of its American wines.
The event was attended by a number of prominent equestrians, including one of Canada’s top dressage riders, Canadian Olympian Evi Strasser, and USDF “R” dressage judge and Grand Prix trainer Laurie Falvo of Dove Hollow Dressage Center in California. Ann Romney, the former Massachusetts first lady and part owner of Rafalca, the 2012 Olympic mount for Jan Ebeling, attended the event as well.
Based in Wellington, the Dressage Connection is the exclusive dealer for Hennig saddles in the United States and has a patent on the Tota Comfort System, a custom designed bridle and noseband system that relieves pressure on the poll, facial nerves and TMJ joint. For more info., call (561) 790-7858 or visit www.thedressageconnection.com.
ABOVE: Laurie Falvo of Dove Hollow Dressage Center, Margo Gogan of Hilltop Dressage, Barbara Biernat of Horse and Rider and Ann Romney, part owner of Jan Ebeling’s 2012 Olympic mount, Rafalca.
