HDV Logo Full

Holiday Gift Guide 2024  click here! | Trailers & Equine Transportation  click here! | Equestrian Trainers   click here!   

Join Our Mailing List and Get a Free Subscription.

Sign up to get interesting news
delivered FREE to your inbox.  

Saturday, November 02, 2024

Mark Bellissimo's history in Wellington has earned him the distrust of the community

WELLINGTON, Fla.--The Horse published a story on Oct. 22 entitled"Mark Bellissimo is back as a partner in the group that bought the Wellington show grounds."

Mark BellissimoMark BellissimoFor those who haven't closely followed the politics and intrigue involved with the ownership of the Winter Equestrian Festival, this is a very short and incomplete history of why the community distrusts Bellissimo being back as a partner in the group that just bought the show grounds.

Bellissimo is a developer.

The deals Bellissimo have made will enable him to develop the land on which the dressage shows are now held, adjacent to the Palm Beach Polo and Golf Club.

This will over-populate the community, stress the roads and make the area more dangerous for travel and for horses.

Mark Bellissimo bought the show grounds in 2007 from Gene Mische' Stadium Jumping and it didn't take very long to have him almost universally detested by owners, trainer, riders and adjacent land owners.

 

HE NEVER finished work on the show grounds on time so dangerous machinery was around during shows, and his high handed treatment of participants alienated people.

The show quickly outgrew the land it was on, warm-up areas were too small, there was not enough room for exhibitors to park,and paths between rings were dangerous with kids driving golf carts and too many people, endangering the horses,

As much as he was disliked, he was distrusted even more.

When he sold the show grounds to the international group Global in 2022, there were hopes things would improve, but little was done.

Meanwhile, Bellissimo retained ownership of the part of the show grounds where the dressage competitions are held, and he tried unsuccessfully to break the zoning to permit him to develop that area.

Dressage competitors were so upset with Bellissimo that a group led by Tuny Page tried to raise enough money to buy the property.

Bellissimo owned land in Wellington's Equestrian Preserve, and he wanted to remove some land from the Preserve to build a golf course,

After much controversy and interminable village council meeting, a group headed by Bellissimo's daughter Paige Nunez was approved to build the golf community provided there would be a new destination for the Dressage Festival.

Part of the deal was that 250 acres would be given to the horse show to expand its show grounds.

Bellissimo was not on the board of that group, and if the village council had realized he was behind the project it probably wouldn't have approved it.

When Global put the show grounds up for sale last year, various groups tried to raise the money to buy it, but WI FL Acquisition was successful.

Again, Paige Nunez is on the board but Bellissimo is not.

But it is the former majority owners of Palm Beach International Equestrian Center, Mark Bellissimo, Marsha Dammerman, Lisa Lourie, and Roger Smith (“the Partners”), that formed a new entity called WI FL Acquisition, LLC (“the Company”) to buy Wellington International.

As Bellissimo is part of the group that has bought the show grounds, participants and landowners are leery of what may happen next, but they are hopeful that Murray S. Kessler, who will lead Wellington International as Chief Executive Officer, will actually be in charge.

As yet, although there is land for expansion, there is no plan in place for new rings and stables.

So everyone is waiting for the next shoe to drop.

 

 

 

The Horse of Delaware Valley-The Team

Editor: Sara Cavanagh
Target Market Publications
newshorse@aol.com
610-793-1964

Advertising Director: Ginny Jenkins 
ginny.jenkins@hotmail.com
For information please call:
610-873-4042

Assistant Advertising/Sales Manager: Emilie Brady
bradye13@gmail.com

Marketing Manager: Debbie Morrison
debbiehdv1@gmail.com
610-368-1677

Since 1980

facebook200

Monthly Advertising Themes

  • January
    Stallions & Breeding, Photo Contest 
  • February
    Barns, Fencing & Equipment, Photo Contest 2022,  Stallions & Breeding
  • March
    Spring/Summer Show Previews, Barns, Fencing, Equipment & Horse Boarding
  • April
    Equine Education, Spring/Summer Show Previews
  • May
    DEVON HORSE SHOW, Equine Education
  • June
    Pets, Pet Supplies & Pest Control, Equine Vets & Caregivers, Footing and Fencing
  • July
    Pets, Pet Supplies & Pest Control, Equine Vets & Caregivers, Footing and Fencing, All Natural Products & Services
  • August
    Summer/Fall Show Previews, Equine Insurance, Legal & Accounting, Dressage at Devon, All Natural Products & Services
  • September
    Fall Show Previews, Equine Feed & Supplies, Equine Insurance, Legal, & Accounting, Dressage at Devon
  • October
    Trailers & Equine Transportation, Equine Feed & Supplies, Equestrian Trainers
  • November
    Holiday Gift Guide, Trailers & Equine Transportation, Equestrian Trainers
  • December
    Stallions & Breeding, Holiday Gift Guide

Click here for more Information.

Online everywhere-promo ad
Continental Realty