Hi! I’m wondering if anyone here remembers Wellington in the 1980s…
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I do. When the horse show was at the Polo Club, there was a Winn-Dixie and one Publix. The campers were at the Rod and Gun Club, or at the South Florida Fairgrounds and we had a horse show there. Horse farms surrounded the fairgrounds and Southern Boulevard was two lanes.
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I was there too when it was at the Polo Club, I was “baby sitting” my boss’s daughter so the nanny could get a break. We had a condo at the polo club and the boss’s daughter rode with Geoff Teall. It was great fun being paid to be there and spectate while driving the kid around although I do remember walking across the polo fields to get to the show or maybe it was the stable area?
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It’s so funny how the terminology has changed over the years from just Publix to the old Publix and the new Publix to the old Publix and the new Publix and the other 10 Publix stores within about a 5 mile radius.
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Yes, many memories.
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Oh c’mon. I think there’s only four. 
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I recently had a surgical vet tell me a bit about his days as a TB farm manager in that area. He gave me the impression that it was something of a TB farm hotbed, which surprised me (I think of Ocala, rightly or wrongly, for that). Anybody know of TB breeding farms in the area before Wellington became today’s Wellington? Regardless, it’s fun to hear about the history of the area.
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Thank you for your responses! Would any of you be willing to chat with me? I’m a English/Creative Writing Professor at Auburn University and a novelist. I rode in my youth (in Ocala!) and I’m working on a book that’s partially set in Wellington in the 80s. I would love to get more details about how Wellington looked and felt back then, since it’s changed so dramatically over the years.
My email is anton.disclafani@gmail.com (also my name). I hope this is okay–I don’t want to break any forum rules but I don’t think I did. Anyway, if you’re up for a chat please email me!
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