By Sue Erwin
Photos by Dusty Hopkins, Harry Furey, Jasmin Von Dertzen, Katie Rosenfels and provided by Fox Lea Farm
Fox Lea Farm, Inc. in Venice hosts a variety of
equestrian events that attract competitors from
all over the country and world, including a few
from Boca Grande. The facility currently hosts more
than 40 equestrian competitions annually, driving
millions of dollars into the local economy.
Established in 1983, Fox Lea has been managing
and producing shows for more than 35 years. The
facility hosts hunter/jumper shows, Quarter Horse
and dressage shows year round.
Four years ago, Fox Lea had the opportunity to
add seven weeks of Hunter/Jumper horse shows
to create the Venice Equestrian Tour, a winter horse
show circuit that runs January through March and
attracts competitors from as far north as Canada,
and as far south as Venezuela.
An Olympic sport requiring extraordinary
athleticism from both horse and rider, Show Jumping
engages horse enthusiasts and audiences around
the nation to come together for competitions. With
jumps that can be fi ve feet high and six feet wide, it’s
an exciting sport to watch.
One of the women behind the organization and
planning of many of those competitions is new
Director of Business Development Laurie Birnbach.
Birnbach has more than two decades of corporate
marketing experience and a lifetime of experience
in the industry, so her professional experiences
and passion for horses made for a perfect match.
64 GASPARILLA MAGAZINE January/February 2020