
We are not just realtors, we are equestrians.
Chris and Rob have always been ardent supporters of equestrian sports in Wellington, starting with being a major sponsor of the Winter Equestrian Festival in 2011 along with being the very first Founding Sponsor of the Global Dressage Festival at its inception. Although they thrived on this level of support for the equestrian industry, they still missed all the aspects of horse ownership & decided to jump back in!
From client to partner, it’s true that people with similar mindsets tend to gravitate toward one another.
The year was 2013, when the Desinos began a lasting relationship with Liz Halliday-Sharp and her husband, Al Sharp. Liz and Al, partnered with Chris & Rob for their expertise in finding their Florida farm. During this time, a friendship began to evolve, and the Desino’s began to take note of Liz’s remarkable talent and accomplishments as a professional athlete.
The Desino’s athletic background and appreciation for the value of hard work certainly rang true as they continued to observe Liz’s desire to be a world class event rider. In 2017, after watching Liz school one of her top young horse’s cross country, they decided it was time to pull the trigger. They took their dedication to the next level by investing in horse ownership, becoming the sole owners in her talented young horse, Deniro Z. Since then Chris, Rob, and Liz have continued to identify and secure young horses with world class talent.
No strangers to Olympic dreams themselves, Chris and Rob were two-time National Collegiate Champions in competitive rowing and trained and competed for the USA World Championship Team.
Deniro Z & Liz were selected to compete in the Olympic Games this past summer. Then, unexpectedly, a story of resilience and drive and partnership ensued. Deniro was pulled from the Olympic team the day he was supposed to be shipped for the long multi-stop trip to Tokyo. It was discovered, through an MRI, that Deniro Z had a minor injury that would prevent him from competing.
His strength has been astounding and under the leadership and care of the Liz Halliday-Sharp & the Desinos, Deniro Z has responded to treatment and will make a full recovery to be ready for the World Championships in 2022. With Deniro Z taking some time off, the team jumped back into competition and headed Montana at Rebecca farm with Cooley Quicksilver and then to the American Eventing Championships to place third in the Advanced division! They finished the season with a trip to Pau, France with Cooley Quicksilver’s second Five star outing.
What’s next for Deniro Z and Liz Halliday-Sharp? All six of the Desino’s horses that Liz rides will be splitting time between Ocala and Wellington taking advantage of the world class show environment and training available at the Wellington SJ & Dressage venues!