Irish jumper Andrew Bourns sold his nearly 11-acre equestrian estate in Wellington for $14 million.
Records show Bourns, as manager of Lisbeg South LLC, sold the home and equestrian center at 15172 and 15134 Natures Point Lane to fellow horse trainer Jodi Vasquez, as manager of Natures Point LLC.
Bourns is a professional jumper and used the property to operate the U.S. arm of Bourns Sport Horses, his horse sales and training business.
Vasquez and her husband, Freddie Vasquez, are accomplished equestrians and owners of Messenger Hill Farm, an equestrian facility and training center in Libertyville, Ill.
Robert Ross of Keller Williams had the listing, and Matt Varney of Wellington Equestrian Realty brought the buyer, according to Redfin. Neither agent could be immediately reached for comment.
Bourns bought the 10.7-acre property for $4.7 million in 2014, according to records. The estate is across the street from Grand Prix Village, the center of the equestrian world in Wellington. Records show Bourns completed construction of the facility in 2016.
The estate includes four owner’s bedrooms, four staff bedrooms, two tack rooms, two hay rooms, 10 paddocks, and a 24-stall barn, according to the listing. Also included in the sprawling property are a riding arena, grass jumping field, and a rear gate with private access to a riding path into the Grand Prix Village.
Bourns told the Chronicle of the Horse in a February interview that he tries to spend seven to eight months of the year in Wellington. Bourns won big riding his horse Sea Topblue in January’s NetJets Grand Prix CSI4*, taking home the $216,000 prize.
It is unclear whether Bourns Sport Horses will relocate within Wellington, or to another American equestrian community, or to one overseas. The horse training operation maintains locations in Ireland and the Netherlands, operated by Bourns and his father Richard Bourns, according to its website.
The sale closed in advance of Wellington’s busy season, when riders and spectators descend upon the inland Palm Beach County village for the famous Winter Equestrian Festival, the global hub of equestrian sports during the season.
Wellington real estate revolves around horses. While demand for waterfront and beach access rule elsewhere in Palm Beach County, ponies set the tone in this market.
In May, ex-Enron executive Lou Pai dropped $8 million on an equestrian estate with a 37-stall stable. His daughter, Natalie Pai, is an equestrian and competes in Wellington. Billionaire Bill Gates sold his estate for $26 million in March, a few months after his equestrian eldest daughter Jennifer Gates married Olympic equestrian Nayel Nassar. Nancy Malnik, Alvin Malnik’s wife, bought a $12.3 million estate with both a riding and jumping arena in October. The couple’s daughter, Sterling Malnik, is a competitive equestrian on the junior circuit.
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