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Three Generations of Horses - Lady, Cina & Blue - Provide a Lifetime of Joy
Flavia Callari would be considered a late starter by many in the equestrian sport. She started riding at 25, and bought her first horse, Lady Continental, to compete in the Adult Amateur Hunters and Equitation divisions, at the age of 27.
She had to balance her desire to ride with being a single mom with two sons and working at family-owned CallariCars.com and its dealerships, BMW of Darien, MINI of Fairfield County in Darien and Volvo Cars Westport.
"Lady and I were connected in a way that I can't express in words - she took care of me," said Flavia. "Thinking back, I would have never predicted that Lady would remain in my family as a grandmother and I would have been able to compete on Lady's daughter, First Cappucina (Cina) and her grandson, Blue."
First Cappucina (Cina) with Blue |
Flavia Callari aboard Blue |
It was about the time when Lady came into Flavia's life that Flavia inspired CallariCars.com to support equestrian sports at the Connecticut-based Ox Ridge Hunt Club in Darien and the Fairfield County Hunt Club in Westport.
CallariCars.com has been giving back to the community through charitable sponsorships since the early 1980s. While Flavia's passion clearly was persuasive, the corporate involvement was a business decision.
"The partnerships with Ox Ridge and Fairfield have been highly successful, allowing us to build a customer base that keeps coming back because they can rely on our exceptional customer experience and service," continued Flavia.
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Flavia Callari aboard Lady Continental |
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John E. Franzreb III, Lynn Coakley, Eric Hasbrouck aboard Jubilant, with Sylvia Callari and Felix Callari, Founder of CallariCars.com at Fairfield's first Grand Prix in 1999.
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CallariCars.com was instrumental in the establishment of the first Fairfield Grand Prix in 1999 and has been a corporate partner of the EQUUS Foundation since 2003.
"We are deeply grateful to Flavia and CallariCars.com for their continued support - which has allowed us to transition from a local charity serving a handful of equine charities to today as the only national charity in the United States 100% dedicated to protecting America's horses and strengthening the horse-human bond," said Lynn Coakley, EQUUS Foundation President.
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Flavia still has to balance her time - now VP of CallariCars.com and working with her younger sister, Paula Callari, who serves as President, but her commitment to the equestrian sport continues to grow. She regularly roots on Paula's daughter, Samantha Callari, who competes on the local Interscholastic Equestrian Team (IEA) based at Salko Farm.
Remarried in 2014 to Richard Colligan, Richard serves as President of the Ox Ridge Hunt Club, and with Flavia and Alison Potter, is spear heading the new Ox Ridge Riding & Racquet Club.
Blue, who turned 11 this year, has transitioned from competition to teacher, where he enjoys life at Ox Ridge, instilling confidence and teamwork in budding equestrians.
"He loves his job with the kids and adults, and I see him every day. What could be better!"
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Flavia Callari with Blue at the Ox Ridge Hunt Club |
STAY TUNED!
Ox Ridge June Horse Show- June 12-17
Fairfield County Hunt Club June Benefit Horse Show - June 19-23!
EQUUS Foundation Grand Prix Luncheon RSVP here
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About EQUUS Foundation: The EQUUS Foundation, a 501(c)(3) public charity established in 2002, also known as Horse Charities of America, the only national animal welfare charity in the United States 100% dedicated to protecting America's horses and strengthening the bond between people and horses. Donations are tax-deductible to the full extent of the law. Contact the EQUUS Foundation, Inc., at 168 Long Lots Road, Westport, CT 06880, Tele: (203) 259-1550, E-Mail: mail@equusfoundation.org, Website: equusfoundation.org.
About Callari Cars.com:
Callari Cars.com encompasses three dealerships throughout Fairfield County, specializing in VOLVO, BMW and MINI. Exceptional customer experience and service is the company's number one priority. Callari Cars.com outstanding service record has been recognized on numerous occasions, most notably in 1998 when Mr. Callari received a TIME Magazine Quality Dealer Award, representing the state of Connecticut. The individual dealerships have also received numerous awards for Dealer excellence and longevity from BMW and VOLVO Corporate.
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