Better Together – Michael Colvin & Patty Vatterott Join Forces

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276 – July/August, 2017

BY ERICA GREATHOUSE

Mattie Stepanek once said, “Unity is strength. When there is teamwork and collaboration, wonderful things can be achieved.” Add in a healthy dose of mutual respect and immense passion for achieving excellence in the horse business and that’s the perfect recipe for a wonderful new venture at Patty Vatterott’s Sea Ridge Farms in Wellington, Florida.

Michael Colvin and Patty Vatterott have both successfully owned their own training businesses in the past. While both have achieved many accolades, including multiple World and Congress Championships, they both knew they could do something even better together. “Patty and I have been friends and colleagues for a long time, and we’re very like minded about many facets of the horse business. We have done a lot of work together on projects in the past, and our alliance is something that naturally evolved over time,” Colvin says. Being a trainer, exhibitor, coach, judge, and keeping up with clinics (many that take place around the world), Colvin has many irons in the fire. “We’re both very busy and like to give one-hundred percent to everything that we do. By joining forces, we can make sure that we’re able to keep things up to the standard that we both expect,” Colvin says. Vatterott acknowledges that there is a lot more that goes into the business than just the training, coaching, and showing. “I actually enjoy doing the office work, show entries, hotel reservations, scheduling vet and farrier visits, and keeping up with the other aspects that keep the business running smoothly. With this new alliance, we can split things up and do things together. The goal is to cover all of the bases and do it as a team,” Vatterott says.

What made this magical partnership finally come together after so many years of collaboration and friendship? “We’ve talked about this before, but this time, we really came up with a plan that actually worked,” Colvin says. After living in South Florida during his early training years, the Oklahoma native has a history and a fondness in his heart for the Sunshine State, and that was a variable that played into his decision. “In the mid-nineties, I was based in Fort Lauderdale. While I was there, I started my international work with horses. I then had the opportunity to travel to Italy to train for the Giraudini family. I kept my property in Florida, so when I came back to the states, that’s where I called home. When I came back stateside and decided to start my own business in Georgia, I sold my property in Ft. Lauderdale but I never lost my love of South Florida. It’s so beautiful and offers so many things that will help to enrich my life. I want to be able to enjoy both my life and my work. This is an all-encompassing type of work, so there has to be a good quality of living, and Florida definitely provides that,” he says. Another draw to Florida is Sea Ridge Farms. “Patty’s operation is top-notch. You could call it a welloiled machine with the meticulous care of the facility and the horses. She has a staff that has been with her a long time, and I really appreciate the attention to detail and personalized care,” he says. Additionally, Colvin values the business sense that both he and Vatterott bring to the table. “When you have two people who’ve had their own businesses and realize all of the responsibility and work that goes into keeping it running smoothly, it’s easy to understand what it takes to be successful,” he says.

Click here to read the complete article
276 – July/August, 2017