BELLEVIEW, FL (352today.com) – Marion County is the Horse Capital of the World, and there’s no place like it on Earth.
Those words resonated loudly through the Belleview High School auditorium, as Horse Farms Forever‘s Executive Director Sara Fennessy was the featured speaker at the Belleview Chamber and Economic Partnership’s “Belleview on the Rise” on Tuesday, Jan. 27, 2026.
When Fennessy learned about the vision and the mission set forth by the 501(c)(3) nonprofit Horse Farms Forever, she recognized how profoundly important this work would be in defining the future of the community.
Fennessy is a fifth-generation horseperson and–like many others in the community–horses and the equine community have always been what has put food on the table for her and her family.
“I knew right away this was exactly what I was meant to do,” said Fennessy. “I’m excited to share with you all of the important work that we are doing to safeguard our cherished landscape.”
Horse Farms Forever plays an important role in protecting the area’s iconic landscape, global brand and unique sense of place so it will be enjoyed by future generations.
Protection and preservation
The mission and vision of Horse Farms Forever is to protect the character and culture of horses, horse farms and the Farmland Preservation Area that make Marion County’s equestrian culture unique as it grows, said Fennessy.
“Marion County is one of the fastest growing counties in the nation,” said Fennessy. “Horse Farms Forever, while we are conservation-focused, we’re not anti-growth and we’re not anti-development. We believe that growth itself is not the problem. We know that healthy growth is good for a community and it aligns with our mission. But when growth isn’t guided, it turns into sprawl. This happens when the boundaries in the Farmland Preservation Area are written in pencil instead of ink.”
The Farmland Preservation Area was created in 2005 by the Marion County Board of County Commissioners in an effort to protect the horse farms, the working land and rural character that make Marion County unique and special, said Fennessy.
“So, as our community grows these boundaries must be protected and respected,” said Fennessy. “After all, preservation and growth must coexist or neither will succeed.”
A powerful presence
What makes Horse Farms Forever’s work different is the organization’s commitment to showing up consistently and persistently when and where decisions are made, said Fennessy.
“Our directors and staff have collectively attended thousands of hours of government meetings and public hearings,” said Fennessy. “We monitor every single development application that comes before the county, and that presence matters. It allows us to be informed, engaged and effective advocates for our agricultural lands and horse farms. We are focused on a long-term strategy to protect horse farms and safeguard the Farmland Preservation Area. This is about thoughtful planning, long-term strategy, responsible growth and ensuring the land that defines our community remains a part of our future.”
Horse Farms Forever is overseen by a board of nine directors, who have unique professional backgrounds, are in either the equine industry or agricultural industry, and all live in the Farmland Preservation Area.
Direction and purpose
Horse Farms Forever was formed because of a proposed massive thoroughfare that would’ve run right through the heart of some of Marion County’s most iconic and storied farms.
“Thankfully, the Florida Department of Transportation had the good judgement to abandon these routes, and while that battle was won, the broader challenge remains,” said Fennessy. “Our directors knew there was going to be a tremendous need for an organization like Horse Farms Forever to advocate for our rural lands in light of the tremendous growth that we’re experiencing. We’re so appreciative of the dedicated oversight of our directors over the past seven years.”
Fennessy referred to the Farmland Preservation Area as Marion County’s crown jewel, which is located in northwest Marion County and encompasses nearly 200,000 acres and sits on some of the rarest soil in the world, which is only found in few places globally.
“This land does much more than support agriculture, it serves as the first line of defense for our first magnitude springs, including Rainbow Springs and Silver Springs,” said Fennessy. “It protects our water, our environment and our future. This is truly one of our greatest assets, and it must be respected and protected.”
The urban growth boundary, which is approximately 125,000 acres, is the place where Marion County’s infrastructure already exists and where growth is best served, said Fennessy.
“[The urban growth boundary] is where development makes sense, where roads, utilities and services are already in place, which allows our community to grow responsibly without sacrificing the land that divides us,” said Fennessy.
Marion County is one of the fastest growing counties in the nation, and there are real threats that can’t be ignored, roadway expansion is fragmenting the landscape and undermining the unique character of the Farmland Preservation Area.
“Development expansions threaten urban sprawl when the county’s comprehensive plan isn’t respected,” said Fennessy. “As the old saying goes, ‘if you don’t have a seat at the table, then you’re on the menu.’ But thanks to the support of the community, we have secured a seat at the table advocating for the protection of our horse farms and some of the rarest soils in the world in our Farmland Preservation Area.”