Conquistadores del Cielo
Aug 3, 2007, 1:36 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Glasgow Scotland
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Conquistadores del Cielo
Does anyone have any info as to whether the "Conquistadores del Cielo", the secretive "boys club" of airline and aerospace executives, still meets for its summer bash at the ranch in Wyoming?
I've made a thorough web search and can't find much recent info.
Of course as they tend to keep their meetings secret!
Oh, and no funny posts,please, like "if I told you, I'd have to kill you"
Thanks.
I've made a thorough web search and can't find much recent info.
Of course as they tend to keep their meetings secret!
Oh, and no funny posts,please, like "if I told you, I'd have to kill you"
Thanks.
Aug 4, 2007, 1:51 pm
#3
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Massachusetts, USA; AA Plat, DL GM and Flying Colonel; Bonvoy Platinum
Posts: 24,232
Conquistador Cielo (March 20, 1979 - December 17, 2002) was an American Thoroughbred racehorse. Purchased as a yearling for $150,000 by Henryk de Kwiatkowski, he was trained by Woody Stephens. Racing as a two-year-old, Conquistador Cielo won two races in his four starts then at age three, blossomed into a star.
His handlers had hoped the horse would run in the 1982 Kentucky Derby but he was kept out by a leg injury that wasn't healing to the point where his trainer was satisfied it would be completely safe. In the much easier Preakness Prep, the horse won but still his trainer skipped the Preakness Stakes to bring him along on an easier route. Entered in the Grade I Metropolitan Handicap, Conquistador Cielo set a track-record while winning by 7 1/4 lengths against older horses. Trainer Woody Stephens then surprised fans and racing insiders with the announcement that the horse was fit enough to race again six days later in the Belmont Stakes, the final leg of the U.S. Triple Crown races.
In the 1982 Belmont Stakes, Conquistador Cielo demolished the opposition, beating Kentucky Derby champion Gato Del Sol by 14 lengths. He was sold to a breeding syndicate before the 1982 racing season was over for a then record price of $36.4 million. Conquistador Cielo's performances in 1982 earned him United States Champion 3-Yr-Old Colt and Horse of the Year honors.
Retired to stud duty at Claiborne Farm in Paris, Kentucky, Conquistador Cielo didn't quite live up to expectations but nevertheless sired more than 60 stakes race winners. At age 23, the horse suffered an injury to his knee that brought on an acute case of founder in his left front leg. The disease resulted in the veterinarian euthanizing him on December 17, 2002.
You might also try this link:
http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/bizf.../31/2003066001
His handlers had hoped the horse would run in the 1982 Kentucky Derby but he was kept out by a leg injury that wasn't healing to the point where his trainer was satisfied it would be completely safe. In the much easier Preakness Prep, the horse won but still his trainer skipped the Preakness Stakes to bring him along on an easier route. Entered in the Grade I Metropolitan Handicap, Conquistador Cielo set a track-record while winning by 7 1/4 lengths against older horses. Trainer Woody Stephens then surprised fans and racing insiders with the announcement that the horse was fit enough to race again six days later in the Belmont Stakes, the final leg of the U.S. Triple Crown races.
In the 1982 Belmont Stakes, Conquistador Cielo demolished the opposition, beating Kentucky Derby champion Gato Del Sol by 14 lengths. He was sold to a breeding syndicate before the 1982 racing season was over for a then record price of $36.4 million. Conquistador Cielo's performances in 1982 earned him United States Champion 3-Yr-Old Colt and Horse of the Year honors.
Retired to stud duty at Claiborne Farm in Paris, Kentucky, Conquistador Cielo didn't quite live up to expectations but nevertheless sired more than 60 stakes race winners. At age 23, the horse suffered an injury to his knee that brought on an acute case of founder in his left front leg. The disease resulted in the veterinarian euthanizing him on December 17, 2002.
You might also try this link:
http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/bizf.../31/2003066001
Dec 5, 2009, 4:41 pm
#4
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Nevada City, CA
Posts: 1
Conquistadores de el Cielo
This organization was disbanded earlier this decade due to SEC rules violations.
During a 2002 or 2003 gathering in Wyoming, an executive with an aeronautical avionics company bragged to two other executives about a merger of his avionics company with another company. One of the other two execs acted on the insider tip and purchased shares of the company being taken over. The other exec upon hearing the insider information called his company's legal department to have the avionics company executive reported to the SEC.
All 3 of these execs were subsequently expelled from the Conquistadors for violating the number one rule "Leave Your Swords at the Door". Meaning no company business is to be discussed.
The SEC got involved and felt there were too many executives within Conquistadors whose businesses were to closely related to allow fraternization. The club disbanded.
Although no official gatherings take place any more, some former members gather for a few days of golf about once a year at various locations around the country. Some others were invited to join the Bohemian Club of San Francisco.
There is one remnant left of the club, that being a bronze bust of a helmeted Conquistador mounted on a marble base and weighing about 40 pounds. On occasion, it surfaces on the internet for sale. However, only a prior member of the original group would recognize it due to a particular marking on the rear of the bust.
Posted Dec 5, 2009
During a 2002 or 2003 gathering in Wyoming, an executive with an aeronautical avionics company bragged to two other executives about a merger of his avionics company with another company. One of the other two execs acted on the insider tip and purchased shares of the company being taken over. The other exec upon hearing the insider information called his company's legal department to have the avionics company executive reported to the SEC.
All 3 of these execs were subsequently expelled from the Conquistadors for violating the number one rule "Leave Your Swords at the Door". Meaning no company business is to be discussed.
The SEC got involved and felt there were too many executives within Conquistadors whose businesses were to closely related to allow fraternization. The club disbanded.
Although no official gatherings take place any more, some former members gather for a few days of golf about once a year at various locations around the country. Some others were invited to join the Bohemian Club of San Francisco.
There is one remnant left of the club, that being a bronze bust of a helmeted Conquistador mounted on a marble base and weighing about 40 pounds. On occasion, it surfaces on the internet for sale. However, only a prior member of the original group would recognize it due to a particular marking on the rear of the bust.
Posted Dec 5, 2009
Jan 5, 2010, 7:13 pm
#5
Moderator: Luxury Hotels and FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Palo Alto, California,USA
Posts: 17,844
Rather a delayed response, but welcome to FT, IAHMM! Interesting to know what happened to this group. Folks involved in public companies also meet up informally at conferences sponsored by investment banks, and although I don't know about the airline industry, there's no reason to suspect it should be any different. Of course, none of those meetings are pre-planned.
Sep 14, 2010, 6:56 am
#6
Join Date: Sep 2010
Posts: 1
Conquistadors del Cielo
Re: "This organization was disbanded earlier this decade due to SEC rules violations."
Not true: the Conquistadors del Cielo were not disbanded, they still meet every year at the ranch in Wyoming. Their 2010 gathering there just concluded.
Not true: the Conquistadors del Cielo were not disbanded, they still meet every year at the ranch in Wyoming. Their 2010 gathering there just concluded.
