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SAUGERTIES, NY (August 11, 2009)—HITS is proud to
announce that it will host the inaugural Merry-Go-Round Gala & Auction
where a collection of colorful carousel horses and "Painted
Ponies" will be auctioned off as the conclusion to the summer long
celebration Hors'n Around
Saugerties during its annual Marshall & Sterling League National
Finals in Saugerties, New York.
The Merry-Go-Round
Gala & Auction will be held in the VIP pavilion on Saturday, September 12
at 6:30 p.m. Guests will be treated to an evening of food, art and fun as
members from the Saugerties Area Chamber of Commerce and its volunteers auction
off over 40 different carousel horses that have adorned the streets of Saugerties
for the past several months in an effort to raise money for local food
pantries.
"It's been a
terrific project," said Beth Murphy, Chairperson of the Saugerties
Economic Development Committee, Board Member of the Saugerties Area Chamber of
Commerce and Hors'n Around volunteer. "I believe that we achieved the
goals we set out to accomplish — to bring tourism to the Village, shine
a spotlight on the talented artists living and working in the area and give
something back to the community. I'm looking forward to the finale of this
event where we will raise money for area food pantries, especially during such
a crucial time as the winter and holiday season approaches, which is when they
need the most help."
Each fiberglass horse
measures either 28 or 34 inches in height and has been lovingly decorated by
local artists in themes reflecting the Hudson-Fulton-Champlain Quadricentennial
and sponsored by local businesses throughout Saugerties.
The horses will
continue to be on display throughout the Village of Saugerties until Labor Day
when they will then be moved over to the HITS-on-the-Hudson show grounds for a
week's long display leading up to the auction. Visitors can vote for their
favorite horse by visiting businesses along Main and Partition Streets and filling
out a ballot from now until Labor Day. Voters will be entered in a drawing to
win prizes, including gift certificates to local restaurants. The winner of the
people's choice for favorite horse will be announced, along with the drawing
winners, during the Merry-Go-Round Gala and Auction.
"We
are very
proud to be a part of this special community project," said Tom
Struzzieri, HITS President and CEO. "Raising money for the local food
pantries is an important cause that we care deeply about.
Hosting this event at our annual
Marshall & Sterling Finals will be a great celebration for the
Hors'n Around
project and a great finale to our horse show season in Saugerties. All
summer
long, our customers have enjoyed this unique exhibit and bringing it
onto the
show grounds for the final week will be very special and, hopefully,
help to
create some additional interest for the auction."
The Merry-Go-Round
Gala & Auction will begin at 6:30 pm on Saturday, September 12 with a
special cocktail hour and a silent auction for the SAGE Painted Ponies that
were decorated by local children. The live auction of the carousel horses will
begin at 7:45pm. Phone and sealed bids will also be accepted.
Tickets for the
Merry-Go-Round Gala & Auction are available to the public for $25 and are
on sale now at Sawyer Savings Bank located at 27 Market Street and Smith
Hardware located at 227 Main Street in Saugerties. Tickets can also be
purchased online at the Chamber's website.
Hors'n Around
Saugerites is co-sponsored by the Saugerties Economic Development Committee and
the Saugerties Area Chamber of Commerce. It is made possible by the sponsors of
individual horses and the following major sponsors: Mid Hudson Valley Federal
Credit Union, Stewarts Shops, HITS, John Mullen & Sons, WAMC Northeast
Public Radio, Precision Flow Technologies, Markertek, Marshall & Sterling
Insurance and the ExploreNY400 Quadricentennial Commission. For more
information, including photos of each horse, please click here.
During the year,
riders from coast to coast compete at more than 1,100 Marshall & Sterling
League member horse shows to earn points for a place at the National Finals.
Since its inception in 1991, the Marshall & Sterling League Finals have
provided the goal that has fueled the competitive spirit of child and adult
riders at all levels of competition. Click here
for the current standings.
Marshall & Sterling Insurance, Inc.,
founded in 1864, is among the largest privately owned insurance agencies in the
United States. For more than a quarter century, Marshall & Sterling has
protected precious equine assets with unparalleled service and support, whether
the family hunter, a champion racehorse or a commercial farm. An employee-owned
company, Marshall & Sterling has been recognized by IIABA as one of the
nation's top "Best Practice Agencies." The company maintains a
national presence and is licensed in all 50 states and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
For more information contact Mary Moeller at 800-836-3046, extension 224.
HITS, Inc. is a
special events management company primarily focused on producing hunter/jumper
horse shows. Based in upstate New York in the village of Saugerties, HITS
produced its first horse show circuit in Gainesville, Florida in 1982. Since
that time, HITS has grown into a nationwide company with world-class
hunter/jumper circuits in California, Florida, Arizona, New York and Virginia.
For more information and a complete schedule of
classes and events, visit www.HitsShows.com.
Media should contact Chris Mayone at 845.246.8833 or e-mail Media_Info@HitsShows.com.
Photo: © Michael Dale Nelson
Horse: The Hudson Rose. Artist: Ellen Mahnken. Sponsor: Snyder Appliance.
Photo: © Michael Dale Nelson
Horse: Fire Chief. Artist: Patti Ferrara. Sponsor: Saugerties Antiques Center.
Photo: © Michael Dale Nelson
Horse: Mohican Horse. Artist: Linda Karlson. Sponsors: DIG, Café Tamayo, and Partition Street Wine Shop.
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