Exciting Fete Cheval Event Raises $200,000 for The EQUUS Foundation

Wellington, FL - March 14, 2012 - This year's Fete Cheval on Friday, March 9, 2012, presented by Spy Coast Farm, was a huge hit. This unique event benefited The EQUUS Foundation, which helps equestrian and horse related charities across the United States, featured fantastic riders performing games on horses from Wall Street Farm donated by Heidi and Steve Lengyel.

McLain Ward & Brian Lookabill

Elizabeth Press & Patricia Keenan

Jenny Belknap Kees & Tim Kees

Ali & Shane Sweetnam

Heidi & Steve Lengyel

The evening began at 7:00 p.m. with cocktails and a silent auction, followed by a beautiful dinner for guests in the International Club on the grounds of the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center in Wellington, Florida.

The evening's entertainment got underway guided by Emcee Brian Lookabill in the International Arena at 8:00 p.m. with Lookabill first expressing the appreciation of The EQUUS Foundation to Lisa and Robert Lourie and Spy Coast Farm for hosting the Fete Cheval, Katharine and Mark Bellisimo and Equestrian Sport Productions for offering their spectacular venue, and Elizabeth Press and Patricia Keenan, the event co-chairs.

Lookabill then introduced McLain Ward as the evening's guest judge, David Distler as the guest official, and this year’s riders, which included Max Amaya, Derek Braun, Jimmy Fairclough, Weston Gracida, Patricia Griffith, Ashley Holzer, Kris Kampsen, Marcia Kulak, Alise Oken, Alexa Pessoa, Brandon Phillips, Kim Prince, Louise Serio, Jessica Springsteen, Shane Sweetnam, and Jimmy Torano, representing Dressage, Eventing, Hunter, Jumper, and Polo.

As part of the silent auction, guests could bid to become a guest rider, and the additional riders included Hannah Bentz, Riley Bonis, Jacqi Casey, Camila Conesa, Alex Crown, Tim Dutta, Brad Gaver, Robi Kabnick, Courtney Kennedy, Valerie McAdams, Skye Perrotta, and Jean Sheptoff.

While the riders prepared for the games, assisted by juniors volunteers from the Wall Street Farm Interscholastic Equestrian Association (IEA) Team, juniors competing at the Winter Equestrian Festival, and juniors from the Gleneayre Equestrian Program, Lookabill intrigued the audience with three special live auction items that included a Meet and Greet with McLain Ward and Sapphire, a Grand Prix Course Walk with Beezie Madden, and Private Polo Lessons for Four with professional polo players, Kris Kampsen and Brandon Phillips.

"Helping Horses Heal People says it all for us, said Jenny Belknap Kees, Chairman of the Board of The EQUUS Foundation. The $200,000 raised during this special night will be used for programs that secure homes and useful lives for horses and enrich the lives of people who benefit from horses therapeutically, recreationally and competitively."

Let The Games Begin!
The riders and horses were great sports as the first event, Musical Stalls, began the night's games. After a few rounds of circling horses, when the music stopped for the last time, it came down to Louise Serio and Ashley Holzer, and it was Holzer who took home the blue ribbon for the first event.

The second event was appropriately named the Dolly Parton where riders had to put on a bra, canter across the field, fill the bra and their shirts with apples, and then sit trot to the finish line. Alexa Pessoa topped the night with an astonishing 21 apples. Jimmy Fairclough and Weston Gracida each held on to 19 apples, but it was Fairclough who claimed the reserve honors with the fastest time.

Next in the line-up was a team competition that tested the rider’s strengths to compete on a relay team, against the clock. The winning team included Jimmy Torano, Kim Prince, Jimmy Fairclough, Alise Oken, Derek Braun, Max Amaya, and Patricia Griffith.

Guest Judge McLain Ward commented, "I think the EQUUS Foundation is a great organization. I think Lynn [Coakley] and Jenny [Belknap Kees] have done a great job and they are really passionate about it; they do a lot of great work."

Musical stalls winner Ashley Holzer added, "I think it’s a great cause. I thought the event was a lot of fun and the horses were terrific."

"It was a lot of fun tonight," said Jimmy Fairclough. "I thought the riders did a great job supporting the charity. It is for a great cause, the horses were awesome, and we had a lot of fun out there."

Jimmy Torano concluded, "This is a great Foundation. We try to support it every year, and it's nice that so many people come out to enjoy the event and support the cause."

Danielle & Jimmy Torano

Ashley Holzer

Patricia Griffith & Max Amaya

Weston Gracida & Kris Kampsen

Kurt & Clea Soderlund

Bruce Duchossois, Caroline Moran, Alli Mabbs, Shelley Mabbs, Katherine Berger & Michael Bombar

Harry Reid & Megan Davis with Sam, Chloe & Juliet Reid

Linda Smith & Kim Jacobs

The event was made possible by its generous sponsors, including Title Sponsor Spy Coast Farm, Gold Medal Sponsors Mike & Mary Carpenter, Jane Forbes Clark, Mr. & Mrs. Daniel Crown, The D'Addario Family, Equestrian Sport Productions, The Gochman Family, Louisburg Farm, Mr. & Mrs. John A. Morgan, Elizabeth & Clifford Press, PJ & Suhail Rizvi, Clea & Kurt Soderlund, Split Rock Farm, and Visse Wedell.

Silver Medal Sponsors include The Adikes Family Foundation, Jenny Belknap Kees & Tim Kees, Flavia Callari, Equifit, inc., Goshen Hill, Celene & Marc Oken, Juliet & Sam Reid, and Jenny Sutton; Bronze Medal Sponsors Beth Congel, Doug Ulrich & Sheila & Eric Goetzmann, Fairfield Equine Associates, Gregory W. Gingery, Elizabeth Monaco & Neil M. McCarthy, Margaret O'Neill, Mr. & Mrs. Chris Paradysz, Quiet Corner Farm, Katie & Jim Robinson, Patti Springsteen, Mr. & Mrs. Michael J. Strauss and Andrew & Carlene Ziegler.

The EQUUS Foundation is also indebted to its auction and gift sponsors, which included: Alessandro Albanese, Alice B. Tookus Baking Company, Peter Aguirrebena, Badgley Mischa, Beval Saddlery Ltd., Bradford Renaissance Portraits, Browbands with Bling, The Barnloft, Robin Bruekman, Ramon Carullo, Companion Dogs Ltd., Violeta Cromer, Licensed Massage Therapist, College Preparatory Invitational Horse Show, Dever, Inc., The Dressage Connection, Elite Island Resort, Equalign, Equifit, inc., Equine Artistry by Barbara, Equine Equilibrium Therapeutics & April Johnston, Gray Fadden, Hampton Classic Horse Show, Charles K. Herman, M.D., F.A.C.S., P.L.L.C, Hunt Ltd., Irving Park Art & Frame, Kris Kampsen & Brandon Phillips, Anne Kursinski, Madison Green Golf Club, Metropolitan Galleries, Karen Owens, Parlanti, Performance Saddlery Inc., PRP Wine International & Tim Walker, Purgason's, Lisa Remeny TropicArts, Robin Roberts, Eileen Seitz Fine Art, Inc., ShowChic, Skiffingtons, Tackeria, Turner & Co., Viking Yachts, Video Guys, McLain Ward, and the Washington International Horse Show.

For additional information on The EQUUS Foundation, Inc., visit the EQUUS Foundation website at equusfoundation.org or contact The EQUUS Foundation, Inc., at telephone (203) 259-1550 or by email to mail@equusfoundation.org.

About The EQUUS Foundation, Inc.
The EQUUS Foundation is a national charitable foundation dedicated to improving the quality of life of horses, fostering the use of horses to enrich the lives of people in need and educating the public about the horse’s unique ability to empower, teach and heal. Our goal is to transform the way horses are treated and perceived and build a more compassionate America that values the magical and powerful bond we have with horses.

The Foundation has awarded nearly $2 million in grants to equine charities across America, provides academic and equestrian scholarships to reward volunteerism, and has achieved national recognition as the primary organization in the equine world solely focused on both horse welfare and fostering the horse-human connection in the therapeutic, recreational, and sport communities.

Thanks to the generosity of its donors, The EQUUS Foundation helps thousands of people and horses each year. Donations are tax-deductible to the full extent of the law. Contact The EQUUS Foundation at Tele: (203) 259-1550, E-Mail: mail@equusfoundation.org, Website: equusfoundation.org.

Photo Credit: Phelps Media Group.