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Equestrian Star Power Kicks Off the EQUUS Foundation's 20th Anniversary Celebrations during the 2022 CSI Greenwich
Horse lovers and competitors at the 2022 CSI Greenwich gathered at the beautiful Greenwich, Connecticut, home of EQUUS Foundation Advisory Council Member, Serena Marron, on Friday evening, October 7th, for a cocktail party to kick off the EQUUS Foundation's 20th anniversary celebrations. The EQUUS Foundation awarded its first grants to seven charities in the Connecticut and metropolitan New York area. In 2022, the EQUUS Foundation awarded over $300,000 in grants to 149 equine organizations and impacted the lives of over 6,000 horses nationwide.
There was no shortage of equestrian star power in the room, including world class equestrians, McLain Ward, Peter Leone and Mario Deslauriers. The hostess of the evening, Serena Marron, also a high-level competitor, is the owner of two horses that are EQUUS Foundation Equine Ambassadors, whose prize money is shared with the EQUUS Foundation when they win in competition. "It's an exciting way for the horses themselves to give back to other horses that need our help to stay safe," said Marron.
Left to Right: Lynn Coakley, McLain Ward, Mario Deslauriers, Peter Leone, and Valerie Angeli - @Geoffrey Tischman Photography
EQUUS Foundation President and Founder Lynn Coakley remarked, "We are excited to celebrate our 20th Anniversary in 2023 and are forming a 20th Anniversary Committee chaired by our EQUUStars – Actress Beth Behrs, Georgina Bloomberg, Brianne Goutal-Marteau, Clementine Goutal, and Jessie Springsteen. We have set an ambitious goal to raise $2 million to double our investment in the equine charities we support across the United States and double our endowment to ensure that we can continue to fulfil our mission in the future."
The EQUUS Foundation is committed to reducing the number of horses sent across our borders for slaughter with the goal to reduce the number to zero. None should be subjected to the inhumane death and the fate that awaits them—especially because there are solutions within our reach. In addition to competitive and recreational programs involving horses, programs providing equine-assisted therapeutic services offer endless opportunities for careers for horses in transition. Horses have an amazing ability to not only thrill us as athletes, but also inspire, empower, and heal.
Left to Right: Lynn Coakley, Alexa Pessoa, and Serena Marron - @Geoffrey Tischman Photography
Left to Right: Maya Faucher, Serena Marron, Kristy Clark, and Stephanie Gallucci - @Geoffrey Tischman Photography
Left to Right: Adrienne Sternlicht, Serena Marron, McLain Ward and Lauren Ward - @Geoffrey Tischman Photography
Aram and Diane Ampagoumian - @Geoffrey Tischman Photography
Serena Marron, Emma Marlowe and Gracie Marlowe - @Geoffrey Tischman Photography
Dr. Ron Gaeta, Nicholas R., Serena Marron, and Bryan Dubynsky- @Geoffrey Tischman Photography
Left to Right: Stephanie Gallucci, Morgan Kennedy, Diane Allen, Spencer O'Donnell - @Geoffrey Tischman Photography
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Reflecting back, Coakley said her love of horses was born from her experiences in the equestrian sport world as were the members of the initial board, among them Jenny Belknap Kees, who has served as the chair of the EQUUS Foundation since its establishment. In recognition of the importance of equestrian sport, as part of its 20th Anniversary festivities, Coakley announced the establishment of the EQUUS Foundation Spirit Award – to be presented to an equestrian who has significantly elevated the image and desirability of horses.
SAVE THE DATE!
Sunday, March 12, 2023, Wellington, Florida
"We are delighted to share with you that our inaugural recipient, McLain Ward, is here with us tonight. McLain has not only been a force in propelling the equestrian sport, but he has also supported us from the start and helped raise awareness of our work when we were a fledgling local organization 20 years ago. We hope you all will join us in honoring McLain when we present the Spirit Award to him on Sunday, March 12, 2023, during the Winter Equestrian Festival in Wellington, Florida."
Left to Right: Serena Marron, BJ Ehrhardt, and Peter Leone - @Geoffrey Tischman Photography
Carol Dollard and Maja McGuire - @Geoffrey Tischman Photography
Left to Right: Phillip Rozon, Jessika Mathurin, Susan Burkman, and Mario Deslauriers - @Geoffrey Tischman Photography
Tony Augustine and Valerie Angeli - @Geoffrey Tischman Photography
Left to Right: Lynn Coakley, John Corrigan, and Kate Lawson - @Geoffrey Tischman Photography
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Left to Right: Gracie Marlowe, Emma Marlowe, Dennis Dijkerman, Philip McGuane, Riley Newsome, Stephen Moore - @Geoffrey Tischman Photography
In closing, Valerie Angeli, EQUUS Foundation VP of Engagement, said, "I am humbled to stand in this room full of some of the most impressive and high-profile equestrians in the world. But it is going to take all of us to be brave enough to pull aside the curtain to see the underside – where horses are abandoned and neglected and shipped to brutal untimely deaths because they fell through the cracks and lost their protectors. As people who love horses and have made them our career – we MUST do this, and the time is NOW. Reach out to us and ask us how."
STAY TUNED!
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ABOUT EQUUS FOUNDATION: The EQUUS Foundation, a 501(c)(3) public charity established in 2002, is the only national animal welfare charity in the United States 100% dedicated to protecting America's horses from peril and strengthening the bond between people and horses. Donations are tax-deductible to the full extent of the law. Contact the EQUUS Foundation, Inc., at 168 Long Lots Road, Westport, CT 06880, Tele: (203) 259-1550, E-Mail: mail@equusfoundation.org, Website: equusfoundation.org.
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