The call is going out:  Sponsors and Artists – we need you.

 

The Breeders’ Cup, the World Championships of horse racing, is headed to Del Mar next November.  Along with its world class racing comes a week-long festival produced by the Breeders’ Cup Host Committee that will excite and entertain the San Diego community with all things horse.

 

Thirteen races will be held on Friday and Saturday, November 3 and 4, 2017 with $28 million in purses along with awards and prestige of the highest order. Approximately 100,000 fans are expected to take in Thoroughbred racing’s version of the Super Bowl and the Olympics all rolled into one at the seaside course, along with millions more watching on the NBC networks.

 

The Breeders’ Cup Host Committee, made up of local individuals and organizations, including the San Diego Sports Alliance, is planning more than two dozen special community events leading up to the big days of racing, but ahead of them comes a unique opportunity to be involved with a long-lasting remembrance of the world’s best horses leaving their indelible mark on Del Mar history.

 

The Art of the Horse will feature full-sized fiberglass horse sculptures painted and decorated by local artists, then distributed and placed in highly visible locations throughout the greater San Diego area. The life-sized, artistic sculptures are reproductions of the Torrie Horse used on the Breeders’ Cup trophies. The original Torrie Horse sculpture dates back to the Renaissance and is a symbol of beauty and grace. The horses will tell all that the Breeders’ Cup is coming in their singular and colorful style. At least 20 horses will be shown with more anticipated.

 

 

The painted and decorated horses will be part of a signature dinner and auction prior to the Breeders’ Cup World Championships. Proceeds raised through the auction and Art of the Horse sponsorships both will be donated to a series of local charitable organizations and used to help fund the various community events leading up to the Breeders’ Cup World Championships.

 

The Breeders’ Cup Host Committee is putting out a “Call to Artists” to enter their names in the running for the right to paint/decorate a horse. Artists will receive an honorarium for their work and gain extensive exposure in print, on the web and at all of the fundraising events. Additionally, a horse map will be developed showing the location of the horses to the public that allows for more artist recognition.

 

(Interested artists should contact Bing Bush, Jr., the executive director of the Breeders’ Cup Host Committee at bing@bushlawoffices.com )

 

The committee also seeks sponsors, merchants and local community groups that would be interested in being part of the Torrie Horse art project. There are several levels of commitment offered:

 

$7,500 Level – Sponsor gets its name on the sculpture, on both the print and interactive walking map, and featured on the Art of the Horse: 2017 Breeders’ Cup at Del Mar website. Additionally, sponsor gets to select the artist that will paint/decorate its horse from the design portfolio and have the artist’s honorarium paid by Breeders’ Cup. Finally, sponsor gets invitations to the Post Position Draw Party on Monday, October 30.

 

$15,000 Level – Sponsors gets all of the benefits offered at the $7,500 Level, but in addition sponsor can elect to keep the horse and remove it from the auction bidding. Further, sponsor will receive two tickets to the signature dinner that features the horse sculpture auction.

 

$22,500 Level – Sponsor gets all of the benefits offered at the two previous levels, but also receives four tickets to the signature dinner featuring the horse sculpture auction and four tickets to the Breeders’ Cup World Championship on Saturday, November 4 with access to a private hospitality area.

 

Sponsors, merchants and community groups interested in being involved can do so through contact with Bing Bush, Jr. at bing@bushlawoffices.com  Art of the Horse and the Breeders’ Cup Host Committee are being organized by the San Diego Sports Alliance, San Diego Tourism Authority, San Diego Regional Economic Development Corporation and Del Mar Thoroughbred Club.

 

Artist submissions and the sale of sponsorships likely will close on or before December 31, 2016.