Valegro's Shoe Donated By Carl Hester Earns Top Dollar to Benefit Equestrian Aid Foundation
Linda Wondrack and Betsy Dangel with Valegro's shoe and Carl Hester. Photo by Mary Phelps.
New Gloucester, Maine – Oct. 19, 2017 – A silver-plated horseshoe once worn by superstar dressage horse Valegro raised $5,000 for Equestrian Aid Foundation at the New England Dressage Association (NEDA) Carl Hester Symposium, held Oct. 14-15 in New Gloucester, Maine. The bidding was hot among the clinic attendees. In the end, Betsy Dangel from Newton Center, Massachusetts, made the highest bid when the auction closed Sunday afternoon.
The top-priced auction items were presented to the winners on the closing day of the symposium. Hester admitted he took the silver-plated shoe from Charlotte Dujardin’s desk.
“We made nine of these shoes which have all been donated to charity,” Hester said. “Now I have to tell Charlotte the last one went to America.”
Other items included an original painting of Hester and his horse Nip Tuck titled, “The Master” by artist Lisa Marie Bishop with Hester’s signature, and a signed banner photo collage of Hester, Nip Tuck, Dujardin and Valegro created by DressageDaily’s Mary Phelps.
In total, nearly $8,000 was raised for Equestrian Aid Foundation. Hester said he was thrilled that the auction went so well.
“Not only did I have great riders and horses to train, Valegro’s shoe raised $5,000 for the Equestrian Aid Foundation,” he said.
Carl Hester coaching at the NEDA 2017 Dressage Symposium. Photo by Mary Phelps.
The auction was orchestrated by Markel’s Mary Phelps, a Gold Sponsor of the event. Phelps has been a supporter of Equestrian Aid Foundation since its founding in 1996.
“Let’s face it,” Phelps said. “Carl is a rock star and so is Valegro. People were stalking the bidding table until the closing bell.”
Janise Gray, Equestrian Aid Foundation director of grant recipient services, attended the event Saturday.
“We are grateful to Mary Phelps for the success of the silent auction,” Gray said. “For two decades, Mary has exemplified our ‘Show You Care’ motto. The Equestrian Aid Foundation helps people across the country involved in all facets of the horse community. It is through the efforts of our supporters like Mary and Carl that we are able to provide financial assistance, hope and dignity to help our recipients heal.”
Edited press release from HorsesDaily.com
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For more information about artist Lisa Marie Bishop click here.