Washington International Horse Show and Urban Cowboy Party Raise Funds, Awareness
Click here for a photo gallery.
Click here for a photo gallery.
This past week marked a historic partnership between the 50th Anniversary Washington International Horse Show and Autism Speaks, with the 2nd annual Urban Cowboy Party and the advent of the first ever Autism Speaks Day of Champions special needs riding exhibition. On the evening of Wednesday, Oct. 22, more than 200 guests joined event chairs Shelly Galli, Juliet Reid and Reg Stettinius and the National Capital Area Chapter of Autism Speaks for the 2008 Urban Cowboy Party at the Verizon Center's Acela Club. With Western professionals spinning guns and lassos, a mechanical bull and country band, participants clad in western attire enjoyed an evening of barbecue food and cheer. Including sponsorship dollars, ticket sales and donations, the event raised over $200,000.
A Day of Champions rider atop her horse.
View highlights from the Day of Champions event
YouTube (~1 minute)
In the wake of last year's successful Urban Cowboy Party, the event chairs designed an event to showcase the love of riding shared by many special needs children. On Sunday, Oct. 26 the Horse Show hosted the inaugural Autism Speaks Day of Champions special needs riding exhibition. Shawn Yancy, WTTG-Fox 5 news anchor, served as emcee as over 18 young riders exhibited their riding skills to a large crowd gathered in Washington, D.C.'s Verizon Center. Several area riding instructors, volunteers and riding program board members donated their time and effort to this successful event.
As an added entertainment for all, Ringling Brothers Barnum & Bailey Circus staged a free “Clown College” where children worked directly with professional clowns, jugglers, and acrobats to paint their faces, juggle feathers, and walk the tightrope (six inches high above the ground)!
To learn more about therapeutic riding, please visit http://autismspeaks.vid-host.com/pages/autism_speaks_video.
As an added entertainment for all, Ringling Brothers Barnum & Bailey Circus staged a free “Clown College” where children worked directly with professional clowns, jugglers, and acrobats to paint their faces, juggle feathers, and walk the tightrope (six inches high above the ground)!
To learn more about therapeutic riding, please visit http://autismspeaks.vid-host.com/pages/autism_speaks_video.
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